A busy sushi counter stocks two or three tray sizes, not eleven. The rest sits in the stockroom. GL Distribution, a wholesaler and importer based in Fernelmont, holds eleven sushi tray sizes in stock, from 165 × 95 mm to Ø 380 mm, all supplied with their lid. Here is how to choose, starting from what goes in the tray rather than from the catalogue.
How many pieces fit on a sushi tray?
Allow roughly 20 cm² per piece, plating included. A standard maki is 4 cm across, so 16 cm² of footprint, plus the space lost between pieces and the room taken by ginger and wasabi. On that basis the conversion becomes simple.
| Dimensions | Surface area | Pieces (order of magnitude) | What it serves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 165 × 95 mm | 157 cm² | 6 – 8 | Single portion |
| 169 × 119 mm | 201 cm² | 8 – 10 | Generous single portion |
| 223 × 95 mm | 212 cm² | 10 – 12 | Long format, plating in a line |
| 190 × 133 mm | 253 cm² | 12 – 16 | Full menu |
| 227 × 143 mm | 325 cm² | 16 – 24 | Sharing between two |
| 247 × 156 mm | 385 cm² | 24 – 32 | Sharing platter |
| 261 × 190 mm | 496 cm² | 32 – 45 | Large platter, group order |
| Ø 280 mm | 616 cm² | 30 – 40 | Round sharing platter |
| Ø 330 mm | 855 cm² | 45 – 55 | Catering |
| Ø 350 mm | 962 cm² | 50 – 60 | Catering |
| Ø 380 mm | 1 134 cm² | 60 – 75 | Events, buffet |
These are orders of magnitude, not guaranteed capacities. Airy plating, with nigiri laid flat rather than maki packed tight, easily costs 20 % of capacity.
Rectangular or round: what actually changes?
Rectangular wins in the display, round wins on the table. It is not a matter of taste but of linear metres.
A rectangular tray sits edge to edge in a chilled display: across one linear metre you fit six 165 mm trays against four Ø 280 mm round ones, for roughly the same capacity. It also stacks better in the stockroom, is handled one-handed, and carries the price label on the lid without breaking legibility.
Round exists to be placed in the middle of a table. Circular plating, in rings or rosettes, shows a composition off in a way a rectangle cannot. It is the format of catering orders, buffets and events, that is, of orders placed in advance, not of daily throughput.
In practice: if you sell over the counter every day, go rectangular, and add round only if you have genuine catering business.
Which material for raw fish?
PET for rectangular sizes, rigid polystyrene for large diameters. Both are rigid plastics for cold service, approved for food contact, and neither goes in the microwave or the oven.
PET, polyethylene terephthalate, recycling code 1, is very rigid for its thickness and holds its shape in a chilled display, even loaded. It is recycled through Belgian streams. It is the standard for rectangular trays.
Rigid polystyrene takes over at large diameters, from Ø 280 mm, where a PET tray tends to warp when carried one-handed. Do not confuse it with expanded polystyrene, the white foam tray: that one is banned for food containers by the EU single-use plastics directive. Rigid polystyrene is not covered by that ban.
What about the cold chain?
That is where product safety is decided, not in the choice of tray. Fresh fishery products are kept at a temperature close to that of melting ice, and a composed sushi follows its producer's specification. The tray and its lid limit drying out and protect against cross-contamination; they do not replace a properly set display.
Our reference fridge temperatures under HACCP
How many sizes do you really need to stock?
Two, three at most for most businesses. Every extra reference is another carton in the stockroom, another possible stockout, and another decision for the team mid-rush.
The combination that covers the most cases: one small rectangular at 165 × 95 mm for the single portion, which is the bulk of counter volume; one medium at 190 × 133 or 227 × 143 mm for the full menu and sharing between two; one large, rectangular or round depending on your business, kept for pre-orders.
The opposite reflex, stocking the whole range just in case, ties up cash in sizes that turn over three times a year.
How do you compare two trays on real cost?
Compare the price per set, never the price of the carton. Two cartons at the same headline price may hold quantities that differ by a factor of two: the carton price says nothing until you have divided it.
The method has three steps. One: carton price divided by the number of sets, giving the cost per tray. Two: cost per tray divided by the number of portions you actually put in it, giving the cost per portion. Three: set that cost per portion against the selling price of the portion. It is the only figure comparable from one size to another.
A large tray costs more per unit but often less per portion, provided you fill it. Half empty, it is the most expensive of the three.
Are these trays good for anything other than sushi?
The rectangular ones also serve composed salads, aperitif platters and mezze: anything sold cold, visible through the lid and carried flat. For hot dishes or anything to be reheated you need a different material.
Our comparison of aluminium, PP and board for catering trays
Frequently asked questions
Is the lid sold separately? No, not in this range. Every reference is sold as a complete set, tray and lid, which avoids the restocking errors that leave you with trays and no lids.
Are these sushi trays microwave-safe? No. Both PET and rigid polystyrene are cold-service materials. For a dish to be reheated you need a polypropylene or aluminium tray instead.
Which sushi tray size for a single portion? 165 × 95 mm for a standard portion, 169 × 119 mm or 223 × 95 mm for a generous one. Above 190 × 133 mm you are into a full menu or sharing between two.
How many sizes should a restaurant stock? Two, three at most for most businesses: one small rectangular for the single portion, one medium for the full menu, and one large kept for pre-orders. Every extra reference ties up cash in a size that turns over rarely.
Ordering your sushi trays
The eleven sizes described here are available from GL Distribution, a Belgian wholesaler and importer based in Fernelmont, province of Namur. Sold by the carton, no minimum order, delivery in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Germany.
For a recurring volume or a size outside the catalogue, state your dimensions and your estimated monthly usage.