Food Tray – A low cost solution for mass catering

ROLE

Individual project

Graduation project @ Central Saint Martins

DURATION

2 months (8 weeks)

TOOLS

Fusion 360 l KeyShot l Photoshop l Illustrator

OVERVIEW

The Compact Food Tray is designed to improve efficiency and reduce costs in large-scale catering environments. I identified three essential pain points: bulky trays that waste storage space, inefficient handling during service, and poor ergonomics for users. To address these, I developed and tested prototypes focused on stackability, lightweight materials, and user comfort. The final design balances practicality and affordability, enabling mass production at low cost while improving both the user and operator experience.

Its Role

This speculative project explores a modular food tray system designed for families prioritising their children’s nutrition in the face of rising food costs. It responds to shifting habits by offering an affordable, future-facing meal format built around freeze-dried proteins, egg powders, and nutrient-dense packets. Drawing from emergency rations and meal kits, the design supports parents in creating consistent, low-cost meals — not just in low-income regions, but in everyday households adapting to economic pressure.