Case study · catering
Industrial mousse tray for a catering producer.
A contract caterer making individual mousse desserts for schools, care homes and events needed trays that froze flat, washed daily and turned out identical portions.
Customer
A contract catering producer in the Midlands
The producer was running mousse desserts on stock silicone trays that bowed in the freezer, tore at the corners after a few months, and gave slightly different portions from cavity to cavity.
The challenge
What we had to solve.
Trays had to fit production freezer racks, survive a daily wash in a commercial tray washer, release frozen mousse in one push, and hold portions consistently enough for the producer's allergen and nutrition labelling.
The approach
What we did.
We measured the freezer racks, sampled the tray washer detergent with the producer, and chose a PFAS-free platinum-cure food-grade silicone to suit. The cavity was redrawn with larger internal radii for release, the base thickened to stay flat, and each cavity checked against a target volume. A single proof tray ran for a fortnight before the fleet was made.
Outcome
How it works now.
The new trays sit flat in the racks, demould in one push and go through the washer daily. Portions are consistent across the fleet, and the drawing and grade are on file so worn trays can be replaced like for like.
Details
The specifics on this build.
Product
Individual mousse desserts, frozen and demoulded for chilled distribution.
Route
Hand-poured PFAS-free platinum-cure food-grade silicone, scaled to a fleet.
Tray design
Rack-fit footprint, thickened flat base, radiused cavities.
Portioning
Every cavity checked against a target volume at manufacture.
Washing
Grade chosen with the producer's tray-washer detergent in mind.
Paperwork
Material declaration and cavity check record supplied with the fleet.
Related services
How this fits our capability.
Mousse and entremet moulds for a clean glaze every time
Portion control moulds for consistent yield
Multi-cavity food tooling for higher yield per pour
At a glance
The idea in a picture.
How a production tray is laid out
Swipe to see the whole diagram
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