Cold fill co-packers

Fill at room temperature or colder. Either high acid and a hold, or a cold chain. Every fact is checked against the manufacturer's own published information, with the date we checked it.

Cold fill covers two different jobs, and a plant's website does not always say which one it means. The first is shelf-stable cold-fill-hold: the product is filled at room temperature, relies on high acidity plus acetic or benzoic acid, and is held warm before release. University of Minnesota Extension's cottage food guidance asks for a final pH of 3.3 or lower, or 3.5 with 2.5% acetic acid, or 3.8 with 2.5% acetic acid plus 0.1% benzoic acid, and a hold of at least 6 days at 50°F or above. It suits products that lose quality under heat, such as mustard or certain sauces¹.

The second is refrigerated cold fill, where the product is filled cold and kept cold. Foods stored, distributed and sold under refrigeration fall outside FDA's definition of an acidified food², but they need refrigeration all the way to the shelf. Shelf-stable cold-fill-hold processes are validated with challenge studies, and food safety researchers recommend designing those studies to show a 5-log pathogen reduction across at least two independent trials³.

In this directory, cold fill means the plant's own site names cold filling. Ask which kind the line runs before you send samples.

A filling nozzle over containers on an automated filling line

In this directory

41 plants in this directory state cold filling on their own websites. They are spread across 22 states, with the most in Texas, California and Florida. 10 publish a minimum order, 22 state a GFSI-benchmarked certificate and 27 say they take startups or pilot runs.

41plants

10publish a minimum

22state a GFSI certificate

27take startups or pilot runs

What they make

Sauces and marinades26
Dressings17
Juice14
RTD tea and coffee14
Condiments14
Functional drinks12
Salsas11
Syrups and honey11

Packages they fill

Bulk and foodservice23
Plastic bottles18
Glass bottles16
Aluminum cans12
Bags and flexible film9
Stick packs and sachets8
Glass jars7
Bag-in-box5

Certifications they state

SQF18
Kosher16
USDA Organic15
HACCP13
GMP9
Certified gluten-free6
Non-GMO Project5
Certified vegan3

Minimums these plants publish

Big Beverages Contract ManufacturingBatch sizes run from 5,000 to 20,000 gallons
Chesapeake Bay Foods (Jeppi Nut & Candy)$2,000 minimum fee per job; tolling fees based on labor and overhead; site advertises low MOQs
El Pinto Foods Co-PackingHomepage says co-packing starts at 10,000 units per year; the services page invites inquiries for needs that exceed 100,000 units annually
Food For ThoughtMinimum order quantity is 1,200 units per product
Garden ComplementsMinimum batch of 300 gallons per product, with a commitment to produce that amount at least three times a year
Mad Will's Food CompanyCo-packing minimum is one batch per recipe, typically around 100 cases (about 70 to 200 cases of 12 depending on container size); private label minimum is 5 cases of retail glass or 3 cases of foodservice per order
Maryland PackagingMinimum is one production shift; a smaller order is possible but is billed as a full shift
MetaBrand CorpCan co-pack as little as 2 to 3 pallets for small batch and pilot runs; productions range from 100 cases to 10,000 cases or more
PepperNutzCustom recipe co-packing brews in 100 gallon kettles (about 2,500 5 oz bottles), sometimes less depending on the recipe; private label program minimum is 60 bottles (5 cases of 12) per flavor per order
Universal Pure20,000 bottle per run minimum

The plants

Filter these in the directory

Aegle Nutrition
Carrollton, TX
Supplement, beverage and nutraceutical contract manufacturer in Carrollton, Texas, founded in 2013, that formulates, blends and hot or cold fills RTD beverages, energy shots, liquid...
Process
Hot fillCold fillBottlingDry blending
Packaging
Stick packs and sachets
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Avon Food Company
Stoughton, MA
Family-owned sauce, dressing, marinade and spice blend manufacturer in Stoughton, Massachusetts, founded in 2002, doing private label and contract production from a 55,000 sq ft SQF...
Process
Hot fillCold fillBottlingPouch fillingDry blending
Packaging
Bulk and foodserviceBag-in-box
Minimum order
Minimum not publishedWhat they say: Minimums vary by product type and packaging and are described as flexible
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Baldwin Richardson Foods Co.
Macedon, NY (also CA, IL, NJ)
Liquid food and beverage manufacturer headquartered in Macedon, New York with plants in Williamson, New York, Corona, California and Pennsauken, New Jersey that makes custom and private...
Process
AsepticHot fillCold fillKettle cookingContinuous cookingEmulsifying and homogenizing
Packaging
Plastic bottlesAseptic cartonsGlass jarsPortion cups+2 more
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
Big Beverages Contract Manufacturing
Huntersville, NC
Canned beverage contract manufacturer in Huntersville, North Carolina, near Charlotte, serving growing beverage brands mainly in the Mid-Atlantic. Batches, blends and carbonates, then...
Process
Cold fillCarbonationTunnel pasteurizationCanning
Packaging
Aluminum cans
Minimum order
Batch sizes run from 5,000 to 20,000 gallons
Takes startups or pilot runs
Carolina Beverage Group
Mooresville, NC (also MN, TX)
High-speed contract canner with production plants in Mooresville, North Carolina, Fort Worth, Texas and Cold Spring, Minnesota, offering cold fill (non-pasteurized, tunnel pasteurized or...
Process
Tunnel pasteurizationHot fillCold fillHTST pasteurizationCarbonationCanning+1 more
Packaging
Aluminum cans
Minimum order
Not published
FSSC 22000
Chesapeake Bay Foods (Jeppi Nut & Candy)
Timonium, MD
Co-packing division of Jeppi Nut & Candy in the Baltimore area that bottles shelf-stable acid-food syrups, sauces and similar liquids in plastic or glass, pops and coats savory and sweet...
Process
RoastingBottlingCold fillHot fillKettle cookingEnrobing and coating
Packaging
Stand-up pouchesBags and flexible filmPlastic bottlesGlass bottles
Minimum order
$2,000 minimum fee per job; tolling fees based on labor and overhead; site advertises low MOQs
Takes startups or pilot runs
Coastal Packaging
Newnan, GA
Contract filler in Newnan, Georgia that custom blends and packages beverages, concentrates and other food grade liquids for private label, retail and foodservice. Fills plastic bottles...
Process
Hot fillCold fillBottling
Packaging
Plastic bottlesBag-in-boxBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
Copperleaf Kitchen (Comfort Foods Division)
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque, New Mexico specialty food manufacturer, founded in 1989, that co-packs and private labels wet shelf-stable products such as BBQ sauces, marinades, mustard, pasta sauces,...
Process
Hot fillCold fillBottlingPouch fillingDry blending
Packaging
Glass bottlesPlastic bottlesBags and flexible filmStick packs and sachets+2 more
Minimum order
Minimum not publishedWhat they say: Private label program has friendly minimums and accepts mixed pallet orders
SQF (level not verified)
Cornaby's
Payson, UT
Family-owned food maker in Payson, Utah, started in 2007, that co-packs and private labels jams, jellies, syrups, nut butters, BBQ, hot, steak and Asian sauces, bakery fillings, soups,...
Process
Hot fillCold fillKettle cookingDry blendingPouch fillingMilling and grinding+1 more
Packaging
Glass bottlesPlastic bottlesPlastic jarsCanisters+2 more
Minimum order
Not published
CSD Copackers
Scranton, PA
Cold-fill bottling co-packer in Scranton, Pennsylvania that specializes in carbonated soft drinks in glass bottles, including custom shapes and proprietary molds, with in-line...
Process
Cold fillCarbonationBottling
Packaging
Glass bottlesAluminum bottlesBag-in-box
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
Downs Food Group
Mankato, MN
Family-owned processor of fully cooked proteins and co-packer of frozen entrees, headquartered in Mankato, Minnesota, with plants in Madelia and Fairmont. Makes branded and private label...
Process
Kettle cookingCold fillPouch fillingSlicing and portioningEnrobing and coating
Packaging
Trays and clamshellsBags and flexible filmBulk and foodserviceRetort pouches+1 more
Minimum order
Not published
El Pinto Foods Co-Packing
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque, New Mexico food manufacturer owned by the El Pinto restaurant family that co-packs and private labels salsas, chile and hot sauces, BBQ sauces, marinades, dipping sauces and...
Process
Hot fillCold fillKettle cookingHTST pasteurizationContinuous cooking
Packaging
Glass bottlesGlass jarsPlastic bottlesSingle-serve cups+1 more
Minimum order
Homepage says co-packing starts at 10,000 units per year; the services page invites inquiries for needs that exceed 100,000 units annually
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Epic Bottling
Coppell, TX
Beverage co-packer in Coppell, Texas, started by the founders of Texas Tea, that brews, blends and fills non-carbonated teas, juices, lemonades, coffees, flavored waters and functional...
Process
Hot fillCold fillHTST pasteurizationBrewingBottlingCanning
Packaging
Glass bottlesPlastic bottlesAluminum cans
Minimum order
Minimum not publishedWhat they say: Minimums vary by package and beverage type; can work with runs as small as a few hundred cases
Takes startups or pilot runs
Food For Thought
Traverse City, MI
Certified organic production kitchen in Traverse City, Michigan that has co-packed for over 25 years alongside its own preserves and sauces. Hot packs high acid and acidified jams,...
Process
Hot fillCold fillAcidified foods (21 CFR 114)
Packaging
Glass bottlesGlass jarsBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Minimum order quantity is 1,200 units per product
Garden Complements
Kansas City, MO
Kansas City, Missouri sauce co-packer, operating since the mid-1970s, that kettle-cooks and primarily hot-packs customers' recipes and private labels its own sauces, dressings, marinades...
Process
Kettle cookingHot fillCold fillBottling
Packaging
Bag-in-boxPortion cupsBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Minimum batch of 300 gallons per product, with a commitment to produce that amount at least three times a year
Gedney Foods Company
Burnsville, MN
Minnesota pickle maker dating to 1881 that offers product and process development and contract packing of pickled vegetables, relishes, mayonnaise, pourable dressings, mustards,...
Process
Hot fillCold fillContinuous cookingBottling
Packaging
Squeeze bottlesBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
Golding Farms Foods (Golding)
Winston-Salem, NC (also MO)
Sauce, condiment and dressing manufacturer, in business since 1972, with SQF-certified plants in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Hazelwood, Missouri that does contract manufacturing,...
Process
Hot fillCold fill
Packaging
Plastic bottlesSqueeze bottlesGlass bottlesBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)
Greek Boys Choice Foods
Tarpon Springs, FL
Family-owned Mediterranean food importer and distributor in Tarpon Springs, Florida that also works as a full-service co-packer and private labeler for startups, private label brands and...
Process
Hot fillCold fillBottlingDry blending
Packaging
Bulk and foodserviceStick packs and sachets
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
Italia Foods, Inc.
Schaumburg, IL
Third-generation family food manufacturer and co-packer in Schaumburg, Illinois, trading as IFI Food Group, that makes IQF sauce chips and purees, hot- and cold-filled liquid pouches and...
Process
IQF freezingPouch fillingEnrobing and coatingHot fillCold fill
Packaging
Bags and flexible filmStand-up pouchesStick packs and sachetsTrays and clamshells+2 more
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Mad Will's Food Company
Auburn, CA
Employee-owned sauce and specialty food maker in Auburn, California, a division of Norcal Food Solutions, that co-packs shelf-stable products under pH 4.6 and private labels its own...
Process
Hot fillCold fillKettle cookingBottling
Packaging
Glass bottlesGlass jarsBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Co-packing minimum is one batch per recipe, typically around 100 cases (about 70 to 200 cases of 12 depending on container size); private label minimum is 5 cases of retail glass or 3 cases of foodservice per order
Takes startups or pilot runs
Maryland Packaging
Halethorpe, MD
Food and beverage co-manufacturer and co-packer, also trading as Clean Label Gourmet Foods, with two plants in Elkridge and Halethorpe, Maryland. It offers in-house HPP, hot, cold and...
Process
HPP (in house)Hot fillCold fillCold pressingSous videRetort+4 more
Packaging
Plastic bottlesGlass bottlesSpouted pouchesStand-up pouches+8 more
Minimum order
Minimum is one production shift; a smaller order is possible but is billed as a full shift
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
MetaBrand Corp
Edison, NJ
Independent beverage formulator and manufacturer in Edison, New Jersey with its own plant, running a hot and cold fill PET and glass line and a canning line for alcoholic and...
Process
Hot fillCold fillTunnel pasteurizationCarbonationCanningBottling
Packaging
Plastic bottlesGlass bottlesAluminum cans
Minimum order
Can co-pack as little as 2 to 3 pallets for small batch and pilot runs; productions range from 100 cases to 10,000 cases or more
Takes startups or pilot runs
Mrs. Clark's Foods
Ankeny, IA
Food and beverage manufacturer in Ankeny, Iowa, founded in 1926, whose core capability is hot-filled shelf-stable juice, plus mayonnaise, dressings, sauces, coffee syrups and cold-filled...
Process
Hot fillCold fillEmulsifying and homogenizingKettle cookingPouch fillingCup and tub filling+1 more
Packaging
Single-serve cupsStick packs and sachetsBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Nor-Cal Beverage Co.
West Sacramento, CA
Family-owned California bottler and canner, traced to Hires Bottling Co. of Sacramento in 1937, with plants in West Sacramento and Anaheim. Its West Sacramento plant was rebuilt for...
Process
Hot fillCold fillCanningBottling
Packaging
Aluminum cansPlastic bottles
Minimum order
Not published
Ol' Gringo Chile Co.
Mineral Wells, TX
Award-winning pepper sauce and spice blend maker in Mineral Wells, Texas that co-packs custom hot sauces, salsas, dressings, BBQ sauces, marinades and spice blends for small businesses,...
Process
Hot fillCold fillBottling
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
Pacific Choice Brands
Fresno, CA
Fresno, California contract manufacturer with about 300,000 sq ft of plant and warehouse buildings that has made specialty foods for national brands for about 30 years. Produces pickled...
Process
Hot fillCold fill
Packaging
Bulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
BRCGSTakes startups or pilot runs
Palmetto Canning Company
Palmetto, FL
Family-owned Florida co-packer founded in 1927 with hot-fill and cold-fill lines at plants in Palmetto and Seffner. Offers toll packing or turnkey co-packing with ingredient and...
Process
Hot fillCold fillBottling
Packaging
Glass bottlesGlass jarsPlastic bottlesBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)
Pemberton's Gourmet Foods
Gray, ME
Co-packer and private label manufacturer in Gray, Maine with more than two decades of experience, focused on mid-size batches for emerging and growing brands. Hot and cold fills...
Process
Hot fillCold fillAcidified foods (21 CFR 114)Bottling
Packaging
Glass bottlesGlass jarsBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
PepperNutz
Spencerport, NY (also FL)
Hot sauce company based in Spencerport, New York that private labels its own small-batch hot, BBQ and wing sauces from 60 bottles per flavor and co-packs customers' sauce recipes in 100...
Process
Kettle cookingHot fillCold fillBottling
Packaging
Glass bottlesStick packs and sachetsBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Custom recipe co-packing brews in 100 gallon kettles (about 2,500 5 oz bottles), sometimes less depending on the recipe; private label program minimum is 60 bottles (5 cases of 12) per flavor per order
Takes startups or pilot runs
Portland Bottling Company
Clackamas, OR
Canning co-packer founded in Portland, Oregon in 1924, now running a canning plant in Clackamas that opened in 2020. Fills juice-based drinks, carbonated juices and waters, energy and...
Process
Cold fillTunnel pasteurizationCanning
Packaging
Aluminum cans
Minimum order
Not published
FSSC 22000
Proper Beverage Co.
Hudsonville, MI
Canning co-packer in Hudsonville, Michigan for small, mid-size and startup brands that blends, force carbonates, cold fills and tunnel pasteurizes sodas, tonics, energy and functional...
Process
Cold fillCarbonationTunnel pasteurizationCanning
Packaging
Aluminum cansKegs
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Prospectors LLC
Caledonia, MI
Cold brew coffee maker in Caledonia, Michigan that private labels, co-manufactures and co-packs specialty beverages. Runs low-acid retort canning for cold brew and nitro coffee in 12 oz...
Process
BrewingHot fillCold fillRetortLow-acid canned foods (21 CFR 113)Acidified foods (21 CFR 114)+4 more
Packaging
Aluminum cansPlastic bottlesGlass bottlesBag-in-box+2 more
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Raw Brewing Co.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Fort Lauderdale, Florida kombucha brewery offering private label, white label and contract brewing of traditional and hard kombucha, plus co-packing of beer, mead, cold brew coffee and...
Process
FermentationHot fillCold fillBottlingCanningBrewing
Packaging
Aluminum cans
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
Red Boot Beverage
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines, Iowa co-packer established in 2018 with a 350,000 sq ft plant that cold fills, cans and bottles spirits, RTD cocktails, mocktails, wine, energy and functional drinks, teas,...
Process
Cold fillTunnel pasteurizationCanningBottling
Packaging
Aluminum cansGlass bottlesPlastic bottles
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Request Foods
Holland, MI
Family-owned frozen food co-packer in Holland, Michigan, making custom frozen entrees, side dishes, skillet bag meals, appetizers and sauces for startups, private label programs and...
Process
Blast freezingKettle cookingContinuous cookingExtrusionPouch fillingCold fill
Packaging
Trays and clamshellsCartons and boxesBags and flexible film
Minimum order
Not published
BRCGSTakes startups or pilot runs
Rising Sun Farms
Phoenix, OR
SQF-certified maker of refrigerated and frozen sauces, pestos, cheese spreads, dips, tortas and condiments in Phoenix, Oregon, founded in 1984, that offers contract manufacturing and a...
Process
Cold fill
Packaging
Portion cupsTubsPlastic jarsBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Select Juice, LLC
Lancaster, PA
Juice and functional beverage co-packer and private labeler in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that cold presses, blends, brews and fills non-carbonated juices, wellness shots, teas, purees and...
Process
Cold pressingHTST pasteurizationHot fillCold fillBrewingBottling
Packaging
Plastic bottles
Minimum order
Minimum not publishedWhat they say: Private label offers low minimums for reorders, with mixed and partial pallets, and the contact page says it will not answer MOQ questions outside a project submission
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
The Fresh Factory
Chicago, IL
Chicago public benefit corporation with two Chicagoland manufacturing facilities offering product development, turnkey contract manufacturing, co-packing and private label for...
Process
Cold-formed barsBakingHot fillCold fillHPP (in house)Cold pressing
Packaging
Glass jarsSqueeze bottlesTubsFlow wrap+5 more
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Union Beverage Packers, LLC
Hillside, NJ
Contract beverage manufacturer in Hillside, New Jersey, operating since 2003, that fills still and hot-fill beverages, cold-fill beverages, water and carbonated water in cans and PET...
Process
Hot fillCold fillCanningBottling
Packaging
Aluminum cansPlastic bottles
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)
Universal Pure
Lincoln, NE (also CA, CT, GA, OH, PA, TX)
High pressure processing and cold chain services company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska that also co-packs cold-filled, non-carbonated juices, cold brews, teas and functional...
Process
HPP (in house)Cold fillBottlingBlast freezing
Packaging
Plastic bottles
Minimum order
20,000 bottle per run minimum
Waco Bottling Co.
Woodway, TX
Veteran-owned, SQF certified co-packer with two plants in the Waco, Texas area that hot fills and cold fills beverages, shots, mixers, coffee concentrates, sauces, dressings, syrups and...
Process
Hot fillCold fillBottlingCanningCup and tub filling
Packaging
Aluminum cansSingle-serve cups
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs

Read before you call

Other processes

Hot fill co-packers HPP co-packers Aseptic co-packers Retort co-packers Kettle-cooked co-packers Tunnel pasteurization co-packers Dry blending co-packers

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension, Preserving food using cold-fill hold (University)
21 CFR 114.3, definitions for acidified foods (Cornell LII) (Government)
IAFP, Recommendations for Designing and Conducting Cold-fill Hold Challenge Studies (Standards body; read through a search summary, the page itself was not opened in full)

General information, not legal or regulatory advice. Confirm your product's requirements with a process authority or regulator. Plant facts come from each manufacturer's own published information; see the data policy.