Co-packer quotes for small food and beverage brands

What a co-packer quote covers

A co-packer (also called a contract packer or contract manufacturer) makes, fills, packages and labels your product under your brand for a fee. Quotes usually include some mix of:

• A per-unit fee for making and packing the product
• Ingredients and packaging, if the plant sources them (turnkey). If you supply them, it's a tolling arrangement and the per-unit fee is lower.
• One-time costs: new product setup, scheduled process filings, trial or pilot runs
• Per-run costs: batch, setup or changeover fees, lab checks
• After-production costs: storage, palletizing, handling outbound freight
• Terms: minimum run, deposit, payment terms, and the booking window

Two quotes with very different per-unit prices may cover very different scope. That's the most common reason small brands misjudge co-packer pricing.

Co-packers by product type

Plants specialize by process and package. Start with the guide for your product:

• Beverage co-packers: canning and bottling, cold fill vs. pasteurized vs. hot fill, RTD and carbonated drinks, case minimums.
• Sauce co-packers: hot sauce, BBQ, salsa and dressings; acidified food rules, hot fill, bottle formats, gallon minimums.

Other common co-packer types, with guides coming:

• Dry blends and seasonings: powder filling into pouches, jars, or stick packs; allergen control and blend uniformity matter.
• Snacks and baked goods: ovens, fryers or extruders plus packaging lines; shelf life depends on packaging barrier.
• Frozen and refrigerated foods: cold chain storage and shipping are a big part of the quote.
• Confectionery, nut butters and spreads: specialized equipment, often strict allergen programs.

How to get co-packer quotes you can compare

1. Lock down your product. A final formula with measured specs (pH, water activity, Brix, as relevant) gets firm quotes. A recipe in progress gets estimates.
2. Decide your scope. Turnkey or tolling? Who sources packaging?
3. Write one brief and send it to every plant: product, process, package, first run size, reorder size, number of SKUs, certifications, timing, ship-to location.
4. Ask for a line-item quote in the same units (per unit, per case, per gallon) so you can line them up.
5. Vet before you pilot: facility visit or audit report, references, insurance requirements, and who files what with FDA.

Our step-by-step guide covers each of these, with the questions to ask: How to find a co-packer.

Why it pays to get more than one quote

Co-packers vary on minimums, booking windows, what they include, and how they price changeovers and storage. A plant that fits your volume today may not fit your reorders, and a low per-unit price can carry high setup fees. Seeing three quotes side by side, in the same format, shows you the real trade-offs before you commit to a pilot run.

How PostRequest gets you co-packer quotes

• You tell us once. One short form: what you make, your package, volumes, and timing.
• We build a shortlist. Our agents pick co-packers that run your product type and package, starting from our supplier database and topping it up with web research.
• Agents email the plants. Each co-packer gets your brief from a PostRequest address, with one follow-up if they don't reply. The brief describes your product, not your identity.
• You get a side-by-side comparison of price, minimums, lead time, and terms. During early access, a person on our team reviews every comparison before it reaches you.
• You choose. Pick the plants you want to talk to and we introduce you. Only then do they get your contact details.

There's no guaranteed turnaround: it depends on how quickly plants reply. Free during early access. No card needed. See pricing.