Co packer for cold fill fresh salsa????

I make a fresh, refrigerated salsa in SC and am having the hardest time finding a co packer. Our goal is to have the salsa made and sent to HPP facility in Atlanta, but we can't find anyone to make our salsa. It's a fairly simple recipe, with simple ingredients. Currently, we make and container it in 16oz plastic deli containers and sell it to 26 stores. We are at full capacity as far as what we can produce and deliver (800-1000 units per week). The next step would be to go to copacker or get a big loan to outfit our own facility. Any suggestions of a copacker in the southeast that will produce, fill, seal plastic cups? Once we find one, we would need to produce at least 10,000 units per week because sending the finished product to HPP will allow us to get into the stores distribution centers (4 grocery chains) due to longer refrigerated shelf life. Ready to make the move, but need a copacker. Please...any suggestions?
 
Hi SalsaSC.
:welcome: to THP!
 
Sounds like your business is really taking off.  Congrats!
 
A couple leads I can think of are-
 
Nick Lampros with Gunthers Gourmet in Richmond VA is in your area and may know of a facility that can cold pack. 
 
Endorphin Farms in St Augustine does a lot of co-packing.  Don't know if they do cold packing, but again, they may know of a facility.
 
I'll post on a couple FB groups that has a lot of industry pros in it, maybe someone can help.
 
 
Beyond that, maybe the HPP people know of a place and also look for other products with the processing you are looking for, contact them ans see if they use a co-packer 
 
Good Luck!  I'll post back here if anyone on FB has a lead.
 
salsalady
 
I posted on 2 FB groups.  If you have a FB profile, I can (send you an invite? or suggest you Like the group? or something?)  somehow link you into the 2 groups where it's posted.  Not sure how all that works, but the Group admins will figure it out.  :lol:
 
Thanks so much!!!! On FB, I'm Holy City Salsa. Our HPP folks suggested a facility, and I have contacted them many times. Their lack of response tells me they can't do it :( others in the Atlanta are have told us they are at capacity. If we can't find someone to take is on, we will have to get a loan and outfit our own facility...which I know NOTHING about. Does anyone have any insight into filling/sealing automated lines? I wouldn't even know where to start to be my own packer....ugh!!!
 
Maybe see if you can get a visit to the packer's facility to see what they have set up. take pics and make notes of the machines.  The companies who make the packing lines can work with you directly to get the machines you need. 
Here's a How It's Made video-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZqILh0Lpqg
 
I may be contacting you about your current production.  Hubby's been pushing me to get more production.  I'm a one-woman show right now. 
 
Keep us posted what you come up with. 
 
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