TUZHE PACKAGING GUIDE
Tiered Cake Packaging: Document the Board and Display Box Separately
Separate the cake board or platform from the display enclosure in drawings, quotations and sample checks. Record dimensions, interfaces and evidence for each component.
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Tiered cake packaging is easier to quote and approve when the cake board or presentation platform is documented separately from the outer display box. The two parts meet at the base, but they do different jobs. A board carries the cake during placement and removal; an enclosure defines the visible and protected space around the packed presentation. Combining them into one line such as “tiered cake box” leaves too many interfaces unrecorded.
Give every separable part its own identity
ISO 21067-2 defines a packaging component as a part that can be separated by hand or simple physical means. Apply that principle to the actual set supplied for the order. Use separate component codes for the cake board or platform, lower base, upper support level, clear wall or sleeve, lid, insert, ribbon, and shipping carton when those parts exist. Do not add a component because it appears in a styling photograph; include only what the supplier confirms in the quotation and drawing.
GS1 guidance identifies the prevalent packaging element by the part that provides structural integrity and treats other elements as additional features where appropriate. For procurement, this is a reminder to state which part keeps the packed set together. A transparent outer wall may provide visibility without being the part that carries the cake. The board may support the cake without controlling the outer enclosure. Ask the supplier to name both functions rather than describing every part as “the box.”
Prepare two specification lines
Create one line for the board or platform and another for the display enclosure. The board line should record the supplier-confirmed usable outline, thickness or construction only when evidenced, edge treatment, orientation marks, contact surface, and any tabs or locating features. The enclosure line should record closed internal width, depth, and usable height; opening direction; lid seating; window or clear-panel boundaries; base interface; and every separate support part.
| Record | Board or platform | Display enclosure |
|---|---|---|
| Component code | B1, B2 or supplier drawing reference | E1 plus lid, base and wall references |
| Dimensions | Actual usable outline and verified construction | Closed internal space and opening clearance |
| Orientation | Front edge, upper face and loading direction | Front view, door or lid direction and closing path |
| Interface | Where it rests, locates or locks | Base recess, rails, stops or keep-clear areas |
| Evidence | Drawing, material data and sample photos | Assembled drawing and closed/open sample photos |
Dimensions should identify the measuring points and whether they are internal, external, or usable after assembly. A nominal board diameter does not prove that it clears an enclosure corner, rail, or door. A nominal box size does not prove that the finished cake, decorations, topper, and hands can pass through the opening. Use the cake and board measurement guide and the internal and external dimension guide to keep those measurements separate.
Map the interface before approving a sample
Add a simple interface drawing that shows where the board sits in the base, how much of its edge is accessible, and how it moves into and out of the enclosure. Mark any step between levels, locating slot, rail, ribbon route, clear wall seam, and lid stop. If the package has an upper and lower presentation level, record the loading sequence and the parts supporting each level. The existing two-level gift box map offers a related method for naming surfaces and states, although the cake-board check must remain specific to the intended packed set.
Keep artwork approval separate from structural approval. A logo placed on a clear wall, base, lid, or board can move relative to the cake when parts are assembled. Approve the closed front view, opened loading view, and board-only view. Record the drawing revision, artwork revision, and sample revision instead of replacing files without a history.
Use the intended cake during sample review
Review the sample with the actual cake design or a dimensionally representative substitute. Measure the complete board, widest decoration, highest fixed element, and any topper packed separately. Photograph the board being placed, the enclosure closing, the completed front and side views, and the removal path. Record contact points, bending, sliding, blocked sightlines, unstable levels, and places where fingers cannot release the board safely.
Do not infer food-contact suitability from a white coating, metallic surface, or clean appearance. FDA explains that food-contact substances include packaging and its components and that authorization depends on the intended use. Ask for order-specific declarations or other applicable evidence for any surface expected to contact food. If a liner or intermediary is intended, show it in the component list and sample.
Do not infer transport performance from a presentation sample. ISTA notes that test selection and interpretation depend on the actual distribution environment and on tracking changes to package and product components, materials, interior packaging, and closures. Define the packed product, handling route, shipping carton, and appropriate validation plan before making a transport claim.
RFQ and sample checklist
- List every supplied component with a code and quantity per set.
- Provide separate board and enclosure drawings with identified measuring points.
- State the intended cake, board, decoration, topper, and loading sequence.
- Mark the board-to-base interface and every upper-level support.
- Record closed internal space, opening clearance, and removal access.
- Identify every intended food-contact surface and request applicable evidence.
- Approve structure, artwork, and sample revisions separately.
- Define the distribution route before requesting transport testing.
- Confirm dimensions, materials, MOQ, price, lead time, certifications, and performance for the actual order.
Use these records with the custom packaging production brief. For visual structure references, review the cake box category. Illustrations and category examples do not replace a supplier-confirmed drawing and physical sample for the selected configuration.