Organic Processing Vo1.7 #3

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Processing

are legally protected.

• Though oversight of the manufacturing process aids the marketer greatly, nonetheless he/she yields primary control over the process to the co-packer.

• The co-packer will control the production schedule for all practical intent and purpose.

your options in choosing a packer. Certainly, if you can find the right packer “close to home,” then it certainly could make a lot of sense; however, it’s also important to consider how close the plant is to key raw materials suppliers. How close is the plant to your intended customers? How close is the plant to good freight lanes? The money and time saved by being close to home can quickly be eaten up in high freight bills for inbound and outbound shipments.

• There will always be built-in limitations to contend with (but if needed, you can move new products or even current production, within contractual limits, to a new packer).

Thoroughly research the packer under consideration regarding its reputation for quality control, consistent operations, reliability and dependability. Try to find out some of the products packed at that facility

• The packer may manufacture many similar, competing products, creating another internal conflict of scheduling and information security concerns.

• A packer’s finances can change dramatically and quickly. It is important to know what liens can be placed against your finished products, or against unique materials you may have supplied in advance of production, and what recourse you have.

Finding the Right Co-Packer
Now that we have identified many
of the advantages and possible pitfalls
to consider, let’s tackle the issue at
hand, which is finding and qualifying
a packer for your new product.

The size and scope of the packer, and where that packer is in its company’s life cycle, can be very important. The larger packer may have more stability, and more experience if long established, but it may also be less flexible. Larger packers tend to want large minimum runs, which may be an issue for small start-up companies.

Like real estate, the question is location, location, location. It is often thought that it’s best to have the packer geographically close to you. It certainly helps to be on hand for production runs, problem solving, product evaluation, etc., but it also limits