Food package, food packaging system and methods of assembly

A method of preparing a food package comprising the steps of:

• a) placing at least one row of a plurality of elongated food slices in a side by side arrangement on a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate having a length and a width and wherein the elongated food slices are arranged substantially parallel to the length of the elongated sheet;
• and,
• b) rolling the flexible substrate supporting the elongated food slices about a roll axis substantially transverse to the length of the elongated food slices to form a substantially tubular package.

An apparatus for preparing a rolled food package comprising:

• a work surface having means for advancing a sheet of a flexible substrate from an upstream end to a downstream end, the flexible sheet having a first end and a second end;
• at least one slicing machine operatively positioned above the work surface for slicing a food product and placing non-overlapping and individual slices of the food product on the flexible substrate in a generally parallel configuration between the first end and second end;
• a rolling machine operatively positioned downstream of the at least one slicing machine having a plurality of rollers adapted for rolling the flexible sheet about the first end towards the second end about a transverse axis to form a rolled product.