production-facilities Copacker lead times

[HellfireFarm]

What is a typical time for a run with a large copacker? i.e. I put in my order today, how long should I expect before I can pick up my product?

 

[salsalady]

Boy, there are too many variables to guess. What is their backlog of orders? How long will it take to source bottles and ingredients? How complicated is the recipe?

I have never used a copacker, cant give first hand experience.

 

[HellfireFarm]

the bottles are pretty standard, and sourcing ingredients for the test/sample runs didn't seem to take long. No idea about backlog. Thing is, it's been almost 3 months since i placed my first order and it's not done. If my second order takes as long I won't have it before the Hot Sauce Festival - and I've entered those products in the contest!

 

[The Hot Pepper]

You should have a project manager or other point of contact for your job, and not just a basic contact (sales, etc.). This person is who you need to speak to and they need to know it is time sensitive. Haven't you been working with one person?

 

[HellfireFarm]

So the first runs (chili and taco) are done, picking them up tomorrow. I should have a chance to talk to them about the second set of runs then.
Mainly I was trying to get a feel for the industry overall to manage my own expectations.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Tons of variables.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Did you pick them up yet? Can you post pics?

 

[HellfireFarm]

Picked up this afternoon:

Got a chance to talk to my guy too. Pointed out that I needed the next batch before the festival. Looks like one of the problems is one of my ingredients - I specified New Mexico chile as a base and I guess that's not as easily sourced from NC (not that he can't find it, just availability from his sources). He's following up on the current order, and estimates mid-August finish which is a few weeks ahead of the festival, so good timing. Given what they do, he definitely understands the importance of the festival!

So overall good results, and I did get a handle on expectations for future orders.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

 

[salsalady]

Are these hot sauces or dry spice blends?

 

[The Hot Pepper]

It's his spice blends.

 

[salsalady]

Contact Robbie at Firehouse Pantry

Firehouse Flavors

www.firehousepantrystore.com

Or the Redmond Warehouse of Market Spice, number at the top of the webpage

MarketSpice Teas Spices & Accessories

MarketSpice has a new website! MarketSpice has everything you need from spices, teas, teapots, mugs, kitchenware, iced tea, coffee, cinnamon orange products and more! Purveyor of exceptionally fine spices & teas since 1911.

marketspice.com

Firehouse Flavors has done a custom spice blend for my salsa packaged in gusset (foil?) Packages. They also sell their blends in various spice jars. Took about a week to verify a couple recipe changes, then I had it in about a week.

Market Spice has done a couple runs of a chipotle dip mix in foil packs.

 

[salsalady]

I purchase ingredients from Firehouse Pantry frequently and have had good experience with them doing my custom blend.

 

[HellfireFarm]

I'm trying to stay with the "Got to be NC" program which requires the product is made in NC. This particular copacker is in the town about 15 minutes from me.

What size runs were they doing?

 

[salsalady]

The salsa blend was 49 bags x 3.28# each.

I Think the dip mix was about 380 packets.

The NC program might throw a spanner in the works for getting the blends done quickly and economically. Just something you have to weigh the benefit of. How many stores and sales will having the NC sticker get you into? Maybe get a quote from Firehouse. If the numbers are better..
.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

This particular copacker is in the town about 15 minutes from me.

Carolina Copacking | Private Label - Copacking - Food Services

carolinacopacking.com

or

Home - Bobbees Bottling

bobbeesbottling.com

?

I assume one of the above, but also you can check with:

Spice Girls Pepper Co.

We are a family farm and spice company in Willow Spring, North Carolina. Spice Girls Pepper Company is run by Peyton and August, under the advisement of their parents, and specializes in small batch craft spices.

spicegirlspepperco.com

They do dry spices and co-packing as well, even though they do not list it on their site.

 

[HellfireFarm]

The salsa blend was 49 bags x 3.28# each.

I Think the dip mix was about 380 packets.

The NC program might throw a spanner in the works for getting the blends done quickly and economically. Just something you have to weigh the benefit of. How many stores and sales will having the NC sticker get you into? Maybe get a quote from Firehouse. If the numbers are better..
.

I'm getting ~500-800 jars each run, minimum (200lb run so depends on package weight). The GTBNC is pretty much my ticket in to most of the smaller stores I'm working with, and also to one big local grocery chain I'm courting, so it's pretty critical at the moment.

I assume one of the above, but also you can check with:

Bobbee's is who I'm using currently. Carolina Co-packers said that they won't work with someone doing only spice blends, I had to do sauce in order to have them do spices too.

I have a feeling these order sizes might be too big for the Spice Girls, but thanks for the info, never heard of them before!