Getting a co-packer on the phone is easy. Getting a quote you can actually compare is the hard part. Most first emails get a polite "send us more details" because the ask was too vague to price.
Here is a short checklist that tends to turn a shrug into a number.
1. One page, not a novel
Put the product, the pack format, the target shelf life, the allergens, the annual volume band, and the ship-to region on a single page. If two co-packers get different specs, their quotes are not comparable.
2. Ask the same four numbers every time
- Unit price at two volumes (for example launch and year-one)
- Minimum order quantity per SKU and per flavor
- Lead time from PO to ship
- Who buys the packaging film/labels (you or them)
3. Separate the "can you?" from the "at what cost?"
Capability first (fill type, SQF/BRC, allergen segregation), then price. A factory that cannot run your pack format will happily burn a week of your calendar before saying no.
4. Samples before commitments
A golden sample and a short pilot beat a verbal "we can do that." Pay for the pilot; treat free samples as a bonus, not a plan.
5. Landed cost, not ex-works daydreams
Ask for the price delivered to your DC or 3PL, or at least freight assumptions. The cheapest ex-works quote is often the most expensive door-to-door.
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— Dov at HireDov
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