Are you about to choose a food co-packing company for manufacturing and packaging your food products?
If yes, then this article will be a goldmine for you. We will take you through a few essential questions to ask a co packing food manufacturing company to help you make an informed decision.
In today’s world, it isn’t easy to do everything on your own. Every business has to decide whether to keep going with the current setup or put delicate, essential tasks in professional hands.
And that is why food co-packers are of immense value to the FMCG sector. They help businesses meet their customers’ demands by maintaining timely delivery.
So, what should you ask a co-packer while hiring them? Well, here are five questions for you:
- What do you pack?
Food items are distinct from each other, and the same goes for their packaging. For example, frozen meat will be packed differently than an acidified or lower-acidified item.
That is why it is essential to know whether your co-packer has the workforce and machinery to pack and manufacture such items.
Move ahead only after receiving a confident and positive answer.
- How big are your batches?
Next, we want to know whether they can cater to our demands. Therefore, we need to ask them about their lot size or batch.
Co-packers also cater to other clients, so we should know how much workforce and machine will be deployed in our service.
Also, it is best to keep track of your demand before asking such a question. For example, if you sell 40 gallons of soft drinks weekly, look for a manufacturing unit that can produce at least 60 gallons if needed.
- Do you have backup machinery?
Consistency in product quality and timely delivery are two of the most important reasons businesses choose co-packers.
But what if their machinery breaks down? Do they have a backup plan to keep the production line going? Do they have backup machinery that can replace the damaged one?
These questions are imperative when you have a large customer base. That is why you must ensure that your production will not stop, come what may.
Thus, it is best to ask such a question and be assured while hiring a co-packer.
- What additional services can I expect?
Co-packers are responsible for manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and shipping the product to your warehouse.
But not all co-packers provide all these services. Some may only dwell in packaging and not manufacturing, while others can be sheer manufacturers and won’t assist you with labeling.
Therefore, it is best to ensure what services you are likely to get beforehand. We recommend you find a co-packer who can take care of everything from start to finish, so you don’t have to hire and coordinate various services to get the final product.
- Is distance a problem for you?
After the production is completed, co-packers generally have tie-ups with insurance and shipping companies to transport it to the final destination.
While reputed co-packers are on clear terms with insurance and shipping companies, local co-packers can have issues with long-distance transportation since it inflates their overall cost.
That is why it is best to inquire with them. It would help if you only chose co-packers who successfully pack, manufacture, and ship to clients across borders regularly.
Final Thoughts
By asking these questions, you will be able to infer whether or not a co-packer is credible enough. Moreover, choose a reputed co-packer over a local one so that you can rest assured of the quality of service.
So, contact co-packers today and meet customer demands efficiently.
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