BAKERY MANUFACTURER CO-PACKER

[John Merlino]

Hi all, I am looking for a California Based Manufacturer of baked goods for a project revolving around a cookie puck.  Could use some help!

[George Hajjar]

Good afternoon,

You may find something useful in the SFA's 2022 Co-Manufacturer Resource Guide. The resource is free for members!

Best,

George Hajjar

[Victoria J Ho]

Product specifications? Ingredients? Certification or SQF requirements? Volumes and annual production projections? Number of SKUs? Looking for turnkey, hybrid or tolling? Without these basic metrics, any seasoned copacker is unlikely to engage in a substantive conversation, and it's also difficult to provide a truly helpful referral.  If you've been approaching any copackers with cold emails or calls without having the above info as well as a solid statement of process, it would not be surprising if there has been limited response. It's not you, it's the nature of the industry and copackers not having the time or need to entertain projects that cannot prove that they are buttoned up and ready for outsourced manufacturing.  A list of copackers is not equivalent to vetting the essential relationship that will help YOU succeed in scaling

. Please share if you can.

[Luradball]

On 12/9/2023 at 7:26 PM, Victoria J Ho said:

Product specifications? Ingredients? Certification or SQF requirements? Volumes and annual production projections? Number of SKUs? Looking for turnkey, hybrid or tolling? Without these basic metrics, any seasoned copacker is unlikely to engage in a substantive conversation, and it's also difficult to provide a truly helpful referral.  If you've been approaching any copackers with cold emails or calls without having the above info as well as a solid statement of process, it would not be surprising if there has been limited response. It's not you, it's the nature of the industry and copackers not having the time or need to entertain projects that cannot prove that they are buttoned up and ready for outsourced manufacturing.  A list of copackers is not equivalent to vetting the essential relationship that will help YOU succeed in scaling

. Please share if you can.

I would say that while your response is accurate it is pretty hard edged for start-ups and discouraging.  It assumes a lot.  Sometimes those with more experience should look to be more informative in thier answers and less judgemental and assumptive.  

[Victoria J Ho]

Very fair perspective @Luradball, and I appreciate your spirit of community in looking out for our fellow members at any stage of growth. There may be some misunderstanding in my post, as tone is difficult to capture at times in written text. Hopefully the archive of my previous responses to members can give some insight on the depth of response I try to give in any forum where startups ask for help. I couldn’t actually assume anything here because there’s not enough information to provide timely, specific and accurate referrals from either my network or my experience. I ask about some of those basic metrics in my post so that I can follow up with greater value. It’s tough for me when any member receives no responses to a very common issue (building a relationship of clarity, integrity and respect with an exceptional copacker.) I like to provide more than an aggregated list, so I need some facts and numbers. Hopefully that takes some of the edge off; though your feedback is still taken to heart. Always open to learning and improving, as we must to survive in this industry.  

Edited December 17, 2023 by Victoria J Ho