The A range of plastic trays covers nine capacities, from the 85 cc olive pot to the 680 cc caterer's dish. It has a particularity better known before ordering than after delivery: none of these trays has a lid in the catalogue. That is not an oversight — it is a range for presentation and service, not for sealed transport.
The nine sizes, by capacity
Dimensions and prices as of 15 October 2026. Two families stand out: the compact sizes, whose capacity is stated, and the long sizes (A8, A16), defined by their length.
| Model | Capacity | Reference | Dimensions (mm) | Pack size | Unit cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1M | 85 cc | FRI-C02 | 106 × 62 × 25 | 1000 units | €0.0206 |
| A4/B3 | 250 cc | FRI-C03 | 120 × 94 × 35 | 1000 units | €0.0259 |
| A9 | 380 cc | FRI-C04 | 152 × 102 × 39 | 1000 units | €0.0382 |
| A13 | 500 cc | FRI-C05 | 157 × 113 × 40 | 1000 units | €0.0417 |
| A15 | 680 cc | FRI-C06 | 189 × 118 × 38 | 1000 units | €0.0500 |
| A16 S — long | — | FRI-C08 | 215 × 57 × 31 | 1000 units | €0.0319 |
| A16 — long | — | FRI-C07 | 216 × 72 × 35 | 1000 units | €0.0366 |
| A8 — long | — | FRI-C09 | 288 × 78 × 36 | 500 units | €0.0592 |
| A8 B — long, black | — | FRI-C10 | 303 × 99 | 500 units | €0.0996 |
The two closest long sizes deserve attention: the A16 S (215 × 57 × 31) and the A16 (216 × 72 × 35) are virtually the same length and differ in width and depth. The S is the narrow format — charcuterie stick, smoked fish, spring roll; the other takes a thicker portion. The price gap is €0.0047 per unit.
Why this range has no lid
This is the information nobody writes down, and the one that avoids an unusable order. The nine trays in the A range are open containers, intended for:
- the chilled display — the product shows, you serve on request;
- counter service — the portion is weighed and handed over;
- kitchen preparation — portioning ahead, wrapping as a block.
In all three cases, individual sealing is pointless: you wrap the whole lot, or you serve immediately. That is what explains the price — a tray with no lid costs structurally less than a sealed pair.
If you need to seal, change range rather than hunt for a lid: the clear butcher tray FRI-C28 has its dedicated lid FRI-C29, and the pair comes to €0.0639. That is dearer than a bare A tray — €0.0222 more than the A13 — but that is the price of sealing, not an overcharge.
The comparison of container materials is in caterer trays: aluminium, PP or board, and long-storage solutions in vacuum packing.
The black tray is not a tinted white tray
The A8 B is the only black one in the range, and also the dearest per unit — €0.0996 against €0.0592 for the white A8 of near-identical dimensions. The gap is explained not by the material but by the use: black is a presentation container.
What it brings in practice: contrast. On a black background, charcuterie, smoked fish, a colourful salad or sushi stand out far better than on white, which flattens pale colours. That is why you find it in catering and premium self-service, and almost never in the back kitchen.
So the reasoning is the same as for any presentation item: the €0.0404 gap per portion is justified if the container is seen by the customer at the moment of choosing, and is not justified if it is only opened after purchase.
Plastic, board or aluminium: the question of the tray
All three materials exist in the catalogue in comparable sizes. What separates them is not price but what they can do.
| Plastic (A range) | Board | Aluminium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer sees the contents | Yes | No | No |
| Goes in the oven | No | No | Yes |
| Goes in the microwave | Depends on the material | No | Never |
| Lid available | Not on the A range | Depends on the model | Yes, except one size |
| Holds grease and moisture | Yes | Poorly without an interleaf | Yes |
| Recycling stream | Plastic | Paper and board if clean | Metal |
In practice the split is clear: plastic for what is seen and served, board for what is eaten straight away, aluminium for what gets reheated. Mistakes almost always come from a container chosen on price for a use that is not its own — board for something greasy with no interleaf, plastic for a dish going back in the oven.
For board, see our article on chip trays; for the film that seals a block, professional cling film ; and for storage times the table by food. Purchasing terms are in wholesale restaurant packaging.
🚫 No lid at all on the A range
Not an oversight: these are display and service containers. To seal, you change range — you do not hunt for a lid.
⚫ Black is a presentation container
On a black background, charcuterie and smoked fish stand out. The price gap is justified if the customer sees the tray while choosing.
📐 A16 and A16 S: the same length
215 and 216 mm, but 57 against 72 mm wide. The S is the narrow format — charcuterie stick, smoked fish, spring roll.
White plastic tray A13 500 cc — 157 × 113 × 40 mm (FRI-C05)
The most versatile capacity in the range: a portion of salad, charcuterie or a prepared dish. An open container, for the display and counter service.
- Case of 1000 units — €41.68
- €0.0417 per unit
- 500 cc — 157 × 113 × 40 mm
- No lid — presentation range
Black plastic tray A8 B — 303 × 99 mm (FRI-C10)
The only black one in the range, and the long format. The dark base makes charcuterie, smoked fish and colourful salads stand out — where white flattens pale tones.
- Case of 500 units — €49.80
- €0.0996 per unit
- 303 × 99 mm — long format
- Presentation container, no lid
Frequently asked questions
Do the plastic trays in the A range have a lid ?
No, none of the nine sizes has a lid in the catalogue. They are open containers, intended for the chilled display, counter service and portioning in the kitchen. If you need to seal, you need another range — the butcher tray FRI-C28 has its dedicated lid FRI-C29.
Which plastic tray capacity should you choose ?
85 cc for a side order or olives, 250 to 380 cc for an individual portion, 500 to 680 cc for a caterer's dish. The long formats — A16 S, A16, A8 — serve elongated products: charcuterie sticks, smoked fish, spring rolls.
What is the difference between the A16 and the A16 S ?
Almost entirely width and depth: 215 × 57 × 31 mm for the S against 216 × 72 × 35 mm. The length is near-identical. The S is the narrow format, for a product in a stick; the other takes a thicker portion.
Why is the black tray dearer ?
Because it is a presentation container. The dark base makes charcuterie, smoked fish and colourful salads stand out, where white flattens pale tones. The gap is justified if the customer sees the tray while choosing, not if they only open it after buying.
Plastic, board or aluminium tray ?
Plastic for what is seen and served, board for what is eaten straight away, aluminium for what is reheated in the oven. Most mistakes come from a container chosen on price for a use that is not its own.
Order your plastic trays
Nine sizes from 85 to 680 cc, white and black, delivered across BE, LU, FR, NL and DE.
View the A13 500 ccView the black A8 B