Improve Your Products with the Right Confectionery Trays

Posted on June 7, 2022

Creating a streamlined manufacturing process and finding high-quality processing equipment for your confections can be challenging. Whether you’re opening a new business, replacing old equipment in your current business, or expanding your offerings, it’s vital to consider the trays you’re using.

In this blog post, MFG Tray, a leading supplier of confectionery industry trays and boxes, takes a closer look at the state of the confectionery industry. We’ll explore which material for (composite, plastic, stainless steel, or wooden) bakery and confection trays is better, safer, and more effective. Finally, we’ll look at a variety of tray types that will increase productivity and improve quality in your confectionery endeavors.

A Look at the Confectionery Industry Landscape

In a 2020 study, analysts valued the global confectionery market at a whopping $210.3 billion. With a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6 percent, by 2027, its value is likely to reach $270.5 billion. The confectionery industry includes, but is not limited to companies that produce:

• Caramels and Toffees
• Chocolate
• Fine Bakery Wares
• Gums & Jellies
• Hard-boiled Sweets
• Medicated Confectionery
• Mints

While chocolate continues to dominate the industry, consumer habits, preferences, and tastes are constantly evolving. It’s this evolution that manufacturers are trying to capitalize on by expanding their offerings.

The Impact of Covid-19 on the Confectionery Market

Even pre-pandemic, costs for ingredients such as cocoa, coffee, dairy, and sugar were volatile. But today, between lockdowns, logistics issues, and supply chain disruptions, commodity pricing is even more unpredictable.

However, despite the shakeup from the pandemic, the confectionery industry is still thriving. In fact, there is a new sector of the market in which many companies have recently taken interest: The Medicated Confectionery Market.

The Medicated Confectionery Market

For companies in the confectionery market, there is growing interest in the development of consumer products derived from cannabis and its components, perhaps most notably, cannabidiol (CBD). Research indicates that the medicated confectionery segment will boom in the coming years, registering a CAGR of 4.1 percent.

In 2021, U.S. hemp-derived CBD products accounted for $5.3 billion in sales. This sector of the confectionery market is showing no signs of slowing either. Researchers predict sales to reach $16 billion by 2026. It’s also worth noting that gummies will likely be the leading product in this rapidly-growing segment.

Composite Tray Material: Composite vs. Plastic vs. Stainless Steel vs. Wood

In a globally competitive industry, a healthy bottom line is critical. To ensure long-term profitability, it’s important that confectionery companies invest in high-quality manufacturing equipment as the trays they use are vital to producing top-tier products. However, when it comes to handling equipment, there is much debate about whether composite material, plastic, stainless steel, or wood is best.

To start, plastic and wood trays have various vulnerabilities that composite material and stainless steel overcome. For instance, improper handling of plastic trays can cause bends and dents, and humidity can accelerate warping. Further, in the event of a machine jam, wooden trays may splinter into the end product.

Wooden trays can also be significantly harder to clean than their plastic, stainless steel, and composite counterparts. Tougher cleaning means a higher possibility of bacteria. Between warping and sanitation issues, wooden trays only last a fraction of the time that composite material and stainless steel handling products do. Here’s the real kicker: wooden trays are often more expensive than composite material.

A downsize to both wood and stainless steel is the sheer weight of these products. In comparison to plastic and composite material, they both lack the non-stick feature as well. This issue is especially true with confections that are high in sugar content—which, of course, is most of them.

When it comes to selecting the best handling equipment to prevent sticking, reduce the risk of bacteria, and ensure long-term usage, composite material is often the best option. Over time, by minimizing tray damage and replacement, confectionery businesses can keep profitability and production levels high.

The Sweet Taste of Success

At MFG Tray, we’re committed to providing products that help your confectionery business grow. You’re working hard to provide high-quality products, and we want to ensure you have processing equipment that can keep up.

For businesses in the confectionery industry, affordable and effective handling equipment is vital. For this reason, we recommend looking for fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP or fiberglass) trays over cheap plastic, wood, or stainless steel. Composite construction from MFG Tray also allows you to stack trays without warping or distorting under heavy loads. Additionally, FRP composite can withstand high operating temperatures and are corrosion-resistant.

For more than 45 years, MFG Tray has been a leading supplier of starch trays, holding trays, gum trays and stock boxes for the confectionery industry. These trays offer a number of exclusive design, cost, and performance benefits for confectionery operations that can’t be duplicated by other materials or manufacturers.

If you’re interested in learning more about MFG Tray’s confectionery handling product options, please visit our site and reach out to us today. All of our confectionery trays are listed in National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard Number 2 and in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21.