All co-packers / Co-packer brief
Write the brief co-packers actually answer
Co-packers answer brands that show up ready. Answer six short sections and get a one-page brief you can send to any co-packer, save as a PDF, or send to us for matches. About five minutes, free, no signup.
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Before your first call: 5 questions worth asking
- What is your minimum run per SKU, and do you offer smaller first runs? Minimums are the most common deal breaker for new brands.
- What setup, changeover, or testing fees apply to a first run? These can change your real cost per unit more than the quoted rate.
- Do you source ingredients and packaging, or do I supply them? It affects your cash needs and your lead time.
- How long from a final formula to a first production run? Scale-up and testing usually take longer than founders expect.
- Can you send your current certificates? Ask for the actual documents, such as organic, food safety, and kosher if you need it, not just a line on a website.
Save the rest of your questions for the call. A long list of questions before a facility has seen what you make is the fastest way to get pushed down the list. The full list, by stage, is in our guide to questions to ask a co-packer.
Terms you will hear on a first call
- MOQ (minimum order quantity)
- The smallest run a facility will schedule for one product or batch.
- Co-packer and co-manufacturer
- A co-manufacturer makes your product from your formula. A co-packer may only package a finished product. Many people use the words interchangeably, so ask which they mean.
- Acidified food
- A low-acid food with acid added so the finished product has a pH of 4.6 or below. Shelf stable acidified foods fall under specific FDA rules.
- Process authority
- An expert, often at a university or consulting firm, who reviews your recipe and process and sets the scheduled process that FDA rules require for shelf stable acidified and low-acid canned foods.
- Hot fill
- Filling a product while it is hot so the heat helps sanitize the container. Common for sauces and juices.
- HPP (high pressure processing)
- Using very high water pressure instead of heat to extend the refrigerated shelf life of foods like juices and dips.
- Changeover
- The cleaning and setup needed to switch a line from one product to another. Often charged as a fee.
- Scale-up
- Turning a small-batch recipe into a production batch. Ingredients and cooking times often behave differently at scale.
- SQF and GFSI
- SQF is a food safety certification recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Many large retailers require suppliers to hold a GFSI-recognized certification.