Contract Packaging FAQ
Answers to the most common questions about contract packaging, co-packing, costs, and working with Reliable Pack Innovations.
Getting Started
What is a co-packer?
A co-packer (contract packager) is a company that packages products on behalf of another brand or manufacturer. Instead of investing in packaging equipment, facilities, and production staff, brands outsource their packaging to a specialist. A turnkey co-packer like Reliable Pack Innovations manages the entire process — materials sourcing, filling, sealing, secondary packaging, and delivery — under one partnership.
What types of companies use a co-packer?
Co-packers serve a wide range of companies: emerging brands launching their first product, mid-size CPG companies scaling production, established manufacturers handling overflow volume, and large brands consolidating vendor complexity. If you have a product that needs to be packaged professionally and you don't want to operate your own packaging line, a co-packer is the right solution.
How do I get started with Reliable Pack Innovations?
The fastest way is to call us at (714) 252-6133 or submit a quote request. We'll ask for your product type, desired packaging format, fill weight or volume, estimated monthly or annual volume, and any certification requirements. We typically respond within one business day with a plan and quote.
What information do I need to provide to get a quote?
To provide an accurate quote, we need: (1) product type and description, (2) desired packaging format (stick pack, pouch, bottle, etc.), (3) fill weight or volume, (4) estimated production volume, (5) any labeling or artwork requirements, and (6) certifications required (SQF, GMP, FDA, etc.). The more detail you provide upfront, the faster and more accurate our quote will be.
Packaging Formats
What packaging formats do you offer?
We offer stick packs, stand-up pouches, blister packs, sachets, bottles, jars, canisters, and secondary packaging (folding cartons, variety packs, club store assembly, kitting). We handle both primary and secondary packaging under one partnership.
What is the difference between a stick pack and a sachet?
Stick packs are narrow and elongated (typically 15–35mm wide), designed for easy single-serve dispensing — you tear the top and pour. Sachets are wider and flatter, more common in food service, personal care, and sampling applications. Both are produced on form-fill-seal equipment. The right format depends on your product, dispensing method, and target market.
What is the difference between primary and secondary packaging?
Primary packaging is the layer directly in contact with your product — the stick pack, pouch, bottle, or blister card. Secondary packaging groups or presents primary packages — folding cartons, display boxes, variety packs, club store configurations. We handle both.
Can you handle club store (Costco, Sam's Club) packaging formats?
Yes. We have experience with club store packaging requirements including specific dimensions, labeling standards, and display configurations for major club retailers.
Production & Turnaround
What is your minimum order quantity (MOQ)?
Our typical project runs around 15,000 units, but MOQ varies based on product type, format, and setup requirements. Contact us with your specs and we'll give you a specific answer.
How long does contract packaging take?
Our average turnaround is 10–12 working days from the time all materials, approved artwork, and confirmed product specifications are in hand. Timelines can extend if information or materials are missing at the start of a project. We provide a production timeline at the start of every engagement so you know what to expect.
What is your production capacity?
Our partner facilities can handle up to 75,000 units per day depending on product application and location. We match each project to the right facility based on volume, format, and geography.
What slows down a contract packaging project?
The most common delays come from missing information at project start: unapproved artwork, unconfirmed product specs, late material delivery, or undisclosed product characteristics (flowability issues, temperature sensitivity). We ask detailed questions upfront specifically to prevent these delays.
Certifications & Compliance
What certifications do your facilities hold?
Our partner facilities hold SQF (Safe Quality Food), NSF, and C-GMP certifications and are FDA compliant. Specific certifications vary by facility. We'll confirm which certifications apply to the facility handling your project.
Are you FDA compliant?
Yes. All of our partner facilities are FDA compliant. We work with food, dietary supplement, cosmetic, and OTC health product brands, and our facilities meet the compliance requirements for each category.
Do you offer third-party testing?
Yes. We offer both in-house quality inspection and access to third-party testing for identity, potency, and contaminant testing as needed by your product category.
Geography & Logistics
Where are your facilities located?
We operate a nationwide network of partner plants with facilities in Texas, Wisconsin, California, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, and additional states. We match each project to the facility that best serves your geographic and production requirements.
Why does facility location matter for contract packaging?
Location directly affects freight cost and transit time. Positioning packaging production close to your manufacturing facility (where product ships from) or your distribution center (where finished goods ship to) reduces freight expense and lead time. Our nationwide network gives us the geographic flexibility to optimize this for each client.
Do you offer warehousing and fulfillment?
Yes. We provide warehousing and fulfillment services alongside our packaging operations, so finished product can move from production to storage to distribution from one partner.
Costs & Pricing
How much does contract packaging cost?
Co-packing costs vary based on packaging format, materials, production volume, and run complexity. Most projects include a setup or tooling fee (if new film or tooling is required), per-unit fill and labor rates, and materials costs (film, components, cartons). Larger volumes lower per-unit costs significantly. The best way to get accurate pricing is to contact us with your product specs, format, and estimated volume — we typically turn around a quote within one business day.
Is co-packing more cost-effective than packaging in-house?
For most brands, yes. Building in-house packaging capacity requires significant capital investment in equipment, facility space, staffing, quality systems, and compliance infrastructure. A co-packer converts those fixed costs into variable costs that scale with your production volume — you pay for what you produce without carrying the overhead of an operation that may sit idle between runs. As volume grows, many brands re-evaluate the build vs. buy decision, but co-packing typically wins on economics at mid-scale volumes.
Do you require a long-term contract?
Contract terms vary based on project scope. Large-scale or ongoing production relationships typically involve 1–2 year contracts that allow both parties to plan capacity, materials, and staffing. Smaller or project-based runs may require less formal commitments. We discuss contract structure during our initial consultation so there are no surprises.
Choosing the Right Co-Packer
How do I find the right co-packer for my product?
Start with format and category fit — confirm the co-packer runs your specific packaging format (stick packs, pouches, blister packs, etc.) and has experience in your product category (supplements, food, cosmetics). Then evaluate certifications (SQF, GMP, FDA), capacity relative to your volume, geographic location relative to your manufacturing and distribution points, and whether the co-packer handles both primary and secondary packaging. A co-packer who covers both eliminates a major source of vendor coordination complexity.
What is the difference between a co-packer and a contract manufacturer?
A contract manufacturer produces your product from raw ingredients or components — they make the thing. A co-packer takes your finished or semi-finished product and packages it for retail or distribution — they package the thing. Some companies do both, but most specialize in one or the other. Reliable Pack Innovations is a co-packer: we handle the full packaging process, not manufacturing.
What questions should I ask a co-packer before getting started?
Ask about: minimum order quantities and how they scale, average turnaround times and what causes delays, certifications and which apply to your specific product category, quality control processes and how defects are handled, whether they handle materials sourcing as part of their service, and their experience with your specific packaging format and product type. The depth and specificity of their answers will tell you whether they're a genuine expert or a generalist vendor.
Have a question we didn't answer?
Call us directly or submit a quote request — we respond within one business day.