Foam tub or PET tub for take-home ice cream?
Two container types stand out for take-home ice cream: the foam (EPS) tub and the clear PET tub. Both are used in half-kilo and one-kilo sizes and both come with lids, but they carry and present ice cream differently. In this guide we explain when each one fits better and how to make both stand out with your brand.
Gepako team · Updated:
The strength of foam: insulation
A foam tub provides thermal insulation by its structure. It slows down outside heat reaching the ice cream on the way from the shop to the customer's home, which is why it is preferred for long journeys, courier deliveries and hot weather. It comes with a lid and can be stacked.
The surface of a foam tub is not suitable for direct printing; to show your brand, a printed tub sleeve that wraps around the container is used. The sleeve covers the tub completely and presents the product in a more hygienic and elegant way.
The strength of PET: visibility
A clear PET tub shows the colour and texture of the ice cream as it is. For orders with several flavours together, or ready packs waiting in the display, this visibility helps sales. PET tubs are food-safe, durable and recyclable.
On a PET tub, your brand is also shown with a tub sleeve or a sticker on the lid. To keep the clear tub visible, the sleeve can be designed as a narrow band that covers only part of the container.
Which one, when?
If the journey is long, if you deliver by courier or if it is the hot season, a foam tub is the safer choice. If the look of the ice cream drives the sale, if you sell ready packs from the display or if customers want to see the flavours, PET stands out. Many ice cream makers keep both: foam for takeaway, PET for the display.
Whichever you choose, the tub sleeve and sticker carry your brand, and a kraft bag completes the outside of the package.
Also consider how you serve: if you fill tubs in advance and keep them in the freezer, tight lids and stackable tubs matter; if you fill the order in front of the customer, a tub that opens and closes easily speeds up service. Both types come with lids, and our sales team can help you choose the one that suits your routine.
Sizes, quantities and a quote
Container sizes, carton quantities and minimum order information are always up to date on the product pages. Because the tub sleeve is cut to the size of the container, simply tell us which tub you use when ordering sleeves.
For prices, write the tub type, approximate quantity and whether you need sleeves in the quick quote form, or contact us on WhatsApp; our sales team will prepare a suitable quotation.
Request a quote
List the products and approximate quantities; our sales team replies with a carton-based price.
Get a Quick Quote