When founders use a co-packer
- Your own kitchen can't keep up with orders.
- A buyer wants more volume than you can make yourself.
- A new product needs equipment you don't have.
Co-packer, co-manufacturer and private label
"Co-packer" and "co-manufacturer" are often used to mean the same thing. Some people use "co-manufacturer" for a company that also helps develop the recipe or source ingredients.
Private label, also called white label, is different. The manufacturer puts your label on a product it already makes. Some companies offer both, so ask which one you are being quoted for.
What a co-packer usually does
The co-packers listed on Batchspring publish some mix of these services: cooking or blending a batch, filling it into bottles, jars or pouches, labeling, and sometimes sourcing ingredients and packaging. Each one offers a different mix, and many have limits. Some don't run dairy or cold-fill products, and some handle dry products only. Each profile shows what that co-packer says it does and doesn't do.
How big is a minimum run?
It varies a lot, and it is stated in different units. Of the 15 co-packers listed here, 9 publish a minimum. Published examples include small batches starting at 40 gallons, 100 gallons per SKU, 100 or 200 pounds for a custom spice blend, and 1200 units per product. See co-packers that publish their minimums and why the numbers can't be compared directly.
What does a co-packer cost?
Most co-packers don't publish prices, because the cost depends on your recipe, package and run size. You need a quote. Among the 15 listed here, three publish a fee or price: a $2,750 production-run headline for up to 5,000 units with blending extra, a $500 sample fee, and a $400 set-up fee per recipe. None of those is the total cost of a run. When quotes arrive, compare production, ingredients, packaging, set-up and freight line by line with the quote worksheet.
How to find a co-packer
- List candidates that make your kind of product. Start with sauce co-packers or seasoning co-packers. State agriculture departments also publish lists, such as the Minnesota co-packer directory, and USDA lists certified organic co-packers.
- Check each one's published minimum and packaging against your plans.
- Shortlist two or three.
- Send a short, clear inquiry. See what to include, or fill in the inquiry brief.
- Compare the quotes line by line.
A co-packer has to confirm whether your product, process and run fit its plant. For food safety, process approval and labeling rules, use a qualified professional or your state's food-business program.