Co-packing is becoming a standard business practice for hot sauce companies to bottle their sauce. Hiring a co-packer gets you out of the kitchen and making sales. Marketing your product once it is packaged is one of the key components for making sales. Hiring a company to make, package and distribute your product allows for the focus on sales and marketing.
The initial cost of co-packing or contract packaging for small-batch manufacturing is between $1,500 and $2,000 for the startup. There will be additional costs for producing and labeling the sauce once the recipe has been completed and can reach up to $5,000 per recipe. Most companies will give you complete control of the recipe and help you create your unique recipe using their facilities. There will usually be a minimum production quantity and upfront costs or contractual obligations to create the recipe and any shipping distributing and marketing is the responsibility of the client.
What is co-packing?
Co-packing is hiring another company to use your recipe to make, bottle, and package hot sauce for your distribution and sales. These companies will have a registered manufacturing and packaging facility and probably sell their brand of hot sauce as well as for other companies.
“Do what you do best…hire people to do the rest”
Don Button, Hell Fire Detroit
Many successful hot companies have started making hot sauces in their own kitchen but have turned to co-packing facilities to mass produce and bottle the sauce. Companies such as Hell Fire Detroit and Bumblefoot have stayed out of the manufacturing side of things and have worked with co-packers for their hot sauces.
What to look for in a co-packer
Look for a company that has a vested interest in your sauce as much as you do. Personal relationships can be very valuable. Some co-packers will help create unique recipes to call your own and place emphasis on your needs. Not all co-packers will be able to bottle a hot sauce. Most manufacturers are set some for specific operations. Even co-packers who manufacture sauce may have strict guidelines for producing your specialized sauce.
Low startup costs
When you are starting up in the hot sauce business money can be a determining factor. The margin for a bottled hot sauce can be very low after you subtract co-packing costs so the lower those costs are…the more profit you make.
Larger companies may be able to produce hot sauce at a lower cost per bottle but their initial start-up costs may be higher. Co-packing is big business and larger companies may not be able to downsize their operations for your needs. Know how much sauce you want to produce before signing on with a co-packer.
Recipe control
The idea behind hiring a company to produce and bottle your hot sauce is that it is YOUR hot sauce. Companies will have their sauces available for purchase and resale with your label on. This is called private label and you usually do not have any control over the recipe.
A private label hot sauce company will provide and control the ingredients in a hot sauce but a co-packer will give you full control of the recipe. Many companies will offer guidance in creating recipes but this will be an additional cost.
Typically a hot sauce recipe is created in small experimental batches in private kitchens. Hiring a co-packer will mean that the recipes will be produced on a mass scale and this could slightly alter the flavor and appearance. Make sure the company you work with provides the opportunity to sample your hot sauce before final production.
Label design
In some states, the co-packer cannot ship hot sauce from their facility without a label on the bottle. They will often provide design services or allow you to provide your label design. Any design services offered will usually be additional costs.
Location
Typically the co-packing facility does not provide shipping, that would be the responsibility of the client. Therefore the closer your business or distribution center is to the co-packer, the lower the costs. Shipping costs can be a large added expense to hot sauce sales.
Contract
Most companies that create recipes with you will require a vested amount of time so there will most likely be a contract to sign. There is nothing wrong with signing a contract but make sure you understand it completely and it is the terms you agreed to.
Benefits
A co-packer will handle all of the ingredient inventory, mixing, bottling, and packaging of a hot sauce. This can amount to a lot of work. They specialize in producing and packaging hot sauces so larger companies can offer lower costs per bottle. Their high-volume production lines can greatly reduce the cost to produce individual bottles and this can lead to higher profit margins.
“Assembling the right team – manufacturer, distributor, and international re-sellers was the most successful move”
Ron Thal, Bumblefoot
How much does it cost?
The cost for hiring a co-packer for your hot sauce business will depend on the company, the intricacies of producing the recipe, and the order amount. There will most likely be a minimum purchase but costs will be decreased with larger orders.
Some smaller co-packing companies have an initial start-up cost as low as $1,800. Peppernutz.com has an established understanding of the recipe development process and provides private-label sauces as well as spices and rubs. Their start-up costs are some of the lowest in the industry but they provide top-quality service and products. Best Brand Bottlers offers a one time fee including consultation for $1,500. Additional cost for packaging will incur as the sauce is made and bottled.
According to Pemberton Gourmet Foods the average cost of hot sauce through a co-packer is between $1.95 and $2.50 a bottle for a simple hot peppers and vinegar hot sauce. The final cost depends on what additional ingredients are included, what type of process is used, and the size of the bottle so these average costs will go up with gourmet hot sauces.
Make it happen
The best way to determine if a co-packer will fit your needs is to contact them personally with a phone call. It is difficult to determine processing, contracts, and minimum order from a website. Email contact is also useful information to make initial contact but make sure you have a list of questions or concerns before you reach out to someone.
“None of us had any idea what we were doing when we started, but we made it happen and that is the best thing anyone can do”
Elijah X, Elijah’s Xtreme
Checklist (in no particular order)
Have a checklist or list of questions and concerns ready when you speak with a co packer. They may have many of the same questions to ask you before an initial visit. A draft email can be sent out to multiple recipients but lacks a personal touch and many may not respond. Create a list of question or concerns before you reach out to a company…or use the checklist below. Download the FREE Hot Sauce Co-Packing Checklist Here!
- Do you bottle hot sauce? – Many companies may co-pack sauces but not hot sauce or they have grown their business to include the demand for new sauces being created.
- Know the recipe ingredients – If you are using your Grandma’s hand-me-down recipe, make sure you have the ingredients and amounts listed somewhere…in detail.
- Have a detailed description of the process – Is the recipe fermented, roasted or does it involve other complex processing? This is just as important as the ingredients.
- What is the largest batch produced? – The co-packer may have to manipulate the recipe slightly when it gets mass produced. What size batch do you typically produce?
- Initial startup costs – Every customer is different but discussing the costs upfront could be a deciding factor in your decision. The should be able to provide estimate figures.
- Provide sample – You will need to provide samples to the co-packer and they may need to be shipped if you are not within travel distance.
- Contract signing – No contract means no commitment. Larger companies may have a minimal order amount and need a signed contract before further consultation.
- Label design – If you already have a label design most co-packers will work with that. There will be additional costs for the label application.
- Can I provide my own label? – This will depend on the company because the physical label may not work with their machinery and equipment.
- Recipe control – This is what co-packing is. If you don’t have control or recipe creation and development its called Private Label. Make sure you (they) know the difference.
- Testing pH – Most facilities are capable of pH testing. Find out if it is part of the initial consultation and recipe development or is an additional cost.
- Nutritional testing – Some states and providences may require this before the bottles leave the facility. This should be included in the costs but ask.
- What is the minimum order? – This will most likely be provided without asking and is very common. A facility won’t go out of their way for a couple bottles but maybe a couple cases.
- Is sampling provided? – It is standard operation to test your sauce throughout production but inquire how many times before you sign off.
- Can I provide my own ingredients? – Grow your own product for your own hot sauce? It all depends on the co-packing if they want to accept outside product or not.
Hot sauce co packers listed by state
| Kyleigh Farms 334-684-1404 | Chancellor | AL |
| Southern Classic Food Group 334-735-3400 | Brundidge | AL |
| House of Webster Inc. 479-636-4640 | Rogers | AR |
| Arizona Pepper Products 800-359-3912 | Mesa | AZ |
| Amelio C. Enterprises 602-956-4833 | Phoenix | AZ |
| Arizona Spice Co. 480-632-2168 | Mesa | AZ |
| Cinnabar Specialty Foods 928-778-3687 | Prescott | AZ |
| Howard’s Foods Co-packing 604-922-3111 | Burnaby | BC |
| Golden West Specialty Foods 800-584-4481 | Brisbane | CA |
| Blossom Valley Foods 408-848-5520 | Gilroy | CA |
| CMS Fine Foods 707-473-9651 | Healdsburg | CA |
| California Natural Products 209-390-0321 | Lathrop | CA |
| Foodies Urban Kitchen 310-433-6602 | Los Angeles | CA |
| GMB Specialty Foods 800-809-8298 | San Juan Capistrano | CA |
| Heiden’s Foods 888-443-4336 | Fullerton | CA |
| Kitchen Town 650-458-8080 | San Mateo | CA |
| Mad Will’s Food Co. 888-275-9455 | Auburn | CA |
| Marisa Foods 562-437-7775 | Long Beach | CA |
| Overhill Farms 800-859-6406 | Vernon | CA |
| Pacific Choice 559-237-5583 | Fresno | CA |
| Premier Foods LLC 562-944-9044 | Santa Fe Springs | CA |
| The Olive Oil Factory LLC 707-426-3400 | Fairfield | CA |
| United Foods International 510-264-5850 | Hayward | CA |
| Van Law Food Products 714-870-9091 | Fullerton | CA |
| Village Green Foods 510-487-8877 | Irvine | CA |
| W.N. Foods 510-487-8877 | Hayward | CA |
| Redlaw Co-Packers | Golden | CO |
| Fresca Foods 303-996-8881 | Louisville | CO |
| (The) Honest Stand 918-289-8449 | Louisville | CO |
| Landmark Foods 303-948-5070 | Littleton | CO |
| Leroux Creek 970-872-2256 | Hotchkiss | CO |
| Silver State Foods 800-423-3351 | Denver | CO |
| Vision Foods 719-459-3308 | Colorado Springs | CO |
| Kamuk 506-2574-6203 | Cartago | CR |
| Premier Packaging Partners 203-437-8148 | Waterbury | CT |
| Gracie’s Kitchen 203-773-0795 | New Haven | CT |
| Palmieri Foods 800-845-5447 | New Haven | CT |
| Ultimate Foods 203-469-4014 | New Haven | CT |
| Sauceology Group 727-389-3774 | Clearwater | FL |
| Stagecoach Sauces 386-328-6330 | Palatka | FL |
| Ashlynn’s Gourmet 727-687-3267 | Tarpon Springs | FL |
| Best Brand Bottlers 941-755-1941 | Sarasota | FL |
| Captain Foods 800-749-5047 | Edgewater | FL |
| Creative Co-Packing 386-337-7175 | Deland | FL |
| Half Moon Bay Trading 888-44SAUCE | Atlantic Bay | FL |
| Hot Wachulas 863-602-0857 | Bartow | FL |
| Sauce Crafters 888-477-2823 | Riviera Beach | FL |
| Al-Rite 305-652-2540 | Miami | FL |
| Beneficial Blends 800-230-5952 | Tampa | FL |
| Captain Foods 800-749-5047 | Edgewater | FL |
| Creative Co-Packing 386-337-7175 | Deland | FL |
| Daytona Flexible Packaging | Daytona Beach | FL |
| Endorphin Farms 904-824-2006 | St. Augustine | FL |
| Freedom Packers LLC 386-626-2271 | Deland | FL |
| Hot Wachulas 863-602-0857 | Bartow | FL |
| MyCopacker.com 800-728-3704 | Pinellas Park | FL |
| Palmetto Canning 941-722-1100 | Palmetto | FL |
| Bella Cucina 678-539-8400 | Atlanta | GA |
| Country Ranch Foods 888-653-5550 | Marietta | GA |
| D&D Foods 706-322-4507 | Columbus | GA |
| Georgia Spice Co. 800-453-9997 | Atlanta | GA |
| Heritage Food Co. 706-437-0000 | Hephzibah | GA |
| Hillside Orchard Farms 866-782-4995 | Tiger | GA |
| JB’s Best 866-589-6456 | Athens | GA |
| Mainline Foods LLC 404-465-1100 | Marietta | GA |
| Sunbelt Packaging Company 513-708-2319 | Decatur | GA |
| Serenity Farms 912-550-6492 | Hoboken | GA |
| Wade Bottling 706-844-6876 | Romer | GA |
| First Commercial Kitchen 808-676-0880 | Waipahu | HI |
| Hawaiian Chip Co. 808-845-9868 | Honolulu | HI |
| Des Moines Sauce Company 515-444-7839 | Waukee | IA |
| Iowa Choice Harvest 641-758-3100 | Marshalltown | IA |
| Mrs. Clark’s Foods 800-736-5674 | Ankeny | IA |
| Garden Creek Farms Kitchen 208-879-5868 | Challis | ID |
| Mullins Food Products 708-344-3224 | Broadview | IL |
| American Kitchen Delights 708-210-3200 | Harvey | IL |
| Assemblers 708-323-5554 | Chicago | IL |
| Baldwin Richardson Foods Inc. 815-464-9994 | Frankfort | IL |
| Bay Valley Foods 708-483-1300 | Oak Brook | IL |
| Bernard Food Ind. 847-869-5222 | Evanston | IL |
| Italia Foods 800-747-1109 | Schaumburg | IL |
| Karlin Foods 847-441-8330 | Ashton | IL |
| Mizkan Americas 847-590-0059 | Mt. Prospect | IL |
| Reid’s Foods 888-295-8478 | Gurnee | IL |
| Sokol Custom Food 800-328-7656 | Countryside | IL |
| Subco Foods 630-231-0003 | West Chicago | IL |
| Tone Products 800-536-8662 | Melrose Park | IL |
| Big B Distributors 812-425-5235 | Evansville | IN |
| Red Gold Inc. 866-729-7187 | Elwood | IN |
| Spicin Foods 800-568-8468 | Kansas City | KS |
| Blendex Co. 502-267-1003 | Louisville | KY |
| Custom Food Solutions 800-767-2993 | Louisville | KY |
| Baumer Foods Inc. 504-482-5761 | Metaire | LA |
| Cajun Chef Products 888-272-8775 | Martinville | LA |
| Panola Pepper 318-559-1774 | Lake Providence | LA |
| Kajun Kettle Foods 800-331-9612 | New Orleans | LA |
| Peppers Unlimited 337-394-8035 | New Orleans | LA |
| Sal & Judy’s Products 800-588-1870 | Slidell | LA |
| Ashley Foods 978-579-8988 | Sudbury | MA |
| Alfredo’s Italian Foods 617-479-6360 | Quincy | MA |
| Avon Food Company 781-341-3341 | Stoughton | MA |
| Blount Fine Foods 774-888-1300 | Fall River | MA |
| Chubby’s Sauces 413-478-2103 | Bernardston | MA |
| Flavor First Foods Inc. 571-237-6145 | West Bridgewater | MA |
| Panorama Foods 781-592-1069 | Lynn | MA |
| Pearlco 888-821-1010 | Canton | MA |
| Plenus Group 800-970-3832 | Lowell | MA |
| Western Mass Food Processing Center | Greenfield | MA |
| Mama Vida Inc. 410-521-0742 | Randallstown | MD |
| Tulkoff Food Products 410-864-0541 | Baltimore | MD |
| Denny Mikes 207-591-5084 | Westbrook | ME |
| Pemberton’s Gourmet Foods 800-255-8401 | Gray | ME |
| Schlotterbeck & Foss 207-772-4666 | Portland | ME |
| Food for Thought 888-935-2748 | Honor | MI |
| Food Service Specialties 800-657-0811 | Red Wing | MN |
| Karlsburger Foods 800-383-6549 | Monticello | MN |
| Maud Borup 866-678-6283 | Plymouth | MN |
| Arcobasso Foods 314-381-8083 | Hazelwood | MO |
| Garden Complements Inc. 800-966-1091 | Kansas City | MO |
| Ralcorp 314-877-7930 | St. Louis | MO |
| Blue Ridge Food Ventures 828-348-0130 | Chandler | NC |
| Bobbee’s Bottling Inc. 919-496-4286 | Louisburg | NC |
| Carolina Packing 252-433-0134 | Henderson | NC |
| Golding Farms Foods 336-766-6161 | Winston-Salem | NC |
| Lollipop Tree 800-842-6691 | Portsmouth | NH |
| Allied Old English Inc. 732-636-2060 | Port Reading | NJ |
| IAM International 908-713-9651 | Lebanon | NJ |
| NJ Kosher Kitchen 917-699-9502 | Dumont | NJ |
| El Pinto 505-898-1771 | Albuquerque | NM |
| Copperleaf Kitchens 505-323-9227 | Albuquerque | NM |
| Chelton House 856-467-1600 | North Las Vegas | NV |
| Peppernutz 855-737-6889 | Rochester | NY |
| Accord Foods inc. 585-436-3668 | Rochester | NY |
| Brooks Bottling Co. 607-437-4215 | Oneonta | NY |
| Casa Visco Finer Foods 518-377-8814 | Schenectady | NY |
| Coach Tony’s 585-494-0700 | Rochester | NY |
| (The) Farm Bridge 845-383-1761 | Kingston | NY |
| Giovanni Foods 315-457-2373 | Syracuse | NY |
| Hudson Valley Co-Packing 845-453-8303 | Poughkeepsie | NY |
| Li Destri Foods Inc. 201-944-1233 | Fairport | NY |
| Nelson Farms 315-655-8831 | Cazenovia | NY |
| Pellicano’s Specialty Foods 716-822-2366 | Buffalo | NY |
| Private Label Foods 585-254-9205 | Rochester | NY |
| Ricardo Food Group 212-461-2163 | New York | NY |
| Steuben Foods Inc. 716-655-4000 | Elma | NY |
| Crazy Uncle Jester’s 888-212-1519 | Dayton | OH |
| Hinkle Fine Foods 937-836-3665 | Dayton | OH |
| Inter-American Products 800-645-2233 | Cincinnati | OH |
| Patter Fam Sauces 740-352-2008 | Wheelersburg | OH |
| Signature Sauces 216-642-4605 | Independence | OH |
| Summer Garden Food Mfg. 330-965-8455 | Boardman | OH |
| Backwoods Foods 918-458-9300 | Tahlequah | OK |
| Griffin Foods 800-866-6311 | Muskogee | OK |
| BPM Solutions 705-790-8086 | Barrie | ON |
| Giraffe Food& Beverage Inc. 866-234-4067 | Mississauga | ON |
| Halls Kitchen 416-576-1823 | Toronto | ON |
| Lakeside Packing Co. 519-738-2314 | Harrow | ON |
| Victory’s Kitchen 416-766-5848 | Toronto | ON |
| Barhyte Specialty Foods 800-227-4983 | Pendleton | OR |
| Bell Foods 503-390-1425 | Gervais | OR |
| Beaverton Foods Inc. 503-646-8138 | Hillsboro | OR |
| Bon Foods Inc. 310-455-9876 | Portland | OR |
| Paradigm Foodworks 503-595-4360 | Lake Oswego | OR |
| Sweet Creek Foods 541-935-1615 | Elmira | OR |
| Terra Foods 541-535-8331 | Phoenix | OR |
| West Coast Co-Packer 503-390-1425 | Gervais | OR |
| Yoshida Foods 503-872-8450 | Portland | OR |
| Palace Foods Inc 610-939-0631 | Reading | PA |
| Castle Co-Packers 724-879-4748 | Latrobe | PA |
| CTTC Kitchen Incubator 570-282-1255 | Carbondale | PA |
| Farmer’s Choice Food Brands 610-499-9477 | Media | PA |
| J&A Foods 888-527-0061 | New Holland | PA |
| Lancaster Fine Foods 800-335-6663 | Lancaster | PA |
| Palace Foods 610-939-0631 | Reading | PA |
| Pellegrino Foods 814-723-3402 | Warren | PA |
| River Run Foods 570-701-1192 | Northumberland | PA |
| Stello Foods Inc. 800-849-4599 | Punxsutawney | PA |
| Sunny Dell Foods Inc. 610-932-5164 | Oxford | PA |
| Creative Foods Inc. 843-747-5102 | Hanahan | SC |
| Duke Foods 864-991-8895 | Greenville | SC |
| Further Farms 615-397-3010 | Nashville | TN |
| Chairmans Foods 615-231-4315 | Nashville | TN |
| House of Thaller Inc. 865-246-3538 | Knoxville | TN |
| Claude’s Sauces 800-727-2823 | El Paso TX | TX |
| Colgin Inc. 888-226-5448 | Dallas | TX |
| Hot Sauce Depot 817-750-2739 | Keller | TX |
| Private Label Hot Sauce 817-750-2739 | Keller | TX |
| Absolutely World Class 325-672-3000 | Abilene | TX |
| Amigos Foods 800-580-3477 | San Antonio | TX |
| Bally Plus Food Solutions 972-485-8878 | Garland | TX |
| Bartush Foods 972-219-1270 | Lewisville | TX |
| Blencor 979-627-7801 | Sealy | TX |
| Consolidated Mills 713-896-4196 | Houston | TX |
| Custom Ingredients 800-457-8935 | New Braunfels | TX |
| Gourmet Gardens 800-755-2434 | Rusk | TX |
| Heritage Specialty Foods 503-252-1545 | Dallas | TX |
| Jelco Foods LLC 281-794-4778 | Houston | TX |
| National Food & Beverage 214-905-9700 | Dallas | TX |
| Ol’ Gringos 940-325-4275 | Mineral Wells | TX |
| Riba Foods Inc. 713-975-7001 | Houston | TX |
| TexaFrance Inc. 254-300-1366 | Round Rock | TX |
| Waco Bottling 254-300-1366 | Waco | TX |
| Millcroft Farms 800-778-4072 | Stanley | VA |
| Ashburn Sauce Co. 757-621-1113 | Virginia Beach | VA |
| Ashman Manufacturing Co. 757-428-6734 | Virginia Beach | VA |
| Northwest Gourmet Foods 425-793-5001 | Renton | WA |
| Bushel & Pecks 603-363-3911 | Beloit | WI |
| Create-a Pack Foods Inc. 262-567-6069 | Ixonia | WI |
| Croix Valley Foods 612-756-4985 | River Falls | WI |
| Inland Packaging 608-788-5800 | La Crosse | WI |
| Lakeside Foods 800-466-3834 | Manitowoc | WI |
| Silver Spring 800-826-7322 | Eau Claire | WI |
| Winona Foods 920-662-2184 | Green Bay | WI |
| SVB Copacking 304-267-8500 | Martinsburg | WV |
