Custom Printed Soup Containers with Press-On Lids

What are soup containers and how does the lid fit?

A soup container is a round paper tub that narrows towards the base. The top edge is rolled into a firm rim, and a flat paper lid pushes down over it.

The lid grips the outside of that rim, so the seal depends on a good match between the two parts. That is why we quote the tub and lid together, in the same size, from the same order.

Because the tub is tapered, empty tubs nest inside each other. A stack of a hundred takes up little more room under your counter than a few filled ones.

Who uses printed soup containers?

Any kitchen that ladles a hot, wet dish into a pot for the customer to carry away. Most orders come from places that sell soup as a lunch staple, but the tub suits far more than soup.

• Cafés and sandwich shops selling a soup of the day
• Delis with a hot counter and a chilled counter
• Market traders serving dal, chilli or goulash
• Caterers sending hot dishes to offices and events
• Breakfast bars selling porridge and overnight oats
• Restaurants offering their stews and curries for collection

Which soup container size matches your ladle?

Start with the ladle, not the tub. Fill a sample tub with one full serving and check where the liquid sits.

You want the surface about a finger's width below the rim. Any higher and the lid pushes soup over the edge as it goes on. The table shows how menu items often line up with tub sizes.

Kraft or white board for hot liquids?

Kraft board gives a brown, natural look that sits well with homemade soups and farm-shop branding. White board shows bright colours more cleanly and makes a full colour print look sharper.

For thin soups and oily curries, ask for a lining or coating on the inside. It slows liquid and fat soaking into the wall, so the outside print stays clean. Our guide to greaseproof paper, coated board and linings explains the options.

Food-contact materials are available on request, and your quote confirms the material once we know the recipe.

Steam, condensation and the lid

Hot soup gives off steam the moment the lid goes on. Trapped steam turns to water on the underside of the lid and drips back down.

A small vent hole in the lid lets some of that steam out, which reduces the pressure that can lift a lid in a warm delivery bag. You can see the pinhole style in the photos above.

If you serve something thick, such as a stew, a vent matters less. For a broth or a ramen-style soup, ask us to add one.

How should you print soup containers?

The wall of a tapered tub is a curved band, wider at the top than the bottom. Artwork has to be laid out on a curved template, so a straight logo still looks straight when the tub is formed.

A single bold mark often works better than a crowded wrap. Customers hold the tub with a hand around the middle, so keep key text near the top band. The lid is a second print area, which suits a short message or your web address.

Tubs can stay plain or take one ink, two inks or a full CMYK wrap. Our designers set your artwork on the template for free, and Design Your Packaging lets you place a logo before you ask for a price.

How do you pack soup for delivery without spills?

Most spills happen because the lid is not pressed all the way round. Run a thumb round the full rim after closing, and listen for the lid seating evenly.

• Fill below the rim, never to the brim
• Press the lid down at four points, then all the way round
• Keep tubs upright in a flat-bottomed bag
• Pack soup next to other hot food, away from salads
• Do not stack heavy boxes on top of a soup tub

What goes wrong when ordering soup containers?

The usual problem is a mismatch between tub and lid. Lids from another supplier rarely fit a rim they were not made for, so order both together.

Another mistake is choosing a size from a photo. A 12oz tub can look large on a screen and small on your counter. Ask for the measurements in mm and compare them with a pot you already use.

Finally, people forget that a full colour wrap on kraft board looks darker than on white. If bright colours matter to your brand, white board is usually the better choice.

What sits alongside soup containers on a lunch order?

Soup is often half of a meal deal, so plan the other half at the same time. A matching print across your soup tubs and printed sandwich wedge packs makes the deal look like one offer.

Bread rolls travel well in a small paper bag. Salads and cold sides belong in a separate box, so they stay cool next to the warm tub.

How do you order custom soup containers?

Each order is quoted on its own, and the price follows your sizes, board, print and run length. Soup tubs start at £0.25 per unit. The real number for your mix of sizes is set out on a written quote.

1. Tell us the sizes you need and roughly how many of each.
2. Choose kraft or white board, and say whether you want a lining or a vented lid.
3. Send your logo or artwork, or ask our designers to lay it out.
4. Check and approve your free design proof.
5. We produce your tubs and lids in 4–6 business days after approval.
6. Cartons of tubs then reach your UK kitchen in 2–3 business days, tracked and with no delivery charge.

Reprints, damage and getting help

If a box arrives damaged or the print is wrong, send photos within 10 days. We reprint the tubs or refund them.

Questions about a size or a lining can go to info@thefoodpackaging.co.uk or WhatsApp. When you are ready, request a written soup container quote with your sizes and quantities.