A co-packer (or contract packer) is a business that manufactures (processes and packages) a recipe for another business. Food companies use co-packers for many reasons, including: to grow or “scale” quickly, to avoid brick and mortar costs, or to have their products made closer to their markets.
In general,
- Some co-packers will help with product formulation/research & development, ingredient sourcing, labeling, certifications, distribution and marketing.
- Co-packer relationships and agreements/contracts are very important. Consider obtaining legal advice before you enter into any agreement(s).
- Finding a co-packer to make small batches of product can be difficult.
To add your company to this list or to change listing information, contact Brian Erickson.
| Location | Co-Packer | Types of Products |
|---|---|---|
| Albert Lea and Owatonna | Zumbro River Brand | High protein and specialty extruded snacks, cereals and crisps, and powdered products |
| Arden Hills | Northwestern Foods, Inc. | Dry mixes |
| Bemidji | InHarvest Inc. | Grains, rice, beans, and lentils |
| Bloomington | Fiberich Technologies, Inc. | Legume flours, and high fiber baking concentrate flour |
| Bloomington | Nikola's Foods / Nikola's Bakery | Baked goods |
| Burnsville | Abdallah Candies | Candy |
| Burnsville | Buddy's Kitchen, Inc. | Frozen sandwiches and breakfast entrees |
| Burnsville | Quality Ingredients Corporation | Flavor, color, dietary supplement, fruit, and probiotics |
| Caledonia | Sno Pac Foods | Frozen vegetables |
| Cannon Falls | Lorentz Meats | Meat and meat products |
| Chanhassen | Bongards Premium Cheese | Cheese and cheese products |
| Cochrane WI | Great River Organic Milling | Organic grains, flours, and cereals |
| Eden Prairie | Milk Specialties Global | Nutritional powder products |
| Hamel | Hamel Maple Syrup Co., Inc. | Maple syrup and maple sugar |
| Hastings | Hastings Creamery, Hastings Cooperative Creamery Company | Milk and milk products |
| Hudson WI | Croix Valley Foods | Acidic and acidified canned foods, and dry blends/seasonings |
| Le Center | European Roasterie, Inc. | Roasted coffee |
| Le Center | Maud Borup | Candy, snacks, dry mixes, sauces and non-food products |
| Litchfield | North Star Processing, LLC | Spray dried powders |
| Little Falls | Sprout | Variety of products |
| Manitowoc WI | Lakeside Foods, Inc. | Vegetables, beans, beverages, salsa, and sauces |
| Mankato | All American Foods, Inc. | Dried, co-dried, and dry blended bulk ingredients |
| Maple Grove | Spectrum Fruits, Inc. | Fruit ingredients and fruit blends |
| Marine on St. Croix | Treehouse Brands dba Enlightened Beverage | Frappe mix, bakery mix, coffee, and equipment |
| Marshall | Schwan's Global Supply Chain, Inc. | Frozen foods |
| Monticello | Karlsburger Foods, Inc. | Sauces, spices, and dry mixes |
| Park Rapids | The Secret Garden | Dry mixes |
| Perham | Barrel O' Fun Snack Food Co. | Salty snacks |
| Pierz | Smude Enterprises | Dry goods up to 2 lbs |
| Plainview | Plainview Milk Products Cooperative | Milk and milk products |
| Red Wing | Food Service Specialties | Tomato-based and dairy-based sauces and dips |
| Red Wing | Sturdiwheat, Inc. | Dry mixing and packaging |
| River Falls WI | SnappyDog Foods | Acidified canned foods and dry rubs/seasonings |
| Rochester | Reichel Foods, Inc. | Produce, proteins, shelf stable, perishable |
| Royalton | Gourmet Parlor Foods | Frozen pizza, frozen foods |
| Shakopee | Stone Gate Foods | Frozen foods, meat products, desserts, and bottling sauces |
| South Haven | French Lake Butcher Shop, LLC. | Meat and meat products |
| Saint Cloud | Pan O Gold Baking Co. | Fresh baked breads and buns |
| Saint Michael | Midwest Rubs | Spices |
| Saint Peter | Chippewa Packaging, Inc. | Snack, grains, cereal, and mixes |
| Saint Paul | Bix Produce Co. | Fresh fruits and vegetables |
| Saint Paul | Captain Ken's Foods | Frozen foods |
| Saint Paul | J&J Distributing | Fresh produce and deli distribution |
| Wanamingo | Maple Island, Inc. | Nutritional and dairy powdered products |
| Woodbury | Greater American Ribs, Inc. | Meat and meat products |
Updated April 2019; reviewed July 2018
This list and information are provided as a service to small Minnesota food makers. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is not responsible for the actions of and does not endorse any of these entities.
- Toffee, caramels, creams, clusters, barks, and nougats
- Capacity: 5,000 lbs/day
- Minimum order: varies
- Contact: Steve Hegedus, 952-890-4770, service@abdallahcandies.com
- A leader in customized processing and packaging of dry and co-dried food ingredients. Our Pro Mix® product line consists of: cheese powders and flavorings, cultured dairy powders (yogurt powders, sour cream powders, cultured buttermilk powders, and cultured nonfat powders), high fat powders, egg replacer powders, dried flavoring ingredients, dry sweetened condensed whole and skim milk powders, nonfat dry milk, buttermilk powder, and whole milk powder replacers.
- Capacity: TBD
- Minimum order: TBD
- Contact: Amy Kuch, National Sales Representative, 800-833-2661, amys@aafoods.com
- Traditional chips, kettle chips, popcorn, tortilla chips, corn chips, pretzels, baked crisps, extruded items, pellet popped items, and friend pellet items. Depending on the product line and your requests, we produce items with the following callouts: organic, non-GMO, gluten free, kosher, no artificial color, flavors, preservatives, 0g trans fat, etc.
- Capacity: dependent on product line. Open to discuss on a case per case basis.
- Minimum order: dependent on product line. Open to discuss on a case per case basis.
- Contact: Jay Anderson, 800-346-4910, janderson@klnfamilybrands.com
- Fresh boxed and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables as well as specialty grocery
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: please contact us to discuss
- Contact: Steve Pagel, Sales Manager, 651-487-8000, spagel@bixproduce.com
- Processed cheese, natural cheese, cream cheese, and whey
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: 10,000 lbs
- Contact: Scott Tomes, 952-277-5555, scott.tomes@bongards.com
- Frozen sandwiches, burritos, breakfast entrees, and grilled bread. Product development is available and negotiable. We very selectively work with “early stage” companies based on an interview process.
- Capacity: capable of handling low to very high volumes
- Minimum order: n/a
- Contact: Dave Smith, 952-894-2540, dave@buddyskitchen.com
- USDA and FDA
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: Annual 100,000 lbs
- Contact: John Traxler, 651-298-0071, jtraxler@captainkens.com
- Packaging of dry food products specializing in pre-made pouches, form fill and seal including (pillow, sachet, side gusseted pouches). Ribbon and tumbler blending. SQF Level 3, organic and kosher certified.
- Capacity: small to continuous production
- Minimum order: TBD
- Contact: Joe Kellen, 507-931-5510, jkellen@chippewapackaging.com
- Specializing in acidic and acidified canned foods such as barbecue sauces, marinades, salsas, hot sauces, Bloody Mary mixes, beverages, Worcestershire sauces, pasta sauces, dry rubs, seasonings, and more.
- Capacity: Any
- Minimum order: 50 gallons on liquid products, 100 lbs on dry blends
- Contact: Damon Holter, 612-756-4985, damonholter@croixvalleyfoods.com
- Our coffee, your packaging/brand
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: 50 lbs per sku
- Contact: Tom Dotray, 507-357-3008, thomas@euroroast.com
- High fiber baking concentrate for breads, rolls, and other baking items
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: one pallet (2000 lbs)
- Contact: Jean Holland, 952-920-8054, fiberichtech@gmail.com
- Specialize in preparing and packaging shelf-stable pasta and other sauces, chip and vegetable dips, marinades, and a variety of salsas. Packaging options include glass jars (12-48 ounces) in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, large (5-10 pound) plastic pouches with or without fitments, 55 gallon drums, and large reusable totes.
- Capacity: 50 million lbs
- Minimum order: 9,000 lbs
- Contact: Mike Jacobson, 800-657-0811, mikej@foodservicespecialties.com
French Lake Butcher Shop, LLC.
- Raw meat, cooked products, uncured products slaughter (beef, hog, goat, lamb, deer, elk), hog scalding, and wild game processing. We specialize in co-packing for farmers in our area. We also specialize in uncured products and organic seasoned sausages.
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: for sausages is 20 lbs
- Contact: Kimberly Werner, 320-286-5345, frenchlakebutchershop@live.com
- Organic whole grains, organic bread flours, organic flour blends, organic specialty flours, organic hot cereals, and organic pancake and waffle mixes
- Capacity: depends on product
- Minimum order: depends on product
- Contact: Rick Halverson, 608-687-9580, rhalverson@greatrivermilling.com
- Specializing in fully cooked pork loin back ribs, with or without BBQ Sauce. Fully cooked meats retail and/or wholesale.
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: to be mutually agreed upon
- Contact: 651-329-8133 or 651-739-0161, pete@garibs.com or rick@garibs.com
- Specializing in frozen pizzas and other frozen foods.
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: 1,500 units
- Contact: Steve Sauer, 320-584-5930, steve.sauer@gourmetparlorpizza.com
- Pure maple syrup, a 75% cane syrup/25% maple syrup blend, granulated maple sugar; wholesale
- Capacity: 1000s of lbs of maple syrup in various containers
- Minimum order: pallet
- Contact: Steve Jordan or Steve Leuer, 763-478-2353, sjjordan@frontiernet.net or lure3312@aol.com
Hastings Creamery, Hastings Cooperative Creamery Company
- Heat treated/pasteurized/blended/dairy based. Finished pack in: bulk (tankers – 2 gallon bags, pails, drums), HDPE gallons, half gallons, quarts, pints, 12 oz., cross section paperboard 8 oz. to 32 oz.
- Capacity: 100,000 gallons
- Minimum order: 150 gallons
- Contact: David Zwart, 651-437-9414, david@hastingscreamery.com
- Parboiling, blending, and scarifying ancient/heirloom rice and grains; heirloom beans and lentils; blending ancient/heirloom rice and grains that complement one another and have even cook times.
- Capacity: varies depending on season, can handle multi-truck load quantities
- Minimum order: 24 lbs stock items; 2,000 lbs custom items
- Contact: John Wagar, 800-346-7032, johnw@inharvest.com
- We have a full line of fresh produce offerings. Our specialty is organic and processed, fresh cut and vegetable products.
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: varies
- Contact: Silvano Barba, 651-292-3851, silvano.barba@jjdst.com
- Soup bases, sauces, spices and seasoning blends, gravy mixes. Custom duplications and private label items. 3 state-of-the-art mixing rooms (dry blending, dry/wet blending, dry/packaging). Certifications: SQF level 2, USDA inspected, FDA inspected, certified organic, certified halal, HAACP program, GMP program, QA program, Test and Hold policy
- Capacity: Varies depending on product. Up to 66,000 pounds a day.
- Minimum order: No minimum on stock items. 150 lbs custom seasoning/dry blends. 300 lbs custom bases.
- Matthew Maher, 763-295-2273, matthewm@karlsburger.com
- You’ll never work with a private-label frozen and canned vegetable company that’s as “deeply rooted in your brand,” as Lakeside Foods. We focus 100% of our energies on Private Brand. We support no national or regional brands.
- Capacity: N/A
- Minimum order: N/A
- Contact: 1-800-466-3834
- Beef and bison slaughter, specialty packaging of all meat, and sausage making. Niche meat products for retail and food service.
- Capacity: significant
- Minimum order: varies by product
- Contact: Jeff Peterson, 507-263-3618 x 247, jpeterson@lorentzmeats.com
- We can dry blend and canister fill a wide array of powdered products including milk and protein powders as well as sensitive products like infant formula. Our packaging capabilities include both metal and composite canisters.
- Capacity: please contact us for capacity information
- Minimum order: please contact us as it varies by product and fill size
- Contact: David Doebler, 651-773-2673 or 651-271-1119 (cell), ddoebler@maple-island.com
- We have extensive experience in private label manufacturing and can co-pack your components or develop and source a product for you. Bags, rigid containers, specialized shaped bags and containers. Candy, snacks, powdered mixes, hot sauces, everyday products, food gifts. Non-food projects such as toy packaging, shrink wrapping, mail items, labeling, pick and pack, warehousing services, displays, pallet programs.
- Capacity: small to large runs
- Minimum order: 4,000 units
- Contact: Randy Lantinen, 866-678-6283, randy@maudborup.com
- Spice blending and whole spice; private label and packaging; product blending and development; and bulk packaging
- Capacity: 500-1,000 lbs bulk/day
- Minimum order: 25 lbs/negotiable
- Contact: Richard Brown, 763-497-1766/763-515-3945, rbrown@midwestrubs.com
- Sports nutrition, weight loss, meal replacers
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: 10,000 lbs
- Contact: Chris Baughman, 952-942-7310, cbaughman@milkspecialties.com
Nikola's Foods/ Nikola's Bakery
- Full service bakery solutions, custom baking and production, proprietary formulation, private label and co-packing, signature concept development. AIB inspected – score 910; FDA inspected; kosher certified; HACCP program; GMP program; QA program.
- Capacity: traditional full-service bakery – 35,000 sq ft; gluten-free manufacturing – 15,000 sq ft
- Minimum order: determined on a case-by-case basis
- Contact: Michael Itskovich or Bill Itskovich, 952-253-5991, dir@nikolasbakery.com or bill@nikolasbakery.com
- Spray dried powders include: flavors, sweeteners, natural coloring, specialty food additives, dairy ingredients, proteins, and proprietary blends. Orthodox Union kosher, Quality Assurance International organic.
- Capacity: large to small development runs
- Minimum order: varies with products
- Contact: Mark Holmgren, 320-693-7211, mholmgren@nsp-llc.com
- Dry blending, vertical form and fill equipment; dry mixes (flavored beverages, cocoas, teas, lattes, bakery items), kosher and halal certified, BRC audited
- Available year round; need 4-6 weeks lead time
- Minimum order: 2000 lbs/item
- Contact: Kurt Kaiser, 651-789-5464, kurt@northwesternfoods.com
Pan O Gold Baking Co. (Country Hearth Breads)
- 3 strategically positioned facilities fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology to ensure quality, freshness, prompt order response and on-time delivery
- Capacity: small batches to large-scale ongoing orders
- Minimum order: varies
- Contact: Mark Ubl, 320-251-9361, mubl@panogold.com
Plainview Milk Products Cooperative
- Nonfat dry milk, sweet cream, condensed skim milk, specialty dry blended products
- Capacity: 1,000,000 lbs per day
- Minimum order: Nonfat dry milk – 50 lbs, sweet cream – 2,000 lbs (approx. 200 gallons), condensed skim – 2,000 lbs (approx. 200 gallons)
- Contact: Troy Gascoigne, 507-534-3872 ext 101, troy@plainviewmilk.com
Quality Ingredients Corporation
- Contract spray drying and spray chilling
- Capacity: TBD
- Minimum order: 500 lbs typically
- Contact: Sales, 952-898-4002, sales@qic.us
- Processing and packaging
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: n/a
- Contact: Craig Reichel, 507-289-7264, craig@reichelfoods.com
Schwan's Global Supply Chain, Inc.
- Ice cream, bakery desserts (pie), convenience foods, sauces, and aluminum packaging
- Capacity: varies by product category
- Minimum order: varies by product category
- Contact: Mary Jo Martinson, 507-537-8189, maryjo.martinson@schwans.com
- Dehydrated soups; entree mixes; quick bread and pancake mixes; dip, cheese ball, salsa, and seasoning mixes; powdered dessert mixes
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: n/a
- Contact: Anne Morgan, 218-732-4866, sgmorg@wcta.net
- Co-packing dry goods up to 2 lbs
- Capacity: any
- Minimum order: any
- Contact: Tom Smude, 320-468-6925, tom@smudeoil.com
- BBQ sauce, marinades, Bloody Mary mixes, salsa, hot sauces, etc. Gluten-free facility specializing in small batch production for the start-up and small entrepreneur, but have the capacity to produce volume as well.
- Capacity: up to a truckload
- Minimum order: 30 gallons – liquid products, 50 lbs – dry blends
- Contact: Dave Merten, 651-775-5865, dave@snappydogsalsa.com
- Organic
- Capacity: Large
- Minimum order: Processing 40,000 lbs raw product/ packaging 20,000 lbs / ingredient sales no minimum
- Contact: Peter Gengler, 507-725-5281, snopac@snopac.com
- We are a technical marketer and get needed products tailor-made using our global network of processors. Opportunity needs to be big enough to make economic sense (projects with an ongoing potential).
- Capacity: n/a
- Minimum order: varies
- Contact: Dr. Vinod Padhye, 763-370-2555, vinod@spectrumfruits.com
- We offer small batch co-packing for a variety of products, including acidified and low-acid canned foods. We help food entrepreneurs move from a focus on production to a focus on building their business through sales, marketing, and production efficiency development.
- Capacity: contact us to discuss
- Minimum order: contact us to discuss
- Contact: Natalie Keane, 712-899-2268, natalie@sproutmn.com
- Frozen appetizers, pizzas, side dishes, desserts, meat products (beef, chicken, pork), and bottling sauces. Our expertise is with products that involve a high level of hand labor.
- Capacity: 65% full
- Minimum order: 1 full production shift
- Contact: Rob Eversman, 952-445-1350 ext 114, reversman@stonegate-foods.com
- All natural and organic certified. We do not run nuts through our system.
- Capacity: varies with product
- Minimum order: 1000 units
- Contact: Suzanne Blue, 651-385-9300 or 800-201-9650, pancakes@sturdiwheat.com
Treehouse Brands dba Enlightened Beverage
- Best quality, best price – we get it.
- Capacity: open
- Minimum order: one case 5 pouches/bags x 3 lbs
- Contact: Jim McKenzie / Mike Lammi, 888-522-2892, info@treehousebrand.com
- 2 locations, offering twin screw extrusion and batch agglomeration services. SQF level 2, kosher, halal, gluten free, non GMO, and organic (by product). Specializing in high protein snacks, cereals, and crisps.
- Capacity: small volumes to truck load quantities
- Minimum order: depends on product; pilot plant has trial units for R&D work
- Contact: Zane Borchers, 507-446-9097 x 123, zborchers@zumbroriverbrand.com