PaperTech Acquires Bake-Best Trays, Expanding Food-Focused Sustainable Packaging Platform

FINDLAY, Ohio, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PaperTech, a Findlay, Ohio-based manufacturer of pressed paperboard products for the food packaging and foodservice markets, announced the completion of its acquisition of Bake-Best Trays ("Bake-Best"), a Redmond, Oregon-based manufacturer of pressed paperboard trays.

Bake-Best's pressed paperboard tray products are designed for ovenable applications, enhancing PaperTech's tray portfolio with additional formats, performance-oriented design features, and microwave active susceptor solutions to improve the browning and crisping of food contents. Founded in 2007, Bake-Best has built a track record of supporting customers across various foodservice end markets, including processors, supermarkets, regional restaurant chains, and schools.

"The acquisition of Bake-Best expands the depth and flexibility of our pressed paperboard tray platform," said Chris Collis, CEO of PaperTech. "Bake-Best's ovenable tray designs and susceptor-enabled solutions complement our existing capabilities and strengthen our ability to support customers where cooking performance, consistency, and presentation matter. We are excited to build on Bake-Best's established customer relationships and deliver additional value through an expanded product offering."

The acquisition strengthens PaperTech's sustainable packaging platform through the addition of complementary products and differentiated cooking-performance technologies. The combined offering broadens the solutions available to food processors, distributors, and foodservice operators while helping PaperTech continue to provide customers with economical, more sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternatives to CPET and polypropylene packaging.

Paul Hastings served as legal advisor to PaperTech.  Steven M. Berne served as legal advisor to Bake-Best.

About PaperTech
PaperTech is a portfolio company of Chicago's May River Capital, a private equity firm that partners exclusively with lower middle-market industrial growth businesses. PaperTech is a value-added manufacturer of paperboard packaging products for the food packaging and foodservice markets. The company's customers include food processors, distributors, restaurants, grocery and other food retailers, and other institutional foodservice outlets. Specifically, PaperTech's dual ovenable pressed paperboard trays provide customers with an economical, more sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative to CPET and polypropylene packaging. For more information, please visit www.papertrays.com.

About Bake-Best Trays
Bake-Best Trays is a manufacturer of pressed paperboard food trays. Founded in 2007 as M-Press Packaging and later rebranded as Bake-Best Trays, the company offers ovenable tray formats used in prepared food and foodservice applications.

About May River Capital
May River Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on partnering with lower middle-market industrial growth businesses. The firm seeks to invest in high-performing companies in advanced manufacturing, engineered products and instrumentation, specialized industrial services, and value-added industrial distribution services. For more information, please visit www.mayrivercapital.com.

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SOURCE May River Capital, LLC