Choosing the right food co-packer is an important decision to take your food product to the next level. However, there are some questions you’ll need to answer before hiring a food co-packer. Here are four of the most important.

Know exactly why you need a co-packing company.

Many food startups start in small commercial kitchens. Although if you have a great product, you’re going to need to expand your manufacturing operation. A great way to accomplish this is by hiring a co-packing company. Outsourcing food manufacturing gives you more time to find more opportunities and grow your business rather than being stuck in a kitchen. In addition, hiring an established co-packer prevents you from having to foot the costs of upgrading your manufacturing facilities.

Understand the manufacturing process.

The better you understand the recipe, manufacturing process, and equipment used to make your food product the easier it will be to work with your co-packer to produce a great product. A good way to start understanding the process is to be present during the first few runs of manufacturing. This way you can test the product to be sure it meets your standards. It’s also vital that you understand and agree with the costs of the ingredients needed to manufacture your product.

Trust your gut (and ask for references).

Finding the right co-packer to partner with can be (and probably should be) a difficult choice. That’s because hiring a co-packer is essentially hiring a business partner. There are many different co-packing companies with many different specialties. Therefore it’s important to look around and find a company has a proven track record of co-packing the types of foods you’ll be manufacturing. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and examples of products that a co-packer completed for other clients. But most of all trust your gut. If a situation doesn’t feel right, look for another option.

If you are looking to hire a co-packer contact the co-packing professionals at Palace Foods today.