What is the difference between tolling and turnkey co-packing?

In a tolling arrangement you supply the ingredients and packaging and the co-packer charges a per-unit fee to run them. In turnkey, the co-packer sources everything and sells you finished goods. Tolling gives you cost control and supply-chain visibility; turnkey is simpler but embeds their markup in every input.

What are typical co-packer minimum order quantities?

MOQs vary enormously by format — from a few hundred cases at small regional shops to tens of thousands of units at scaled facilities. Expect the quoted MOQ to be per run and per SKU, and ask how it changes across flavors and sizes; a line changeover fee often hides inside a low-sounding MOQ.

What certifications should a food co-packer have?

At minimum, a current third-party food-safety audit (SQF, BRCGS, or equivalent GFSI scheme) and registration with FDA. If your product needs organic, gluten-free, kosher, or allergen-free claims, the facility must hold those certifications too — your label claims are only as good as the plant's paperwork.

Guides / Operations

How to find a co-packer for your food product

Updated July 2, 2026 · 6 min read

The short answer: search by process, not by category label — the right co-packer runs your process (hot-fill, extrusion, retort, dry blend) at your scale, holds the certifications your claims require, and quotes an MOQ you can actually sell through. Vet the paperwork before the pricing, and never leave formula ownership ambiguous.

When you actually need one

Move to a co-packer when demand exceeds what you can produce compliantly — commercial kitchen limits, retailer requirements for third-party audited facilities, or simple volume. Many retailers and virtually all distributors will eventually require a GFSI-audited facility, so the co-packer conversation often starts the moment a real chain says yes.

Tolling vs. turnkey

In a tolling model you buy ingredients and packaging; the co-packer charges per unit to run them. You keep cost visibility and supplier relationships, at the price of managing procurement. In turnkey, they source everything and sell you finished cases — simpler, but their markup lives inside every input and you lose sight of your true COGS drivers. Early brands often start turnkey and migrate to tolling as volume justifies the overhead.

How to search

Match the process first. A great beverage plant is useless for a bar. Search for your process (hot-fill, HPP, retort, enrobing, form-fill-seal) plus region.
Ask your ingredient suppliers and equipment vendors — they know which plants run product like yours all day.
Walk trade shows (Fancy Food, Expo West, process-specific shows); co-packers exhibit and referrals cluster there.
Regional food business centers and extension programs keep lists of small-batch facilities that take early-stage runs.

The vetting questions that matter

Food safety: Which GFSI scheme (SQF, BRCGS) and what was the last audit score? Can you see the certificate?
Claims: Is the facility certified for organic, gluten-free, kosher — whatever your label promises? What's the allergen program, and what else runs on your line?
MOQ mechanics: What's the minimum per run, per SKU? What's the changeover fee between flavors? MOQs that sound low per-SKU multiply fast across a line.
Capacity and lead times: What's the lead time today, and what happens at three times your volume? Who are their biggest customers, and do you compete for line time with a whale?
Formula ownership: If they help develop or adapt your recipe, who owns it? Get it in writing before the first trial run — this is the most expensive ambiguity in co-packing.
Quality handling: What happens when a run goes out of spec? Who eats the loss, and how fast do you find out?

Red flags

Reluctance to share audit certificates or let you visit the plant.
A quote dramatically below everyone else's — the cost usually reappears as changeover fees, spec drift, or quality escapes.
No written spec sheet process; "we'll match your sample" is not a spec.
Vague answers on formula ownership or exclusivity.
One giant customer dominating the facility's line time.

Frequently asked questions

Tolling vs. turnkey — which should I choose?

Tolling (you supply inputs, they run them) preserves cost visibility; turnkey (they source everything) is simpler but embeds their markup in every input. Many brands start turnkey and migrate.

What MOQs should I expect?

Anywhere from a few hundred cases at regional shops to tens of thousands of units at scale. The quoted MOQ is per run per SKU — ask about changeover fees across flavors.

What certifications matter?

A current GFSI audit (SQF or BRCGS) and FDA registration at minimum, plus whatever your claims require — organic, gluten-free, kosher, allergen-free. Your label is only as good as the plant's paperwork.

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