How to do professional food delivery right!
If you are in the delivery game in any way, whether operating a catering business, delivering for Uber, Grubhub, etc. or even becoming a competition BBQ champion, the most important key to success is keeping food product fresh and delicious on a consistent basis. If your food is not the same as it is when the customer receives it at a restaurant, problems will arise. This can seem like an impossible standard to hold, but there are products that really help with these efforts.
Cambro has been a staple in off-premises dining for some time. Off-premises includes delivery, takeout, third-party delivery, catering, food trucks, drive thru, and more. Basically, any foodservice operation that involves the transport and delivery of meals. According to QSR magazine research, off-premises sales account for roughly 40% of all restaurant sales. Not to mention the rise in catering sales over the past 5 years; an IBISworld report states that total revenue for catering sales has reached $11bn in 2019 alone.
Starting out as a fiberglass food tray company founded by the Campbell family in the 50’s, Cambro has grown to be a global leader in the foodservice industry, known specifically for providing the most durable and highest quality products in the industry.
Cambro carries three different types of food transport carriers, with a variety of options for each to best suit your delivery needs. Ordered from good, to better and best, the advantages of each type and their best use cases.
Delivery GoBags (good):
Cambro meal-and-pizza delivery bags help protect the items that your customers love and crave with high-quality materials and sturdy construction. Cambro acquired the thermal hot/cold bag company, Thermal Bags by Ingrid, which made the original insulated pizza bag used by giants like Dominoes.
Cambro pizza bags are more durable than other brands because the material between the interior and exterior is a polymer fill, which allows the steam to be removed from the bag when transporting, keeping the pizza crust nice and crunchy, instead of soggy by the time it reaches its hungry, eager household. Most cheap brands fill their pizza bags with Styrofoam, which holds in steam – not good for pizza crust or other crispy food. Their best pizza bag holds three 18” pizzas (around $50).
Pizza bag features:
- Extra-long hook and loop fastener for secure closure every time
- 2 heavy-duty nylon straps
- Nylon carry handle
- High density insulation (poly fill)
- Reinforced stitching for added durability
- Industrial strength nylon exterior is stain resistant and washable
- Extra-large flap for a tight seal
- Large ticket pocket
- Superior moisture control and industry leading temperature retention
Cambro offers a variety of catering and/or meal delivery bags. Offered in different sizes from 10” to 21” long, these bags are ideal for UberEats, or any type of third-party food delivery, catering by fast-casual dining establishments like Panera, or any professional meal delivery program. These bags feature a vinyl lining that makes for very easy cleaning. It’s better to spill grits or soup in one of these bags rather than in the trunk of your car, as the bags are machine washable and dishwasher safe. Your car trunk would most likely take days to clean should something large spill – like enough grits to feed 30 people.
Features include:
- Available in 9 sizes to accommodate any delivery order
- Packed with dense, high quality insulation for hot or cold
- Sewn in nylon straps and clear ticket pouch offer extra ease
- Breathable material provides superior moisture control
- Easy open flap also ensures a tight seal during transport
- Made of thick, sturdy nylon fabric
- Interior material is a washable polyvinylchloride (PVC) vinyl
- Machine washable and stain resistant
- Lightweight and easy to store
Cambro also offers custom embroidering and heat-transfer printing for logos on all GoBags; transfer printing starts at $5 per bag.
GoBox (better):
Cambro’s most lightweight insulated carrier looks and feels like styrofoam but is made with a CFC-free polypropylene material, which makes it more durable and lightweight. It’s the same material that is used in car manufacturing as a type of insulation for vehicles. They will hold hot or cold food safely for a minimum of 4 hours and have a temperature retention of -3° degrees per hour. They are available in a variety of sizes and come in a front-loading and top-loading option, they even have the capability to hold multiple sheet pans and are offered at a competitive price.
Top loaders are large enough to fit steam table pans and to-go containers, and they come in a half size and a full-size option. This is a great choice for caterers constantly on the go, or school meal programs that transport food and beverage throughout the facility. The GoBox is also a good option for competition cooks who need something a little more reliable than a Walmart cooler for their professional food transport, at a competitive price.
The top-loading carrier options come with large, molded-in handles that make carrying easy and come in half and full food pan sizes. The larger, front- loader options have molded-in tray rails, and Cambro original door latches that snap shut for reinforced food safety. Other brands use a rubber, bungee type of latch that could easily break. The Cambro 400 series will hold four, 4” deep pans, and the 300 series will hold 3, four-inch deep pans.
Features include:
- CFC-free expanded polypropylene material protects food safety for 4+ hours
- No electricity needed
- Fits three to four 4” GN 1/1 (Gastronorm) pans, depending on model
- Each front loader weighs less than 9 lbs. empty
- Can be used with the Camchiller/Camwarmer options
- Ergonomic handles for easy lifting and storage
- Door opens to 270°, to allow access for fast and safe service
- Resistant to most oil, grease, and chemicals
- Stackable with other GoBoxes
- Impact resistant for safe transport
- 1-year pro-rated warranty
- Dishwasher safe
- 100% Recyclable
Hard molded, insulated carriers (Best):
Cambro’s hard-shell insulated pan carriers are industry-leading for their longevity and durability. These “hot boxes” are rotomolded for one-piece, seamless construction that makes it unmatched in its durability in transport and storage. Built with a tough polyethylene or polypropylene exterior, these carriers contain a lightweight, CFC-free insulation that can hold food safely for 4 hours or more—great for traveling long distances and built to last!
Main features:
- Rotomolded for maximum durability
- Molded rails for seamless construction
- Single 9” nylon latch offers fast and secure access
- Easy labeling area on door for adhering vital information
- CFC-free insulation ensures food safety 4+ hours
- No electricity needed, goes anywhere!
- Pop-up vent for humidity and pressure control
- Fits up to six full-size GN 1/1 pans
- Also accommodates GN 1/2 and GN 1/3 pans
- Easily stacked to maximize catering or kitchen space
- Dishwasher safe
- NSF Listed
When choosing the right hard carrier, it’s important to consider how much food will be transported and how it will be contained. With all containers, the fuller the unit is, the better it will hold temperature. When transporting small amounts of food in food pans, it is best to go with the Ultra Food Pan Carrier, because it is extremely reliable and will fit into almost any vehicle.
For transporting larger amounts of food, the Cambro 400 series might be the best option because it can hold 4 full size food pans, plus equivalent combinations of half-size pans, and uses a single front latch that keeps the door secure, while keeping food hot or cool for at least 4 hours. It also features a built-in vent that releases steam as necessary and equalizes pressure, and an integrated pan staging area on the top for stable and efficient staging/serving.
Tips on how to maximize the performance of your insulated carrier
How do I hold my hot and cold food for as long as possible? The folks at Cambro want you to get the most out of your carrier and have outlined a few ways to maximize the use of their products.
Hard insulated food carriers use the concept of thermal energy transfer, which involves the transfer of internal energy. This means that is heat will transfer from a hotter to a cooler place, and objects absorb heat from a hotter object. Keeping this in mind, it is always best to pre-heat your carrier for hot food and pre-chill for cold food.
Pre-heating (non-electrical) carriers: Slide an uncovered pan of hot water at 190° F into the bottom of the unit and let it sit for 30 minutes with the door closed. Then remove the pan and load with hot food. To further reduce heat loss through opening the door unnecessarily, label your carrier with the contents of each compartment.
Pre-chilling (non-electrical) carriers: Slide an uncovered pan of ice water into the bottom of the carrier and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then remove the pan and load food. You could also use pre-frozen ice packs and place them in a tray at the bottom of the carrier. To further prevent cold air from escaping the unit, pack the food densely so it will retain the temperature better. Minimizing empty space by using a thermobarrier to condense the hot or cold air can also help retain temperature as pans are removed.
Cambro also offers a way for customers to find the right GoBag or GoBox based on what they need to use it for with the To-Go Container Calculator, which can help customers get the right idea of what is needed before contacting an ACityDiscount sales rep; view it here.
Looking for the right insulated food carrier for your operation? The pros here at ACityDiscount are willing and ready to help! Stop by our Norcross, GA showroom or give our sales team a call today at 404-752-6715, ext. 2.