What was the biggest challenge faced and/or lesson learned
while working with a co-packer or co-manufacturer?
Q:
Lisa Curtis, founder and CEO,
Kuli Kuli Foods Inc.
Given Kuli Kuli's diverse set of superfood
products—powders, bars, bark, and shots—we rely
heavily on our co-packers to produce the highest
quality products while meeting sales deadlines.
Though it may sound ironic in the social distance
era, Kuli Kuli has found co-packer visits to be key
to resolving communication issues. For example,
we had one issue with a co-packer where they told
us over the phone that production was in progress,
when in fact they didn't have us scheduled for
production. Two members of Kuli Kuli's operations
team flew down to the co-packer that day. They
were able to both resolve the communication
issue and get our product on the line in time to
meet a big sale. There's nothing like in-person
communication to quickly get to the root of an
issue and strengthen a co-packer relationship.
Lin Johnson, founder and CEO,
Mimi's Mountain Mixes
I should have gone with my gut feeling when I
interviewed a particular co-packer. However, I did
not. (Lesson learned.) The first order fell out of
the semi because it was so poorly wrapped on the
pallet. In addition, they didn't bother to check the
crush factor on the boxes and stacked them so high
that the bottom level was demolished by the time it
got to our warehouse.
I finally fired this co-packer after I re-ordered
product the first of September so we would be
ready for our customers' holiday orders. Typically,
our orders took about four to six weeks from order
to delivery. This order took 12 weeks, so my order
arrived the first week of December. Then, it had
multiple damaged products in it. They decided to
clean out their warehouse of all extra ingredients
and sent me over 1,000 more of a SKU than I
ordered and tried to bill me for it. We are now back
to producing our own mixes.
Ann Conlin, chief marketing officer,
Jimmy's Milan Salad Dressing
One unpleasant surprise we had during the
pandemic was that my bottler received an unusual
amount of orders for large quantities of the sauces
they manufacture. Because of that, we could not
be put on their schedule in a timely manner and
our production was delayed and many stores were
left without product. In general, the pandemic
led to more people eating at home and required
more product in stores and so all the customers of
manufacturing plants increased their production
threefold. In addition, restaurants losing customers
decided to go into production with their restaurant
sauces and dressings and condiments to reach
customers dining in-home. I took it for granted that
our co-packer would be able to turn around product
in the same way that they always had.
Arielle Feger is content associate for Specialty Food.
SPRING Š
