Finding a co-packer for your business can be a challenging task. It’s essentially entering a long-term relationship with a stranger without really knowing too much about them. You might know what their business values are from their website, but when it comes down to making sure your shipments are on time, things can go awry.
We know that you might be at your wit’s end in trying to find the right co-packer, so we’re here to help you do so. Today Fiddle will give you some tips on finding the right copacker to enhance your business’s productivity.
Are You Ready For Co-packing?
Before you begin looking for co-packing companies, you need to make sure you’re ready to do so. It’s a massive step for your business, and having a great partner by your side is what will make your business more efficient.
However, there are some questions that you may need to ask yourself before you take a step into co-packing:
- Can you afford co-packing?
- While co-packing is convenient for businesses, it can also be costly
- Take into account the scale of production and the needs that have to be met
- Your company will have to make sure it can fork out extra cash for inventory if it’s needed (Luckily there are some options to finance inventory purchases – check out Kickfurther)
- Do you want to give up control of making your product?
- Enlisting the services of a co-packing company means that you no longer have control over making your product for the most part.
- This means that the quality of your product could face some issues during production since you’re no longer hands-on
- Many companies will source their own ingredients and packaging material then just use the copacker to blend and package. This is a more hands on approach.
- Can you manage everything, good or bad?
- Make sure that you appoint people to oversee how the production of your product is going
- Human error happens from time to time, so it’s essential to make sure that you have specific systems are in place to combat potential errors
- Why do you want to co-pack?
- Co-packing can be daunting, so make sure it’s what you want to do
- You can learn a lot from co-packing, but it can also be very strenuous
- It can be an excellent move for your company, so after you’ve researched, see if it will be the right move for your company
- Are there co-packing companies in your area?
- Make sure that there are co-packing companies in your area
- If there aren’t, you’ll have to source someone that’s out of state
If you’ve come away from those questions without second-guessing co-packing, then it’s time to start searching for a co-packer.
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Tips For Your Co-Packer Search
As we’ve already stated, finding the right co-packer for your business is essential, but the search can be challenging. Now that you’ve decided co-packing is what you want to do, it’s time to find the right one for your business’s needs.
Here are some tips that will help you find the right co-packer for your business.
Narrow Down Your List Of Co-packers
Depending on your location, you may or may not have a hard time finding a co-packer. Once you begin your search, you may become overwhelmed by the amount of information that you’ll need to have for your co-packer.
To combat that, narrow down your list of co-packers to those that tie in with your business’s needs. Sometimes you might not need much production done. Try to see if they’ll engage with you and supply your needs, whether the orders are big or small.
Doing this can help make finding the right co-packer easier because you don’t have to worry about companies that might have outlandish requests to help your business. You can start to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that you can choose from a select few companies.
Consider Your Location
You might have found a co-packer that meets all of your requirements and wants to help you out. The only problem is that they’re out of state.
Although this may not seem like too much of a hassle, it might become overwhelming as time progresses. If the supplier is located across the country, will you have enough money to spend making frequent trips to their facility? What if something goes wrong with the production? Can you fork over extra cash to send the additional materials that are needed?
If your business can accommodate, then that’s great. If not, then you might want to continue searching for another co-packer that might be closer to you.
Related: What Is Inventory Management & Why It’s Important
Ingredient Sourcing
When you’re asking potential co-packers questions about their business, make sure to ask about ingredient sourcing. The ingredients you use for your product are vital to your brand’s integrity, and having a co-packer that can accommodate is essential.
See if the co-packer can meet your sourcing requirements. If not, see what they offer and see if you can adjust. Co-packers typically have more buying power when it comes to ingredients, so it might be worth listening to their suggestions from time to time.
Remember that entering an agreement with a co-packer is a relationship. In any relationship, compromise is needed for things to work well. Having a great relationship with your co-packer will make production go smoother for your business, and you’ll have less stress on your plate.
Are you looking for a list to help you find suppliers in your area? Click here to see how we can help!
Help Your Business Grow With A Co-Packer
Now that you have some tips to help you find a co-packer, it’s time to get started with your search. It will be daunting at first, but when you find one, your business will reap the rewards of having a co-packer.
Hopefully, you’ve found this article useful. If you need more information about co-packing, feel free to read some of our other blog posts.
