Sustainable Tray Design has become a vital part of how modern food brands like Mini Dins approach packaging. As Perth businesses adapt to Western Australia’s evolving sustainability laws, packaging now plays a direct role in brand reputation, compliance, and operational efficiency.
At Carewell Group, we’ve received an inquiry from Mini Dins regarding the development of a sustainable tray design that balances eco-performance with the durability and presentation expected from high-quality meal packaging. This collaboration highlights the growing shift in the food sector — where sustainability is no longer a choice but a competitive advantage.
The Goal: Sustainable, Functional, and WA Compliant
The request from Mini Dins reflects a common challenge across Australia’s ready-meal and food packaging industry:
How can a business replace legacy plastic trays without compromising food integrity or shelf appeal?
WA’s new packaging regulations require brands to move away from non-recyclable plastics like PVC and PS, while ensuring that every packaging component aligns with APCO, PREP, and ARL standards. The key lies in smart material substitution and design optimisation.
Carewell’s approach focuses on building trays that perform as strongly as conventional plastics while meeting Western Australia’s compliance framework.
How Carewell Group Supports Sustainable Packaging Transitions
When Mini Dins approached us, the conversation centred on three critical areas — performance, compliance, and cost. Our engineering and sustainability teams work closely with clients to find the right balance of these priorities through a structured process:
- Material Evaluation
We assess product usage — whether it’s ovenable, microwavable, or for cold-chain applications — to select the best sustainable substrate. Options include:- CPET (Crystalline Polyethylene Terephthalate) – Heat-safe, recyclable, ideal for ready-meal trays.
- rPET (Recycled PET) – Transparent, durable, and 100% recyclable under the ARL system.
- Sugarcane Bagasse – Compostable, renewable, and suitable for hot or chilled foods.
- Design Replication and Prototyping
Our Custom Solutions team recreates the tray structure Mini Dins currently uses, ensuring identical depth, compartment layout, and handling performance — only now with compliant materials. - Compliance and Testing
Each prototype undergoes a PREP assessment for recyclability scoring and ARL labelling accuracy, ensuring it’s future-proofed for the EPR regulations due to take effect nationally. - Scalable Manufacturing
Once the design is approved, we manage production at scale from our NSW facility, ensuring consistent quality and timely delivery to Perth and across Australia.
You can explore our full range of Custom Solutions for sustainable food packaging innovation.
Why This Matters for Perth-Based Brands
Western Australia’s leadership in banning single-use plastics has pushed businesses toward meaningful packaging change. By switching early, Mini Dins and other Perth brands can:
- Avoid compliance penalties when EPR fees are introduced nationally.
- Enhance brand trust among eco-conscious consumers.
- Streamline logistics with lightweight, recyclable materials.
- Qualify for sustainability partnerships with retailers and councils prioritising eco-friendly packaging.
With Carewell Group, every redesign project is backed by regulatory insight, material science expertise, and years of experience supporting the Australian food packaging sector.
Sustainable Trays Designed for Performance
Performance remains central to Carewell’s packaging philosophy. A sustainable tray must not only meet compliance but also withstand real-world demands — heat, cold, stacking, and transit.
Our tray systems are designed to deliver:
- Thermal resistance for microwave or oven applications.
- Structural integrity to prevent warping or cracking.
- Aesthetic finish to maintain retail appeal.
- Full recyclability or compostability, depending on the chosen material.
For brands like Mini Dins, that means packaging that works as hard as it looks — resilient, compliant, and future-ready.
To explore examples of our work, see our Sustainable Compartment Trays — a collection of designs built to meet today’s sustainability and safety standards.
Partnering for the Future
The collaboration between Mini Dins and Carewell Group marks another step toward a circular packaging economy in Western Australia. As consumer and regulatory expectations rise, businesses that invest in compliant, sustainable packaging will gain a decisive market advantage.
Our mission is to make that transition seamless. We believe brands shouldn’t have to choose between environmental responsibility and product performance — and with the right design and material expertise, they don’t have to.
If you’re a Perth-based food manufacturer, caterer, or retailer looking to redesign your packaging line, Carewell Group can help you navigate the shift to sustainable materials with confidence.
Learn more about our Sustainability Initiatives and how we support businesses across Australia in meeting new packaging mandates without sacrificing their brand identity.
Carewell Group Pty Ltd
Unit 27/191, Mccredie Road, Smithfield, NSW 2164
Phone: +61 0477 123 699
Email: sales@carewellgroup.com.au | info@carewellgroup.com.au | logistics@carewellgroup.com.au
