Source: https://pixabay.com/en/egg-cartons-egg-egg-box-3253299/
Packaging has a critical role to play in delivering fragile food items, such as eggs to the end user. Owing to their delicate nature, eggs require specialized packaging for protection against tainting, loss of moisture, deterioration due to climatic changes, and damages during transportation.
Poultry owners, packaging experts, and the entire food service industry are increasingly trusting the sustainable molded pulp trays for packing, storing, and transporting eggs as they offer optimal protection to the contents and are 100 percent biodegradable and compostable. Consequently, egg tray manufacturing is emerging as a profitable business idea, encouraging business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to venture into this field.
If you are planning to enter the molded pulp egg tray manufacturing domain, it is crucial to consider certain factors, namely the nature of the industry, the market potential, the investment required, and the expected returns before venturing into this field.
Here are four points that will help you appreciate how molded pulp egg tray making is a lucrative business idea for anyone who’s interested in making huge profits with minimum investments.
1. Huge Market Potential
Eggs are fast moving food items that are used on a daily basis by almost all households. They form a major part of the diet and are easy to cook, making them a popular meal choice amongst the busy working-class population.
Consequently, poultry owners across the globe are looking for economical and reliable ways to pack, store, and ship eggs without getting damaged or broken. Molded pulp egg trays offer unmatched protection against the damaging effects of vibration and shock, making it an ideal choice to pack eggs. The pulp produced using fibrous waste offers superior cushioning performance, eliminating the chances of breakage or damage during transportation, storage, and varying internal logistics conditions.
Moreover, during storage, a lot of moisture is lost through the eggshell. These trays possess good air permeability and hygroscopic qualities that are essential for keeping eggs in a good condition through the sales cycle. Also, adding specific waterproof additives to the pulp imparts water-resistant characteristics to the egg tray, making it an ideal choice to store and transport eggs in a variety of environmental conditions.
The market potential for molded pulp egg trays is huge and is expected to increase in proportion to the demand for eggs. No wonder, recent research presented by Technavio shares that the global molded pulp egg tray market will witness a steady CAGR of more than five percent in the year 2018.
With egg-producing farms heavily depending on egg trays to safely deliver their fowl produce to supermarkets, provisional stores, restaurants, and households, the demand for molded pulp egg trays is expected to grow, making it a profitable business venture.
2. Offers High Return on Investment (ROI) with Minimum Investment
Besides, minimum manual labor is needed for the manual classification of the waste, supervising the manufacturing process, and controlling the critical parameters, namely the temperature, the humidity, and the velocity (flow rate) of the hot air.
Entrepreneurs looking to venture into the egg tray-making business can use the latest technology, namely robotics and smart automation to offer cost-effective, high-performance, and aesthetically-appealing packaging solutions to their target customers, earning a steady ROI in the long term.
3. The Raw Material Is Procured from Waste
The basic raw material for manufacturing molded pulp trays is waste, such as natural fibers (sugarcane, bamboo, and wheat straw), old newspapers, old books, wrappers, boxes, cartons, or waste paper cups. Waste is easily available and economical and can be combined with additives and color pigments to produce egg trays and cartons of various colors, surface textures, and strength.
Egg tray manufacturers procure waste from recycling companies, paper mills, supermarkets, and individual households at economical rates and classify them in order to filter the metals, the stones, and the plastic waste that reduce the purity quotient of the raw material.
Thus, in the egg tray-making business, the raw material investment cost is minimal, reducing the firm’s overall costs and boosting the bottom line.
4. Supports Sustainability
Several organizations are embracing sustainable manufacturing practices with the objective of reducing the greenhouse emissions and conserving the natural resources. With the increased thrust on sustainability, the entire food industry is opting for products that use eco-friendly packaging, produce zero-waste, and minimize the carbon footprint. Additionally, poultry farm owners are jumping on the sustainability bandwagon, creating a huge demand for sustainable packaging solutions, such as molded pulp egg trays and cartons.
Molded pulp egg trays are not only made from biodegradable material but can also be recycled again, reducing the amount of waste being diverted to the landfills, the ocean floor, and the incinerators. The fibrous material used to manufacture these egg trays are 100 percent recyclable and sustainable, unlike plastic and polystyrene foam packaging.
Moreover, the egg tray-making process leaves no residuals or by-products, ensuring optimum utilization of the resources. The damaged and defective products can be easily recycled to produce fresh egg trays, reducing the amount of manufacturing waste.
Thus, the egg tray-making business can improve your reputation as a firm that cares for the environment, enhancing your business outcomes in the long term.
Conclusion
Molded pulp egg trays are being increasingly preferred by the entire food service industry owing to their ability to protect the eggs through the entire supply chain. This makes egg tray-making an extremely profitable business for anyone wanting to start his/her venture. The above-mentioned points will help you understand why molded egg tray manufacturing is a gainful business idea for budding as well as seasoned entrepreneurs.

