Upscale Disposable Tableware, A Blog

Discover the strategies and techniques used by Rob Kirby, VP of Sales at Fineline Settings, in their latest Caterware sales call.

Unveiling Rob Kirby's Approach to Sales Success

In this new Fineline Settings Caterware Sales Call Tutorial, VP of Sales Rob Kirby shares his approach to achieving sales success. Kirby emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with customers and understanding their specific needs by tailoring sales calls based on detailed conversations before sales appointments. Kirby also stresses the significance of effective communication and active listening skills in order to truly understand the customers' pain points and offer appropriate solutions.

Furthermore, Kirby highlights the significance of continuous learning and staying updated with the latest industry trends by featuring the new Fineline Settings app and he encourages his sales team to remember to leverage your client's brand during your sales calls by reminding them of the branding opportunities with our utensils and other products.

Additionally, Kirby emphasizes the importance of follow-up and relationship-building after the sale which he achieves by following up using the Fineline App as promised in his sales call with Heather from Middletown Catering.  He recognizes that maintaining strong relationships with clients leads to repeat business and referrals. Kirby ensures that his team provides exceptional customer service even after the sale, fostering long-term partnerships and customer loyalty.

Lastly, stay proactive and continuously improve your knowledge and skills. Stay informed about industry trends, attend relevant conferences and training programs, and embrace technology to enhance your efficiency and effectiveness as a sales professional.

Helpful links mentioned in this video:

Downloadable PDF Catalogs

Coming soon: The behind-the-scenes look at how this video was created!

2021 has been an energetic year for the Fineline team! From product innovation to celebrations, we’re going to cover it all. Whilst it was a year full of hard work and constantly introducing new products, we had fun along the way.

Once the new year started, the team hit the ground running and began brainstorming the best products we could implement into our collections for the year. With the world coming back to somewhat normal, we decided to put forth our focus on takeout products.

Our 2021 timeline packed into one blog:

January

Our first product launch of the year was the Compostable Square Bottom Bowls & Lids. We were confident our customers would love this new concept and who doesn’t love a bowl that fits perfectly in the palm of your hand while on-the-go?

April

Game changer! In April we implemented the Bagasse Cup Carrier Tray into our Conserveware collection. A product we knew would be successful because of it's use for every day takeout services. The lightweight, recyclable, and highly durable cup carrier tray was a launch we were excited to share with the public after popular demand. Not to mention, the Marketing team had a blast brainstorming and executing some high-quality photography!

July

Happy July 4^th! What an incredible month this was. We held the annual July 4^th party at Fineline Settings New York office with some tasty cuisine and raffle gifts for the team. This is one of our favorite celebrations because we go all out and take extended time to chat and eat with our colleagues.

We laughed, we ate, and we won raffle prizes!

August
Ah, August. The end-ish to summer weather and the beginning to fall, when people order takeout/delivery from the comfort of their home. We added a variety of heavyweight polypropylene individually wrapped cutlery options to our Reform Collection. After popular demand for many of our other cutlery options, we knew adding these new items into our product collection would be a big hit!

September

September was a very busy month because we were preparing for office closure to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot! 

One of our favorite launches was the juice bottles! A different but smart approach to focus on the sector of healthy lifestyles. Available in 12 & 16 oz sizes, the square shaped bottles are a new product we are very proud of launching. We conducted market based research to determine the uniqueness of this product compared to others and then....a photoshoot! The tamper-event bottle caps (available in green, white, and black) are also a major advancement for our collection.

October

October! Back in office and ready to serve our customers as well as release some new innovative products. We welcomed the Microwavable Polypropylene 50 Oz Round Bowl & Round Bowl Insert. We had fun with this photoshoot and were looking forward to announcing this welcomed addition to the Reform Collection.

Halloween rolled around and we participated in an office wide pot-luck. Some of us dressed up as a team whilst others chose to be themselves – the best costume! The team started with breakfast and ended with dessert so everyone was in a food coma by the end of the day. Celebrations at Fineline are very important to us because we come together and take a break from our busy schedules.

November

Thanksgiving! We expressed our gratitude and ordered lunch for the office employees. Everyone gathered for a bit to discuss our upcoming Thanksgiving plans and we enjoyed a few slices of pizza together prior to the office closure.

December

December has been a month filled with a ton of new projects and planning for our annual Secret Buddy party!

From breakfast, to catered lunch and dessert, we enjoyed it all while exchanging gifts. This is one of our favorite events that we participate in because we get to take some time off to regroup and connect with each other after a busy year, not to mention, who doesn't love gift exchanges and delicious food?

2021 was a whirlwind of projects, product launches, and company events that we enjoyed throughout the process. It was a busy year for us, and we cannot wait to see what 2022 has in store for our company and customers!

An outdoor pool party is one of the best ways to enjoy summer!  A huge part of any gathering is the food and presentation.  Using shatterproof drinkware and convenient hinged containers from Fineline Settings will make it easier to entertain your guests.  Keep the fun going with these smart serving choices! 

With excited kids running around and I guess adults too, it’s a great idea to use shatterproof drinkware.  There’s no stress about cleaning up broken glass if accidents happen.  These beautiful hurricane glasses are ideal for serving a summery drink.  

This frosty glass looks so refreshing on a hot summer day.  You can serve any fruity drink in this and it would look as good as it tastes.

These stemless champagne flutes can make even water look elegant.  Here, we filled them with lemonade and garnished with mint and lime slices.  

If you want a shorter glass, the 12 oz stemless goblets are great for serving a fruity drink.  We filled ours with lemonade and mixed berries to keep with the flavors of summer.  

I like how the natural color of the drink and fruit pieces show through the clear glass.  They look so pretty and refreshing!

Swimming can really work up an appetite.  Using hinged containers to serve food makes it easier for your guests to carry to their table.  The 6x6” container is the right size for a side dish like a healthy salad.  The rolled cutlery is great for pool safety since it’s wrapped.  We didn’t forget the Kraft paper straws for the drinks. 

The 9x9” square hinged container is ideal for hamburgers and piling on the curly fries.  They also work great for a salad entrée or loaded nachos.

For serving foods that need to be separated, the 8x8” square container with 3 sections is perfect.  The sections kept our food from turning into a berry chicken wing salad.  

We chose a summery strawberry trifle in stemless mini goblets to round out our poolside meal.  They look so adorable and delicious in these small individual cups!

Make it easy to host an outdoor pool party with partyware from Fineline Settings.  The shatterproof drinkware, wrapped utensils, and hinged lid containers are great for safety and convenience purposes.  The beautiful quality of them also make food more exciting and appealing.  Treat your guests to a delicious and refreshing pool party this summer!  

It’s that time when years of school lead up to one day - graduation!  We can all agree it’s worth celebrating whether that’s graduation from high school or higher education.  Besides the graduate, we all know the other important part of a gathering is the food, of course!  Fineline Settings has several caterware options to display beautiful platters and beverages for your guests to enjoy!

First of all, I really like how these platters and tiny plates come with a lid.  They keep the food fresh until it’s time for refreshments.  Come along with me as we go through this spread together!

These biodegradable sectioned plates are great for keeping your food separate, making cleanup easy, and being earth friendly. The cutlery kits are conveniently prepackaged for sanitation and also makes it easier for guests to move through the line.

Beside the plates, we used 3”x3” tiny trays and lids for individual portions of pigs in a blanket.  They look so cute and elegant in these containers.  We used a couple of large clear bowls for a salad to go along with them.  For something sweet, we used a rectangular platter for cookies.  Since it’s a graduation party, we made mini diplomas by tying ribbons around rolled cookies.

These large round platters are great for sweet or savory foods.  Here, we served cupcakes topped off with graduation caps made by piping yellow tassels onto white chocolate squares.  They look so sweet and elegant on this round white platter.

We also used another round white platter to serve our sandwiches.  I like how the white platter makes the parchment wrapped sandwiches look fresh and tasty.

We used a couple more rectangular trays for serving a variety of fruits.  Cutting them into hearts and flowers makes them more special since they are competing with cupcakes.

These mason jars are a delicious way to serve your drinks.  I like how the lids come with a hole for a biodegradable straw.  We made them more cheerful by adding a gold tassel to each one.  For some reason, strawberry lemonade tastes much better out of these jars.

We used these beautiful carafes with lids to bottle up extra strawberry lemonade.  I like how they are clear and make the drinks look refreshing.  We kept the carafes on standby in a nice oval ice bucket.

We completed our table with white and green floral arrangements.  Fresh flowers are always the perfect accent for a special occasion!

Graduation is an exciting time for a student and it needs to be celebrated!  Get creative and serve their favorite foods on beautiful partyware to make it extra special.  Make your graduation celebrations easy, gorgeous, and memorable with quality products from Fineline Settings!  Congrats to all the graduates this year!

Products Used

Drinkware

16 oz Mason Jar

Large Mason Jar Lid with Hole

35 oz Carafe with Lid

1 Gallon Oval Ice Bucket

Kraft Paper Straws, Wrapped

Caterware 

3”x3” Tiny Trays

3”x3” Tiny Dome Lid

64 oz Large Bowl

18” High Rim Platter

18” Dome Lid with Nesting Ring

12”x18” Rectangular Tray

18”X12” Rectangular Dome Lid

Conserveware 9”- 3 Section Round Plates 

Reform Cutlery Kits

The holidays are here and it’s a great excuse to celebrate with a festive dessert table!  For this dessert table I used the tiny compostable caterware from Fineline Settings’ new SelfEco line.  For some reason, it just feels special to have dessert served in tiny individual portions.  Not only do they look elegant, they are also eco-friendly, zero-waste, plant-based, and compostable.  So, we can feel better about serving each guest five mini dessert offerings in individual containers.  Well, at least when it comes to satisfying their sweet tooth and saving the planet. 

I wanted the dessert table to have a wintery theme to go along with the holidays during this season.  To set the stage, I hung white paper snowflake fans and a snowflake garland for an easy backdrop.  Then, I added a frosty green  garland, a lantern, some pillar candles, and tinsel to add some holiday sparkle.  

Starting on the left, I used the 2 piece champagne flutes to serve cranberry punch.  To make them more festive, I added a pink sugar rim, a few raspberries and mint sprigs.  

Beside the punch, I used the 4” square cocktail plates to serve slices of key lime pie and fresh strawberries.  I like how the plates have a convenient opening for a tiny fork.

I also used these beautiful Asian spoons, which  are great for one or two bites.  They were perfect for serving white chocolate mousse garnished with a raspberry and micro mint.

On the right of the dessert table, I used a two tiered dessert stand which is also available through Fineline Settings.  I like how it adds height and space for more sweet treats!  On the top tier, I used the 4 oz round bowl for serving a mini cupcake and strawberry macaroon.  I also really like that the bowls have a mini utensil holder.  It’s so convenient and still looks elegant. 

On the bottom tier, I used the 3 oz mini cubes for individual cheesecake desserts.  I like that they are clear so the guests can see all the delicious layers of the dessert.

A festive dessert table can make any holiday or celebration special! The idea of serving tiny desserts in small portions is so fun and great for entertaining!  With Fineline Settings’ compostable tiny caterware, you can really get creative with your desserts this year while keeping the earth green.  So, please go ahead and start planning your five course dessert menu and enjoy the holidays!  

Products Used:

SelfEco

3.4” Mini Spoon, White

4” Mini Fork, White

4.6” Asian Spoon, White

2 Piece 5.5 oz Champagne Flute, Clear

3 oz Mini Cube, Clear

4” Square Cocktail Plate, White

4 oz Round Bowl, White

Platter Pleasers 

11.75” Cake Stand, White

9.75” Cake Stand, White

Thanksgiving is not only a time for family and friends to gather around a feast, but also to remember our blessings and life lessons learned from the year.  I think it’s in everyone’s heart to find happiness and being grateful is one of the easiest ways to get to that state of mind.  So for this special occasion, I styled a Thanksgiving tablescape with gorgeous partyware products from Fineline Settings.  They have a nice selection of disposable plates, serving platters, utensils, and food storage solutions.  All the pieces used in this tablescape are also listed at the bottom.

For this tablescape, I wanted to create a calming and clean harvest inspired vibe.  I incorporated real flowers, greenery and produce like these light colored pumpkins to make the table inviting. I also used a few tapered candles to make it more special.

For the place settings, I kept it clean and simple with square white plates and silver cutlery. These colors also look very nice on top of a linen tablecloth.  I layered on a white solid square salad plate on top of the dinner plate and placed a mini pie on top.  The silver cutlery comes in a combo pack of knives, forks and spoons which made it convenient for setting out on the table.

For the drinkware, I love the elegance of these stemless champagne flutes for serving apple cider or another beverage and the stemless goblet for water.  It’s amazing how changing the drinkware can make drinking juice or water feel like a special occasion.  I also used a couple of carafes with lids to hold extra juice for easy refills.  I really like the lids to prevent spills in case someone is reaching over the table to pass the bread.

Once the meal is ready to be served, the floral arrangement, candles and some of the pumpkins can be moved to make room for the food platters.  I used the large oval white bowl to serve the turkey and dressed it with different fruits and herbs to keep with the harvest theme.

Fineline Setting’s collection of serving platters and bowls come in different sizes and shapes for the perfect presentation of each dish as displayed in the photo below.  Starting from the top left, I used a smaller white oval bowl to serve macaroni and cheese.  Next to it is a clear gravy boat that is great for pouring over mashed potatoes or turkey.  Beside the gravy, I used a larger white square platter for a cranberry apple salad.  Below the salad, I used a rectangular white platter to serve steamed green beans with walnuts.  I also added some white corn in a small dimpled bowl.  On the bottom left, I used a smaller white square platter to serve the buttery croissants.  Above the bread, I used a larger dimpled bowl to serve the creamy mashed potatoes.  They also have a variety of large spoons, forks, tongs, and salad tongs that are ideal for guests to serve themselves.

Here are additional photos of how beautiful the food looks on the platters and in the bowls. 

Cranberry apple salad on a large square platter with salad tongs. 

Green beans and walnuts on a rectangular platter.

Creamy mashed potatoes in the large dimpled bowl.

Once the feast is over, it’s usually time to clean up and store the leftovers.  The super bowl plus collection comes with a variety of bowl sizes and lids that are perfect for storing leftovers in the fridge.  Or, packing for guests to take home with them. They are also wonderful for transporting food if you are making a fresh dish to bring over to someone else’s home to celebrate Thanksgiving.

The bowls are also available in single meal size containers if your guests only  want to take leftovers home for one meal. For example, this salad here will be an easy take home meal your guests can enjoy later on.

This Thanksgiving tablescape was a pleasure to style and the variety of partyware collections available through Fineline Settings made it easy to set an elegant table, present food beautifully, and store leftovers for later.  They are also available in other colors to match different Thanksgiving tablescape designs.  It may not always be easy to remember to be thankful during difficult times, but I’m grateful we live in a country where there is a holiday to help remind us.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Products Used:

Place Setting:

9.5" Solid Sq Dinner Plate, White

8" Solid Sq Salad Plate, White

12 oz Solid Square Bowl, White

Sliver Secrets 24 Count Combo Cutlery, Silver

10 oz Renaissance Stemless Champagne Flute, Clear

12 oz Renaissance Stemless Goblet, Clear

35 oz Carafe w/ Lid

Serveware:

9” Large Dimpled Bowl, White

6” Small Dimpled Bowl, White

14”x 21” Oval Bowl, White

16” x 11” Oval Bowl, White

Flairware 9”x13” Serving Tray, White

Serving Utensils in White or Silver 

Food Storage:

Super Bowl Plus 160 oz, Black

Super Bowl Plus 64 oz, Clear

Many students are going back to school later in the month and the Conserveware collection is ideal for packing lunch!   The containers are biodegradable and come in various sizes and designs to perfectly pack an entire meal or individual portions.  Matching wrapped compostable cutlery kits are also available.  These products will minimize the spread of airborne illnesses through food and are environmentally safe.  School cafeterias can pre-pack food for the lunch line or parents can use them for packing lunch from home.

There are several ways these containers can be used by schools to serve lunch.  The 3 and 4 section square trays offer the flexibility to serve more or less options in prepackaged meals.  These trays have lids that fit snugly over them for health and safety reasons.  When you open the tray, it’s like having a personal disposable bento box.  Sometimes the way food is presented is half the fun of eating for kids.

Meals can be prepared and stacked in the lunch line for staff and students to easily pick up.

They also come in different sized hinged containers.  Individual entrees or sides can be prepackaged in the smaller hinged containers to give students choices instead of having an entire prepackaged meal.  These are great for salads, sandwiches, desserts, and other options.

Not only will these containers work for school cafeterias, parents can use them to pack lunch from home.  Lunches from home can be personalized to make them even more fun for kids.  Here, I made the sandwich and strawberries into ladybugs.  I also added a few frosted animal crackers for an exciting treat.

The sectioned trays are great for complete meals but space can be limited.  The larger hinged containers are great for packing foods that are already individually wrapped.  For example, a wrapped sandwich, individual portions of gelatin, yogurt and unpeeled fruit.  The individually wrapped fork and spoon can be tossed into the lunch bag and will be clean when ready to use.  They are also available in a kit with a fork, knife, spoon, and napkin. 

With students returning to school, these biodegradable containers will help to reduce the spread of illnesses while being kind to the environment.  They come in various sizes and designs beyond what I’ve mentioned for more packing options.  Schools and parents both can use these containers in an effort to make lunch-time safer and more enjoyable for staff and students.  Stay happy and healthy this school year!

Products used:

9” Square 3 Section Tray

9” Square 4 Section Tray

9” Square Flat Bagasse Lid

6”x6”x3.1” Square Hinged Container 

8”x8”x2.5” Square Hinged Container

Wrapped Cutlery Kit, PSM

Individually Wrapped Fork, PSM

Individually Wrapped Spoon, PSM

JULY IS ICE CREAM MONTH - SUNDAE BAR 🍨

Summer is here and an outdoor sundae bar goes perfectly with hot weather!  By being outside, family and friends can still have small gatherings and practice social distancing as we overcome this crazy time.  There’s so much life happening during the summer like graduations, engagement parties, birthday parties, and other important milestones that call for a sundae celebration.  Half the décor is done when you use beautiful partyware from Fineline Settings to display the food.  A sherbet sundae bar is not only tasty, but the delicious colors are perfect for a summer party!

For the table, I used a light yellow tablecloth to compliment the sherbet colors.  To make it more inviting and fun, I used a “sundae bar” garland across the front.  I also was lucky to have a florist handpick fresh sherbet colored peonies to make the table extra special.

Then, I stacked three white cake stands in various sizes to create a beautiful tiered display.  I like the versatility of using the cake stands alone or stacking them.  It was the perfect way to serve the ice cream and sugar cones. 

To keep the sherbet cold, I filled the bottom of three frosted buckets with ice and placed a sherbet container inside each one.  Once they were inside, I filled up the sides with more ice to keep the sherbet from melting too fast in the hot sun.    

I used different containers to display the toppings based on their consistency and texture.  The rolled cookies are great for dipping in the sherbet, so I spiraled them in a trifle bowl for anyone who wanted an edible spoon.  I also used gravy boats to serve pineapple, caramel, and strawberry sauces for easy pouring. 

Below the ice cream cones, I used a sectioned white tray to add more toppings like cherries, white chocolate curls, and colorful gummy bears.  In the center, I used a white tray to display a variety of cookies and on the left, I used another white tray to display fresh chopped fruit.  To help with serving, I used a white scoop for the toppings in the sectioned tray and white tongs for the cookie and fruit trays.  

I also used a bar cart styled with a small sprinkle balloon garland to make the table more festive.  It was a great place to add cute dessert cups and spoons for anyone who may not want a cone. The bar cart was also a great place to serve pre-made sundae cups.  The end result is a vibrant and refreshing sundae bar, perfect for a outdoor celebration!

As life gradually returns to normal, I hope we can all find time to celebrate the important moments with a summery sundae bar!  With quality party goods from Fineline Settings, entertaining is made easier.  All there is to do is assemble the ingredients into the containers and enjoy.  Have fun celebrating the graduations, birthday parties, or special milestones while you safely social distance outside!   

Products Used:

9x13 Serving Tray

1 Gallon Frosted Ice Bucket

8 oz Dessert Cups

4” Tiny Gold Spoons

14x13 3 Section Tray

Ice/Candy Scoop

9” Tongs

9.75” Cake Stand

11.75” Cake Stand

13.75” Cake Stand

16.9 oz Gravy Boat

7.5” Trifle Bowl

Earth Day 2020 Tablescape🌎

Earth Day 2020 Tablescape

This year marks the 50^th Anniversary of Earth Day and to celebrate, I’ve created a tablescape featuring biodegradable products from the Conserveware line!  I love that Fineline settings has an environmentally friendly alternative to help us gather in style and be kind to the planet.  For this tablescape, I wanted to use the beauty found in nature to highlight the uniqueness of these products.

The Conserveware line comes in so many options and categories that you can literally set an entire table.  The plates are available in different sizes and can be used as serving platters or plates for guests.  You can really get creative here with all that is available.

There is so much natural beauty and vibrant colors that the world is a work of art.  I used a variety of rectangular and square plates to create an art gallery design for the table setting.  Can you tell I’ve been inspired?  I also used a variety of fresh fruits and real flowers to bring in the beauty of nature and to add color.

The plates can be layered to create different looks.  The one on the left has a smaller square dessert plate on top of a dinner plate and the one on the right uses a larger appetizer plate.  The CPLA cutlery is biodegradable and is available in a convenient napkin roll.  It comes with a spoon, fork and knife in either black or white.

These cups are meant for hot beverages and have biodegradable lids but they will work for cold beverages as well.  The kraft paper straws are also functional and environmentally friendly.  I like that they have a natural tan color to coordinate with the tan napkin rolls. 

Once the table is set, the different colors and textures of the food, flowers and plates, really create an exciting and vibrant atmosphere.  I was feeling extra festive and used loose flowers as natural confetti around the plates.  I’m about the details and had to add this for a finishing touch.  Ha! 

The best place to set an Earth Day tablescape is outdoor to really enjoy the beauty of nature.  If you happen to have a bamboo grove and knobby tree, they will make a stunning backdrop.  Earth Day is an important holiday and reminds us to take care of the world we live in.  Making small changes like choosing these biodegradable Conserveware plates, cups, and cutlery can reduce pollution and make a difference towards preserving the earth.  Let’s work together in this challenge to take care of the earth.  It’s our responsibility to let future generations breathe the crisp wind rustling through the bamboo leaves and see the sun setting as they sip from their biodegradable cups.

Conserveware Products Used:

CPLA Cutlery Napkin Roll

13”x8” Rectangular Plates

12”x7” Rectangular Plates

6”, 8”, and 10.25” Square Plates

12 oz hot cups

Paper Straws

Winter Tablescape ❄️

There’s always so much to look forward to at the end of the year and I’ve dreamed up of this winter tablescape to help celebrate the holidays!  The best part about the holidays is getting together with loved ones and making memories with them.  I’m so grateful we live in a place where we are allowed to take time from our busy schedules to just enjoy the people that make our lives so meaningful.  This winter tablescape is a fun and beautiful way to welcome your guests!

I chose a classic wintery color palette in white, silver, blue and gold for the tablescape.  A white tablecloth is reminiscent of snow and is the perfect contrast for all the pieces.  For the centerpieces, I used fresh white and blue flowers make the table more elegant.  The silver vases, votives and candlestick holders are the right tinsel-like accents for the table.  To add more frosty vibes to the overall look, I added various blue candles.  Once the centerpieces were finished, the exciting part was setting the table!

I love to add layers on layers when I set up a special tablescape.  Beautiful silver chargers were used to stay with the color theme and to frame the dinnerware.  Most of the dishes I used are from the Signature Blu collection.  I really like how the navy blue and gold trim make perfect sense to use in this wintery tablescape.  I layered on the 10.25” dinner plates on top of the chargers, then  placed the 7.5” salad plate, and 12 oz bowl on top.  Then, I wrapped a few pears in silver foil and placed them in the bowl for a simple gift and to make the setting visually complete.  Someone is always either giving or receiving an elegantly wrapped fruit during the winter holidays.

I also used the Renaissance wine glasses and Savvi Serve Tumbler for beverages.  To tie it all together, I used silver utensils from the Silver Secrets collection.  Now the table is dressed and ready for the party!

This holiday season, create a beautiful atmosphere where your guests can gather around, enjoy an amazing meal and create memories together.  The fine disposable partyware from Fineline Settings help make setting a table beautiful and cleanup is easy so you can get back to enjoying your guests.  So, go ahead and spoil your guests by making this a delicious feast for all their senses!  Happy holidays!

Take a look at our Pinterest page for other beautiful tablescape ideas! https://pin.it/l52cto4ryf2vei