Easter is Peak Season for Bakeries. Is Your Crate Supply Ready?

Easter is the most intense production period in the bakery calendar. Timing and planning is essential for food production and baking. Demand surges in the weeks running up to Easter Sunday, and the pressure on your logistics and packaging doesn't let up until the last delivery goes out the door.

For bakeries producing and distributing at volume, getting through Easter smoothly often comes down to small details. Having enough storage capacity for your stock, or deliveries if you distribute your products is essential to maximise profit and customer satisfaction. 

At phs Teacrate, we supply food-safe plastic bakery crates across the UK, alongside a professional crate washing service that keeps your returnable transit packaging (RTP) clean, hygienic, and compliant when you need it most. 

Whether you have a single independent shop or a large-scale industrial bakery, we can help you store and deliver for Easter. 

Plan Ahead: Crate Hire for the Easter Rush

Easter demand builds quickly and your crate requirements will often spike in the two to three weeks before the Bank Holiday. Our service has you covered, even if you're running out of crates and demand exceeds your original plan. 

We can offer:

  • Flexible next-day delivery options so you can scale up quickly as orders build
  • Guaranteed stock availability across our nationwide depot network, with locations in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Durham and Edinburgh
  • Access to a broad range of crate styles suited to bakery use, from vented bread trays to solid base transit crates

Whether you need a short-term hire for the Easter peak or a longer-term supply arrangement, we can work around your production schedule.

Why Bakeries Need the Right Crates for Easter

Cardboard boxes might seem like a straightforward option, but they come with real limitations for bakeries, particularly during a high-volume season like Easter. They absorb moisture, can collapse under stacking pressure, and are not built for repeated use across multiple deliveries. They’re also not a great choice for hygiene purposes. 

Plastic bakery crates are a far more practical choice. Here's why:

  • Hygienic and food-safe: Rigid plastic crates don't absorb odours, moisture, or bacteria the way cardboard does, keeping your products protected in transit.
  • Stackable and space-efficient: Vented and solid-base bread crates are designed for efficient stacking, making them well suited to bakery vans and cold storage.
  • Reusable and sustainable: Unlike single-use packaging, plastic crates complete hundreds of wash-and-return cycles, reducing your environmental footprint.
  • Strong enough for busy conditions: Built from tough polypropylene, our crates can handle the daily rigours of a fast-paced bakery operation.

A More Sustainable Approach to Bakery Packaging

Switching from single-use cardboard to reusable plastic crates is a practical decision. It's also an increasingly important one from a sustainability perspective. Plastic crates that are professionally washed and returned to service hundreds of times have a much lower environmental impact per use than disposable alternatives.

For bakeries building sustainability into their brand, working with phs Teacrate, a company with ISO 9001:2015 accreditation and a genuine commitment to reducing single-use plastic, helps demonstrate that commitment to customers and retail partners, helping you towards your Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.

Crate Washing: The Part Bakeries Can't Afford to Overlook

Food hygiene isn't optional. Whether you're supplying independent delis, supermarkets, or your own shop, the cleanliness of your transport and storage packaging reflects directly on your brand and your compliance obligations.

phs Teacrate operates two dedicated wash plants across the UK. We've recently invested in a brand-new, state-of-the-art crate washing machine, which has expanded our capacity to clean all types of returnable transit packaging (RTP) at high volume.

Our 9-stage wash process includes:

  • Pre-wash to remove surface debris
  • Main hot-water wash
  • Rinse cycle
  • Air knife blower to clear excess water
  • Heater/dryer stage
  • Swab testing for hygiene verification
  • Palletising, shrink wrapping, and delivery back to you

For food businesses, that level of process rigour isn't just reassuring. It's documented evidence you can share with customers and auditors.

Get Your Easter Crate Supply Sorted

Don't let packaging become the bottleneck in your busiest season. phs Teacrate works with bakeries across the UK to provide reliable crate hire, professional washing, and the flexibility to scale with seasonal demand.

Get in touch to discuss your Easter requirements, or explore our full range of rental, washing and purchase solutions at teacrate.co.uk.