Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Co-packers

Co-packers manufacture and package foods for other companies to sell. There are two main reasons to use a co-packer:

Expenses

No need for money to build a facility, buy equipment, buy permits, or hire employees.

Regulations

Federal, provincial and municipal regulations can be complex and time-consuming. By using a co-packer, you could avoid much of this.

There are, of course, disadvantages, two of which are higher costs and loss of control over your product. But if you're just starting out, or looking to expand beyond the farm gate, co-packing is a viable option.

Three main steps to choosing a co-packer