Kari-Out Invests over $10 Million in Sustainable Paper Manufacturing

Kari-Out Company, a leading manufacturer, importer and nationwide distributor of paper, aluminum, and recyclable packaging products in the restaurant takeout industry, today announced a significant move to bolster its innovative line of sustainable packaging solutions.

The company’s largest investment to date will expand manufacturing capabilities in its Specialty Quality Packaging (SQP) facility in New York, where Kari-Out’s popular Food Trays, Eco Box™ and Eco Earth™ paper food containers are produced. SQP, founded in 1981, has been a Kari-Out company for over fifteen years and has helped Kari-Out drive innovation with a highly experienced manufacturing team.

State-of-the-art machines with new die-cutting, folding and forming technology will allow Kari-Out to double its capacity for paper containers, producing innovative new shapes and sizes to accommodate the changing carry-out industry. This investment will also focus on six-color printing and photo processing—such as printing both inside and outside packaging—to deliver high-quality graphics for Kari-Out’s branded and private label products.

“We’ve seen a considerable increase in demand for our single-slice pizza boxes and closed food containers for hamburgers and hot dogs,” said Kimberly Cassar, Kari-Out’s Head of Marketing.  “Another area of growth is chicken boxes. The chicken wars across the national chains are real. This key investment will help us better serve this segment.”

According to Edison Trends, overall spending on chicken sandwiches grew 420% between January 2019 and December 2020. Chicken Sandwiches appear on 48% of total U.S. restaurant menus, and Americans consume more chicken than any other meat, surpassing beef, pork, and fish.

According to Forbes, the number three trend on its ‘4 Hottest Food Trends to watch in 2022’ are ghost kitchens. And, according to Euromonitor, ghost kitchens are expected to become a trillion-dollar industry in 10 years. They are anticipated to grow to over $139 billion by 2028, leading to growth in demand for to-go packaging.

KARI-OUT is working to accommodate that demand by expanding our manufacturing footprint to over 340,000 square feet this year. The investment underscores Kari-Out’s commitment to a sustainability, and aligns with their affiliation with the U.S. Composting Council.

While about 80% of all the food packaging the company makes is paper based, they will increase their output of responsible products like the Eco Earth™ closed container, which is made from 100% recycled board and both recyclable and compostable. Additionally, ramped-up operational efficiency is expected to reduce waste by 5%-10%.

About Kari-Out:

Founded in 1964, Kari-Out is a family-owned company with over 57 years of diversified manufacturing experience in to-go food packaging in the United States. The company employs over 600 people and has six facilities throughout North America supplying independent and national food service distributors. In line with the company’s mission to be environmentally responsible, two of Kari-Out’s largest production facilities are powered by solar energy. For more information, please visit www.kariout.com.