Pakmax Sugarcane 5-compartment Lunch Tray LT-51

The PakMax LT-51 is a five-compartment lunch tray made from sugarcane bagasse — the fibre left after sugar is extracted, so the raw material is a by-product rather than a crop grown for packaging. It is compostable under commercial conditions, oil and moisture resistant, and rigid enough to hold a full meal without flexing. The five compartments keep mains, sides and condiments apart, which is what makes it suitable for plated service rather than just takeaway.

Why operators choose the LT-51

• Five compartments keep the plate together — mains, sides and sauce stay separate in transit. On a delivered or pre-plated meal that is the difference between food that arrives as intended and food that arrives mixed
• Sugarcane bagasse - a by-product, not a crop — bagasse is what remains after sugar extraction, so the material is diverted from waste rather than grown for packaging. That is a stronger environmental position than most alternatives
• Compostable under commercial conditions — the qualifier matters and we are keeping it: commercially compostable is not the same as home compostable or as simply biodegradable
• Oil and moisture resistant — bagasse naturally resists grease and liquid without a plastic lining, which is what lets it stay compostable
• Rigid enough to carry a full meal — the manufacturer's emphasis, and the practical test - a tray that flexes when lifted spills
• Suits hot and cold food — one tray across the menu rather than separate lines for each
• Lightweight and stackable — storage space in a busy kitchen is finite, and disposables consume a lot of it
• Suits catering, meal prep, schools and takeaway — the manufacturer's stated range of use

Specifications

Venue suitability

The LT-51 suits caterers, meal-prep operations, schools, aged care and takeaway venues serving multi-component meals. If your environmental positioning matters to your customers, bagasse is a stronger story than most alternatives — but check your local commercial composting arrangements, because that is what makes the claim real.

See the full kitchenware range or browse every PakMax model we carry.

Installation & delivery

Nothing to install — this is a disposable. Two things to confirm with our team before you order, because our data does not record them: how many trays are in a carton, and the actual tray dimensions. The trays are supplied 300 to a carton, and the carton measures 400 x 290 x 450 mm at 14.3 kg gross — use those figures for shelf planning and freight. Each tray is 281 x 221 mm at the top and 45 mm deep, so check that against your delivery bags and any lidding you intend to use.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How many trays come in a carton?

300 trays per carton, in a case measuring 400 x 290 x 450 mm at 14.3 kg gross. That is the figure to build your cost per serve from. For comparison across the PakMax range we carry, the 6-compartment tray is also 300 per carton, the 12.5 inch oval plate is 500, and the cold cups are 1,000.

Q: What size is the tray itself?

281 x 221 mm across the top and 45 mm deep. The 400 x 290 x 450 mm figure that also appears in our records is the carton, not the tray. If compartment-by-compartment portion fit matters to you, ask our team - the individual compartment sizes are not recorded.

Q: What does 'compostable under commercial conditions' mean?

It means the tray will break down in an industrial composting facility, which runs hotter and more actively than a home compost heap. It is a genuine claim but a conditional one - if your waste does not reach a commercial composting stream, the environmental benefit is not realised. Check what your waste contractor actually does with it.

Q: Is bagasse actually better than plastic?

The material is a by-product of sugar processing rather than a crop grown for packaging, and it composts commercially rather than persisting. Those are real advantages. The honest caveat is the one above: the composting benefit depends on the tray reaching a facility that composts it.

Q: Will it hold hot and saucy food?

The manufacturer states it is oil and moisture resistant and suitable for both hot and cold food, and that the rigid construction holds a full meal without bending or leaking. Bagasse resists grease naturally rather than through a plastic lining, which is what keeps it compostable.

Q: What warranty does the LT-51 come with?

Our records do not carry a specific warranty term for this item. Terms vary by product — see our warranty information page for full details.