Selecting a contract packaging partner is one of the most consequential supply chain decisions a brand can make. The right co-packer becomes a strategic extension of your operations. The wrong one creates delays, quality failures, and vendor management headaches that are difficult and expensive to unwind.
This checklist is designed to help operations managers evaluate co-packing options objectively — beyond price and capability lists.
Capabilities assessment
- Does the co-packer have proven experience with your specific product type and packaging format?
- What is their minimum run size, and does it align with your volume?
- Can they handle both primary and secondary packaging, or will you need a second vendor?
- What certifications do they hold? (SQF, NSF, C-GMP, FDA compliance are standard benchmarks for food and nutraceutical applications)
- What is their maximum daily production capacity, and what percentage of that capacity is typically committed to existing clients?
Quality and compliance
- What does their quality control process look like? Do they have in-house QC staff or rely on third-party testing?
- What is their average reject or rework rate for products similar to yours?
- Have they had any FDA warning letters, recalls, or regulatory actions in the past three years?
- Can they provide a Certificate of Analysis for a recent production run?
- How do they handle production holds or quality disputes?
Operations and project management
- Do they assign a dedicated project manager to each account, or is communication handled through a general customer service queue?
- What does their onboarding process look like for a new client?
- How do they manage raw material procurement and vendor coordination?
- What is their communication cadence during active production runs?
- How do they handle rush orders or production schedule changes?
Geography and logistics
- Where are their facilities located relative to your raw material suppliers and distribution points?
- What is the typical freight cost from their facility to your primary distribution center?
- Do they have multiple facility locations that could provide redundancy in the event of a disruption?
Commercial terms
- What is the payment structure? (Net 30 is standard; be cautious of co-packers requiring large upfront deposits without explanation)
- How is pricing structured — by unit, by run, or by project?
- What are the terms around rework, quality failures, and production shortfalls?
- Is there a contract minimum commitment, and what are the exit provisions?
References
- Can they provide two or three client references with similar product types, run sizes, and distribution channels?
- Are those references reachable by phone — not just written testimonials?
A final note on due diligence
The co-packer that performs best against this checklist will usually not be the lowest-cost option. But they will typically be the lowest-risk option — and in contract packaging, risk is where the real cost lives.
We welcome any brand that is seriously evaluating co-packing partners to put Reliable Pack Innovations through this checklist. We're confident in what the answers will show, and we believe that transparency is the foundation of every successful co-packing partnership.