Hands off! US supplier unveils tamper-evident, paperboard food delivery pack

29 May 2019 --- In response to the rapid growth of restaurants offering food delivery and contracting with third-party food delivery services, US-based Southern Champion Tray has launched a sustainable solid bleached board (SBS) paperboard, tamper-evident container. Coined Guarantab, the package ensures that food arrives at customers’ doors in the same condition as it left the restaurant.

Recyclable and compostable, Guarantab is equipped with a tab lock that must be torn to open. The tall side panels are designed with a “bear claw” edge which makes removing food nearly impossible without tearing the sides or tab lock. The original design is currently patent pending.

The carton has not been tested in household paper recycling streams, but SBS paperboard has been tested and approved for industrial recycling and composting.

It is one of the first products in the category of tamper-evident packaging solutions made with sustainable substrates, Ben Walter, Business Development Manager for Guarantab, tells PackagingInsights.

“Being a primary container is critical to tamper-evidence as tamper-evident secondary containers (like a bag) can be removed and the customer would never know. This is important because you never know who will be handling your food,” Walter explains.

The main technical challenges were finding the balance between the user-friendliness and the tamper-evident features of the container.The SBS paperboard Guarantab pack is equipped with a “bear claw” edge, making it nearly impossible to remove food without tearing the sides or tab lock.

“We overcame this problem by conducting several rounds of user-testing to ensure the container is easy to use for restaurants and consumers but also effective as a tamper-evident solution. This testing resulted in a simple ‘Pack it, Check it, and Seal it’ process where a restaurant can pack the food into the container, show the food to the driver for handoff, then seal it to ensure peace of mind for the restaurant and consumer,” Walter says.

The “bear claw” prevents anyone from pulling food out of the sides of the box. The claws act is a “filter” that strips the food from the “tamperer’s” fingers before they can remove any food from the package. The high sides make it nearly impossible to pull food out without damaging the container. The high sides also prevent side spillage during transportation which makes it a desirable option for food delivery.

The supplier plans to use a similar design to create a line of products that solves the tampering problem in this rapidly growing market of food delivery, says Neha Mardi, Innovation Strategist for Southern Champion Tray.

“SCT is currently working on new tamper-evident items for sandwich delivery and drink delivery. We value customer feedback and we will keep evolving the design based on customer needs. Our goal is to make the product as user-friendly as possible, without compromising on the tamper-evident aspects of it,” Mardi tells PackagingInsights.

Ensuring restaurant-quality food is delivered to consumers’ home holds large economic potential. A recent study conducted by Kerry Group found that US consumers are willing to spend 73 percent more for “in-store” quality home delivered chicken. The company spotlights consumers’ willingness to pay more for quality in delivered chicken, where temperature, appearance, texture and aroma are key drivers in meal appeal.

Since 1927, Southern Champion Tray has been manufacturing and distributing sustainable bakery, foodservice and catering paperboard and corrugated packaging, food and drink carriers and molded fiber tableware. Markets served include bakery, foodservice, frozen foods, supermarket, institutional, medical, pharmaceutical, personal care, cosmetic, retail and electronics. Southern Champion Tray has offices and manufacturing in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Mansfield, Texas.

By Joshua Poole