Cheese Prep Trays Provide Food Safe Efficiencies for Domino’s Franchises

Domino’s franchises across the U.S. are using Union Jack’s Cheese Prep Trays to meet food safe guidelines and improve process efficiencies. As the largest pizza company in the world, Domino’s is committed to food safety. Domino's corporate mandates strict adherence to ServSafe or equivalent food safety standards, and its food safety standards are aligned with FDA regulations and internal quality controls.

Origin story

The Cheese Prep Tray story began with Clayton Smith, the Strategic Supply and Maintenance Manager of RPM Pizza – a leading Domino’s franchise in the U.S. with 140 stores. He discovered this tray under its original (and still current) product name – the Standard Berry Flat (SBFLAT), a popular container for berry harvest and other smaller fruits and vegetables. Smith said, “During COVID, our sales were through the roof, and we couldn’t fit all the ingredient supplies needed to keep up. I was looking for a way to optimize the space inside our walk-in coolers.” He noticed that the specifications and hygienic design of the trays were ideal. And, it ended up that the trays offer other benefits to the cheese prep process. Smith added, “In addition to being a space-saver, the vented design reduces the thawing time and food waste because the cheese getting fully thawed. Overall, the trays greatly increase efficiency. And, the red color-coding and custom logo/lettering option make them identifiable for use in our stores. We rolled the trays out to all our locations and continue to recommend them to other franchises. These cheese trays are a real difference-maker.” The term “cheese prep tray” or, sometimes, just “cheese tray” was coined and the SBFLAT earned its own SKU in Union Jack’s store – CHEESEPREPTRAY.

Why our Cheese Prep Trays are preferred

• Supports corporate food safety guidelines – One-piece, durable and hygienic design made of food-grade, high-density polyethylene.
  
  
• Optimizes space - The specifications and stacking design optimizes the space inside walk-in coolers.
  
  
• Reduces thawing time - Ventilation holes on the bottom and sides creates air flow and the tray dimensions allow the bags of cheese to lay flat. Both design elements enable the cheese to thaw faster for a more efficient process, reducing thawing time by half versus previous cross-stacking cheese in dough trays.
  
  
• Reduces food waste - The cheese gets fully thawed, reducing food waste.
  
  
• Easily identifiable - Available in 5 colors to differentiate from other containers in use and can be stamped with logo/lettering on one or both ends for clear usage. Red is typically preferred for the trays since the existing dough trays are blue, and the use of red and blue (based on the corporate Domino’s logo) is appealing to eye in stores.
  
  
• Easy to clean – One-piece design eliminates areas in the corners that can trap contaminants and makes them easy to clean/maintain.
  
  
• Allows for efficient storage – The trays stack similar to existing dough trays, so they can be stored in the same area for efficient use of space.

Say “CHEESE”

Domino’s mozzarella cheese is produced using pasteurized, part-skim cow's milk, then shredded and vacuum-sealed for delivery. It is designed for consistent melting and 100% vegetarian. The cheese inventory is tightly managed due to it being one of the highest volume ingredients. Strict measures are enforced with regards to temperature, time, portioning and cross-contamination measures. For example, the cheese is kept away from raw meats to prevent cross-contamination. Temperature logs are kept, and health inspections verify compliance.

The Cheese/Cheese Prep Tray process

• Delivery – 15 lb. bags of pre-shredded frozen cheese arrive in temperature-controlled trucks from an approved Domino’s distributor. Bags are checked immediately for temperature (must be at or below safe refrigeration levels, typically ≤41°F / 5°C), seal integrity and expiration dates.
  
  
• Labeled - Bags are logged, labeled with the date and time, and rotated using FIFO (First In, First Out).

• Storage – Cheese is kept in original packaging and laid flat (one bag per tray) in the trays. The trays are moved to designated off the floor rack in walk-in coolers and stored at food-safe temperatures (typically 34–38°F). Strict separation from raw meats is followed to prevent cross-contamination.
  
  
• Defrosting - The bags of cheese defrost in the cooler on the trays.

• Transfer to make-line - When the cheese is needed, the trays are moved to a designated prep area, the bags are opened and the cheese is transferred to smaller food grade bins on the make-line (a refrigerated rail directly on the pizza assembly line) for immediate use. These smaller bins are labeled with prep time/date.
  
  
• During Service - The make-line is refrigerated to keep cheese at safe temps. Team members use standardized portion cups or scales to ensure consistency, and strict handwashing and glove protocols are followed.
  
  
• End of day - Unused cheese that has been opened is evaluated. If it’s within a designated holding time and safe temp, then it is resealed and returned to the cooler. If not, it is discarded.
  
  
• Cleaning - Trays are washed, sanitized and air dried.
  
  
• Storage - Trays are stacked for next use.

All franchisees must follow Domino's corporate food safety and operations standards. Procedures are standardized across the brand to ensure best practices and hygienic processes*. For Domino’s franchises, Union Jack’s Cheese Prep Trays are a critical part of making clean, delicious pizza!

Call us at 800-672-8119 to consult about creative uses for product based on your needs – we are happy to help.

* While procedures are standardized across the brand, small details can vary slightly by location.