If you’re in the consumer business world, odds are you’ve heard the term co-packing tossed around here and there. Co-Packing, co-packaging, or contract packaging, is the method of outsourcing the manufacturing and packaging of your product to a facility that specializes in just that.
What is co-packing?
Co-packers come in all shapes and sizes and can accommodate anything from personal health and beauty items to in-home Covid test kits. These companies specialize in ramping up the production of your product, launching the said product, and generally getting everything ready for consumption.
The purpose of bringing on a co-packer is to free up your time and attention so that the rest of your company can flourish. With the pressure of keeping up with or getting ahead of demand off your plate, you’ll be able to work on things like branding, upgrading marketing strategies, and finding new locations and vendors to increase sales.
The Benefits of Contract Packaging
By implementing co-packing, companies are afforded an easier way to get their product out en masse. Co-packers will help companies not just with the production of goods but also with driving sales by meeting fulfillment deadlines. They are the key to keeping your products on the shelves even after they have sold out the first time around.
Instead of being responsible for all the leg work required of couriering your own goods to retailers, a co-packer will handle that for you. Depending on your contract and the co-packer you’re working with, fulfillment can extend all the way to delivering to the retail store.
Co-packers can all but eliminate the need for finding additional facilities on your own. For food manufacturers, there is the issue of finding kitchen space, room for storage, space to package, and all the other steps it takes to mass-produce the perfect chocolate chip cookie or piece of beef jerky. Most co-packers offer storage services along with providing fulfillment and packaging. By outsourcing, companies will have every step of production and distribution handled under one roof rather than shifting locations based on assembly progress.
Bringing on a more professional touch for all of your packaging needs will bring a new feel to your products. If having a home-made quality to your goods is integral to your brand, partnering with a co-packer will give you the opportunity to refine the look but maintain that value. In short, you’ll have more options for your company’s aesthetic direction.
If you find the right co-packer, they might even be able to help with the design of the actual product. These teams can be instrumental in streamlining the entire process and cutting down on waste.
It’s hard, nearly impossible, for any small business to become a one-stop-shop on their own—that’s where a good co-packer can come in handy. There are a few ways to take your business to the next level, using a co-packer is one of the most efficient.
Who co-packs?
Companies that have been on the rise might find the need to take their operation out of their test kitchens or rented space and into a more substantial facility. A smaller team looking to expand would have the option of bringing on more hands and finding a bigger space or simply finding a co-packer to lighten the load.
Groups like Impact Fulfillment Services (IFS) specialize in co-packing for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics businesses. Our company is dedicated to fulfilling orders with quality that goes above and beyond our clients’ expectations.
Those who partner with IFS are guaranteed a flawless transition from their in-home operation to a grander scale. An experienced co-packing company can provide businesses with specialized packing (blister and RF sealing, re-labeling, shrink wrapping, Point of Purchase Displays, PDQ Trays, etc.), top-tier production teams, and client communication beyond compare.
Are you ready for a co-packer?
If things have been steadily on the rise for your company and demand is beginning to eclipse the other aspects of business, it might be time to consider a co-packer. But before you do, there are a couple of things that need to be considered. Outsourcing is a big step to take. It requires a lot of conversation and evaluation within the company.
Before you go forth and pursue a co-packer ask yourself if:
- You have the revenue
- Your product is as fine-tuned as possible
- The demand is there
- You’re ready to take this next rather large step.
A co-packer will take what you’ve got and run with it, which means that all of the instructions come down to you. Co-packers will need to know exactly the steps, materials, and time it will take to create your product time after time without fail. If you don’t have your system down pat, they certainly won’t.
While a co-packer can save you a ton of time, there are costs attached to outsourcing. This kind of growth doesn’t come cheap but knowing exactly what you’ll sink into a co-packer and what you can make from that boom in products is a cost evaluation that must be done.
Certainty about whether demand for your product is enough to handle a minimum volume of 200+ units is a question any business seeking a co-packer should consider. If your demand is stalling or even beginning to decline, a co-packer will not turn things around and could leave you with more products than can be moved.
Conclusion
Going with a co-packer can be an absolute game-changer for businesses that are in the right place to take the plunge. If the next step for your business is mass manufacturing, out-of-office storage, and professional packaging, it might be time to look for a co-packer. IFS’s mission as a co-packing company is to create a professional partnership with each client.
Learn more about our co-packing and contract packaging services.