How much does a co-packer charge?
There is no single answer, and the pages that quote one are guessing — co-packing rates swing enormously by product, format, run size, and region. What you can do honestly is turn a specific co-packer’s fee sheet into a true landed cost per unit, which is the number that actually matters. The headline "per-unit fee" is only one line; setup, pallet in and out, storage, and a waste allowance all land on the same units.
The lines a headline fee hides
A co-packer quote typically has per-unit charges and per-run charges. The per-unit fee scales with volume; the per-run charges — setup or changeover, pallet handling, and storage — are fixed per run, so they hit small runs hardest. Add a waste allowance (the units consumed in setup and rejects) on top of the per-unit fee, and you have the real landed cost. This calculator sums them so a low headline fee with heavy setup can’t masquerade as cheap.
Comparing co-packer quotes fairly
Because per-run charges amortize over volume, you cannot compare two co-packers without a shared run size. Normalize every quote to the same quantity, include every line, and compare the landed per-unit — not the fee one supplier chose to lead with. Then pair the number with a non-price check of capacity, quality, and lead time.
Questions
How much does a co-packer charge?
It varies widely by product, format, run size, and region, so any single quoted rate is unreliable. The useful number is your true landed cost per unit for a specific quote: the per-unit run fee plus a waste allowance, plus the per-run charges (setup, pallet in/out, storage) divided by the run quantity. The calculator computes it from your fee sheet.
What is included in co-packing costs beyond the per-unit fee?
Setup or changeover charges, pallet receiving and shipping, storage while your goods sit, and a waste or scrap allowance for units lost in setup and rejects. Because several of these are fixed per run, they raise the real per-unit cost most on small runs. Always total them, not just the headline fee.
Why do co-packing quotes vary so much?
Product complexity, line speed, run size, and how each co-packer bundles or itemizes fees. One may show a low per-unit fee with heavy setup; another the reverse. Normalize every quote to the same quantity and include all lines before comparing.
How do I compare two co-packer quotes?
Put both on the same run size and compute the landed cost per unit including every charge — per-unit fee plus waste, plus setup, pallet, and storage divided by quantity. Compare those landed numbers, then weigh capacity, quality systems, and lead time, which price alone won’t tell you.
Does the product and packaging cost go into this?
No — this tool prices the co-packer’s service only. Your product and your packaging materials are typically supplied by you, so they sit outside the co-packing fee. Add them separately to get your full finished-goods cost.
Get the packaging side quoted for real.
Bring your co-packer a converter-ready spec and a real packaging quote — so the only variable left is their service fee.