Spice manufacturing and co-packing is a process in which a spice company manufactures and co-packs spices and seasoning blends for other brands or companies. Spice co-packers provide flexible production volumes, enabling brands to scale operations up or down as needed, and can also serve as manufacturing partners for companies looking to offload production due to capacity limitations.
Your primary concern should be growing your brand. (Fig 1) Spending time sourcing, blending, packaging, labeling, and shipping your products distracts you from that focus. You’ve worked hard to create a special product, but no one will know unless you go out and sell it!
A valued co-packer should be a trusted partner. A co-packer provides R&D support, go-to-market strategy consultation, label development, and fulfillment services, among other benefits. A co-packing partner will assist your growth by leveraging industry experience and institutional knowledge.
A co-packer will also provide consistency in production, guaranteed quality, and safeguards regarding lot traceability that cannot otherwise be achieved. They ensure that their manufacturing processes comply with relevant food safety, regulatory requirements, and certifications that major buyers require.
There are many quality certifications within the food manufacturing industry. The most rigorous and well-respected systems are GFSI-based. GFSI stands for Global Food Safety Initiative and was developed to provide a consistent global framework to benchmark quality standards for manufacturers across the food industry, regardless of location. Within GFSI, there are multiple schemas, one of which is SQF. Other similar options are FSSC 22000, BRC, and Primus GFS.
These certifications help spice co-packers ensure the quality, safety, and compliance of their products, assuring their clients and consumers alike.
Spice Manufacturing and Co-Packing Offers Flexibility
Co-packers offer flexibility in production volume, allowing brands to scale up or down as needed without significant capital investment in additional facilities or equipment. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for seasonal fluctuations or sudden increases in demand. A good co-packer can easily handle an order for 3,000 or 300,000 units quickly and with high quality.
By leveraging economies of scale, co-packers can often produce spices at a lower cost per unit than in-house production. This cost efficiency enables brands to scale production without incurring significant overhead expenses.
Co-packers can streamline the production process, reducing lead times and accelerating the time to market for new spice products. This agility is crucial in meeting consumer demand and staying competitive.
R&D Support
A spice manufacturing and co-packer will work with clients to develop or fine-tune an existing spice blend or seasoning. This process is the foundation for creating a recipe formulation that the co-packer can replicate to meet the client’s specifications. This can involve adjusting raw ingredient ratios and sourcing specific spices by leveraging their network of suppliers to procure ingredients.
Co-packers often collaborate with clients to develop or refine spice blends according to their specifications. This can involve experimenting with different ingredient combinations, flavor profiles, and seasoning ratios to achieve a particular application’s desired taste and texture.
A co-packer can also help reverse engineer an existing blend from your sample. This process starts by assessing the blend’s appearance, aroma, flavor, and texture to understand its sensory characteristics.
Next, the co-packer conducts a detailed analysis of the spice blend to identify its ingredients. This may involve visual inspection, chemical analysis, and sensory evaluation to determine the types and proportions of spices used.
Once the ingredients are identified, the co-packer sources high-quality spices that closely match those used in the original blend. They may collaborate with suppliers to obtain specific varieties and grades of spices to achieve the desired flavor profile.
Once a recipe has been formulated, the co-packer will handle the production process, which may involve mixing, grinding, blending, and packaging the spices. A co-packer has the necessary equipment and facilities to carry out these tasks efficiently and in large quantities.
Co-Packing Spices with Vanns
Vanns Spices has extensive experience co-packing spices, from partnerships with leading U.S. spice manufacturers to start-up entrepreneurs looking to bring spice products to market at low minimums.
Our R&D department can help develop or fine-tune existing spice products, blends, or seasonings, or develop a product from scratch to meet your exacting demands. Our extensive network of dependable suppliers enables us to ensure quality, consistency, and competitive advantage.
You can choose from over 174 spice products, many of which have organic options. We can also source special-order ingredients, such as long pepper, mahlab, piquin peppers, or epazote.
Choosing a Container Style
Vanns Spices offers several standard container options for your spices, including glass and plastic bottles, paperboard containers, food service containers, stand-up pouches, pillow pouches, gusset bags, and bulk 25 lb. boxes.
We can also work with custom containers, provided they fit our production line.
Do you need your finished product portaged or shipped directly to a commissary or food purveyor? We can do that, too! Our fees are inclusive, meaning your price includes everything from research and production to delivery.
Artwork and Labeling
Our labeling department will work with you to design an industry-compliant label that meets the FDA's requirements for retail distribution. (Fig 2)
If you already have your artwork, here are a few simple guidelines to simplify the process.
- Use Vector-Based Design Software: Begin by creating your artwork using vector-based design software such as Adobe Illustrator. These tools allow you to create scalable, high-resolution graphics.
- Set Dimensions and Color Mode: Ensure your art document has the appropriate dimensions for the label. Set the color mode to CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) for accurate color representation in print. Additionally, the resolution should be set to at least 300 DPI (dots per inch) to maintain high-quality printing.
- Include a Bleed Area: Extend your design slightly beyond the trim edge to create a bleed area. This ensures that there are no white borders when the label is trimmed. Typically, a bleed of 1/8 to 1/4 inch is recommended.
- Convert Text to Outlines: To avoid font compatibility issues, convert any text in your artwork to outlines (also known as paths). This ensures the text remains consistent even if the recipient printer company hasn’t installed the same fonts.
- Save as a Vector PDF: Finally, save your artwork as a vector file in PDF format. PDF files preserve the vector information, allowing for sharp and high-quality printing. Be sure to double-check your design and proofread before submission.
Product Development Time
Developing your spice product and preparing for co-packing can be expedited by adhering to a few simple processes.
- Choose your packaging early in the process
- Select a label designer who specializes in CPG (Consumer packaged goods)food
- Submit your blend formulas and or samples to use as soon as possible
- Start the label design process early
- Minimize the use of special order ingrediants and packaging
- Provide us with quick feedback to keep the process moving
Start a Conversation with Vanns Spices
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