Kettle-cooked co-packers

Batch cooking in steam-jacketed kettles. Sauces, soups, salsas and fillings. Every fact is checked against the manufacturer's own published information, with the date we checked it.

Kettle plants cook in batches in steam-jacketed kettles and usually quote minimums in gallons. Published examples run from a 40-gallon sauce run¹ to 100 to 150 gallons at plants on Cornell's co-packer list².

Gallons are hard to picture, so do the arithmetic before the call. 40 gallons is 5,120 fluid ounces, about 320 sixteen-ounce bottles before fill loss. 150 gallons is about 1,200 sixteen-ounce bottles. If the plant hot fills after the kettle, the hot fill section of this site covers what that requires.

A kettle plant quotes from a commercial formula: the ingredients, the quantities and the processing instructions, which a co-packer search checklist lists among the things to have before you approach a plant³.

Recipe not production-ready yet?Molly Mills Creative, a sister company of Co-Packer Match, builds production-ready formulas for sauces, condiments, dressings, soups, dips and salsas. How formulation help works

Tomato sauce being stirred with a wooden spoon

In this directory

37 plants in this directory state kettle cooking on their own websites. They are spread across 26 states, with the most in New York, California and Illinois. 15 publish a minimum order, 16 state a GFSI-benchmarked certificate and 25 say they take startups or pilot runs.

37plants

15publish a minimum

16state a GFSI certificate

25take startups or pilot runs

What they make

Sauces and marinades32
Dressings14
Condiments13
Soups and broths13
Salsas12
Jams and preserves10
Dips and spreads8
Frozen meals7

Packages they fill

Bulk and foodservice23
Bags and flexible film13
Glass bottles12
Glass jars9
Plastic bottles7
Bag-in-box4
Portion cups3
Trays and clamshells3

Certifications they state

SQF12
HACCP11
GMP10
Kosher9
USDA Organic9
Certified gluten-free7
BRCGS5
Non-GMO Project3

Kettle sizes and batch sizes these plants publish

Baldwin Richardson Foods Co.Kettle cooking
Bronx River BottlingRetail glass in 5 oz woozy and 12 oz ring neck bottles, 24 oz jars and 40 oz glass; foodservice plastic half gallons, gallons, buckets and drums. Lead time 3 to 6 weeks.
Brooks' Bottling Co.Kettles (about 450 gallons each, from the 4 kettle per 1,800 gallon minimum)
Center for Crops Utilization Research, Iowa State Universityjacketed agitated tanks from 4 to 500 gallons and GROEN steam kettles
Chesapeake Bay Foods (Jeppi Nut & Candy)Eight head gravity filler line with heat sealer and round bottle labeler (16 fl oz to 1 gallon, about 16 gallon bottles per minute)
CMS Fine FoodsSteam jacketed kettles
CommonWealth KitchenTwo 100 gallon steam jacketed kettles
Cornaby'sLarge temperature-controlled steam kettles
Craft CanneryThree 100 gallon kettles
Creative FoodworksHot fills in batches of 1,000 gallons and up. Retail sizes 8 oz to 32 oz in glass and plastic jars, bottles and squeeze bottles, packed in 6 or 12 pack trays; foodservice 1 gallon to 50 gallon.
Downs Food GroupCook and chill sauce kettles
El Pinto Foods Co-PackingSteam jacketed kettles
Endorphin FarmsBatch kettles (2-kettle minimum is about 200 gallons)
Glen Copack100 gallon kettle
Kettle CuisineSteam kettles
Mad Will's Food CompanyKettles (kettle yield is a costing factor)
Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Centersmall and large steam kettles
Mrs. Clark's FoodsMixing stations and kettles
NC Food Innovation LabLee triple-action kettles (25, 60, 125 gal) and jacketed tanks
NOBL Beverages100 bbl of steam production kettles
Overhill Farms (CP Foods North America)Small batch kettles
PepperNutz100 gallon kettles (at partner facility)
Ready FoodsKettles
Request FoodsSteam-injected kettles
Rutgers Food Innovation Centersteam jacketed kettle with agitation
Salt Road Food Hub40 and 30 gallon tilt skillets
Sandridge Crafted FoodsEuropean kettle cooking equipment
Sonoma Farm Co-PackingTwo Groen AH/1E 40 gallon steam-jacketed tilting floor kettles
Spicin FoodsKettles from 204 to 500 gallons
Texas Best Proteins (Farm To Market Foods)25,000 sq ft kettle cook facility
TexBev Co-Packing & ManufacturingSteam jacketed kettles for brewing and extraction
The Food Processing Center, University of Nebraska-Lincolnsteam and agitated jacketed kettles, piston filler, semi-automated bottle filling line
Virginia Food Workssteam-jacketed kettles: one 20 gallon, one 30 gallon, four 40 gallon, one 60 gallon
Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center20 gallon kettle (rental kitchen)

The plants

Filter these in the directory

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
Bronx River Bottling
Valley Cottage, NY
Women-owned sauce manufacturer in Valley Cottage, New York that co-packs and private labels hot sauces, BBQ sauces, Asian marinades, pasta and braising sauces and dressings. Hot fills...
Process
Hot fillAcidified foods (21 CFR 114)Kettle cookingBottlingEmulsifying and homogenizing
Packaging
Glass bottlesGlass jarsBulk and foodserviceCartons and boxes
Minimum order
Minimum run of 600 gallons per flavor
Brooks' Bottling Co.
Oneonta, NY
Third-generation family-owned bottler that grew out of the Brooks' House of Bar-B-Q restaurant in upstate New York and now formulates, co-packs and private labels sauces, salsas,...
Process
Kettle cookingBottling
Packaging
Glass bottlesGlass jarsPlastic bottlesBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
1,800 gallons per SKU (4 kettles), about 1,200 cases of 16 oz or 1,600 cases of 12 oz packed 12
Center for Crops Utilization Research, Iowa State University
Ames, IA
Iowa State University center with 14,000 sq ft of food processing and fermentation pilot plant space in Ames, plus a pilot-scale fermentation facility in Boone, Iowa, that does contract...
Process
FermentationExtrusionSpray dryingFreeze dryingDehydrationHTST pasteurization+6 more
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
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
CMS Fine Foods
Healdsburg, CA
Healdsburg, California co-packer that cooks in steam jacketed kettles and bottles hot sauces, BBQ and steak sauces, mustards, marinades, dressings, jams and jellies, Asian sauces,...
Process
Kettle cookingBottling
Packaging
Bulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
CommonWealth Kitchen
Dorchester, MA
Nonprofit shared kitchen and food business incubator in Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts that also runs a licensed co-manufacturing kitchen for small food companies, restaurants and...
Process
Hot fillKettle cookingBlast freezingPouch fillingBottling
Packaging
Bags and flexible film
Minimum order
Minimum not publishedWhat they say: States it has lower minimums than other co-packers
Takes startups or pilot runs
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
Craft Cannery
Bergen, NY
Contract manufacturer in Bergen, New York that kettle-cooks and bottles sauces, dressings, marinades, oils, soups, meat sauces and meal-in-a-jar products, and can run meat sauces under...
Process
Kettle cookingBottlingPouch filling
Packaging
Bulk and foodservice
Minimum order
No minimum
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Creative Foodworks
San Antonio, TX
Family-founded contract manufacturer in San Antonio, Texas, co-packing since 1987, that hot fills shelf-stable acidified sauces, salsas, queso, marinades, dressings, condiments and...
Process
Hot fillAcidified foods (21 CFR 114)Kettle cooking
Packaging
Glass jarsGlass bottlesPlastic bottlesPlastic jars+2 more
Minimum order
Minimum run of 1,000 gallons, with orders placed at least quarterly
SQF (level not verified)
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
Endorphin Farms
St. Augustine, FL
Contract sauce bottler in St. Augustine, Florida, founded in 1998, that batches hot sauces, BBQ sauces and marinades from scratch in kettles and runs automated filling, weighing and...
Process
Kettle cookingHot fillBottling
Packaging
Glass bottlesBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Minimum of 2 kettles per product, about 2,000 lbs or 200 gallons
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
Glen Copack
Watkins Glen, NY
FDA-registered co-packer in Watkins Glen, New York, run by the Arc of Chemung-Schuyler, that bottles acidified and low-acid foods using hot fill hold or water bath processing and also...
Process
Hot fillAcidified foods (21 CFR 114)Kettle cookingBottling
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
Kettle Cuisine
Lynn, MA (also CA, MD, WA, WI)
Private brand soup and prepared foods manufacturer with five plants in Massachusetts, Washington, California, Wisconsin and Maryland, making refrigerated and frozen soups, bone broths,...
Process
Kettle cookingPouch fillingCup and tub fillingVacuum packing
Packaging
Trays and clamshellsTubsBulk and foodserviceVacuum packs+1 more
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)
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
Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center
Ronan, MT
13,000 sq ft shared-use food processing facility in Ronan, Montana run by Mission West Community Development Partners, with seven production areas covering dry fill, USDA-inspected meat...
Process
SmokingKettle cookingSlicing and portioningBakingDehydrationBottling
Packaging
Bulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)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
NC Food Innovation Lab
Kannapolis, NC
NC State cGMP pilot plant of 16,000 sq ft at the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis, North Carolina, offering ideation, product and process development, scale-up and pilot production for...
Process
Spray dryingFreeze dryingDehydrationExtrusionMilling and grindingDry blending+13 more
Packaging
Bag-in-boxBags and flexible film
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
NOBL Beverages
Seabrook, NH
Seabrook, New Hampshire cold brew coffee and tea producer that runs a 30,000 sq ft facility and co-packs for other brands, with coffee and tea extraction including concentrates, high...
Process
BrewingCanningTunnel pasteurizationCarbonationEmulsifying and homogenizingKettle cooking
Packaging
Aluminum cansKegsBag-in-box
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
Overhill Farms (CP Foods North America)
Vernon, CA
Frozen food co-manufacturer and private label supplier with two plants in Vernon (Los Angeles), California, part of CP Foods North America. Cooks chicken, beef, pork and shrimp,...
Process
FryingExtrusionKettle cookingBakingEnrobing and coating
Packaging
Flow wrapBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)
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
Ready Foods
Denver, CO
Family-owned Denver, Colorado food manufacturer, in business since 1972, that kettle-cooks and immersion-cooks soups, sauces, cheese sauces, salsas, fillings, beans, grains, spreads and...
Process
Kettle cookingPouch filling
Packaging
Bulk and foodserviceBags and flexible film
Minimum order
Not published
BRCGS, SQFTakes 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
Rutgers Food Innovation Center
Bridgeton, NJ
Rutgers University food business incubator with a 23,000 sq ft USDA- and FDA-inspected, GMP-certified plant in Bridgeton, New Jersey, where clients develop, scale up and run fee-based...
Process
Hot fillAcidified foods (21 CFR 114)BottlingKettle cookingBlast freezing
Packaging
Glass bottlesPlastic bottles
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
Salt Road Food Hub
Paterson, NJ
Strictly gluten-free, vegetarian shared kitchen and co-packer in Paterson, New Jersey, with a 10,000 sq ft facility that rents production time and makes products for brands from...
Process
BakingDehydrationBottlingKettle cooking
Minimum order
Not published
Takes startups or pilot runs
Sandridge Crafted Foods
Medina, OH (also IL, PA)
Family-owned fresh refrigerated foods maker based in Medina, Ohio, producing deli salads, grain salads, soups, sauces, entrees, sides, precooked pastas, meal kits and sous vide proteins,...
Process
HPP (in house)Sous videKettle cooking
Minimum order
No minimum
SQF (level not verified)
Signature Kettle Crafted (Signature Sauces)
Independence, OH
Northeast Ohio contract manufacturer and private label co-packer of kettle-made sauces, dressings, soups, glazes, condiments and spreads for restaurant chains, foodservice, retail and...
Process
Kettle cooking
Packaging
Portion cupsTubsBulk and foodserviceBags and flexible film
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Sonoma Farm Co-Packing
Shelby, IN
Small-batch, FDA-registered co-packer in Shelby, Indiana serving chefs, caterers, restaurants, shop owners and entrepreneurs, mainly in Northwest Indiana and the Chicago suburbs. Cooks...
Process
BottlingKettle cooking
Packaging
Glass bottlesGlass jarsSqueeze bottlesBulk and foodservice+1 more
Minimum order
Most plants require 100 gallons or more per product; the most it requires is 40 gallons
Takes startups or pilot runs
Spicin Foods
Kansas City, KS
Kansas City, Kansas sauce maker, producing since 1999, that co-packs and private labels hot sauces, salsas, pepper purees, BBQ and wing sauces, marinades and drink mixers using a hot...
Process
Kettle cookingHot fillBottling
Packaging
Glass bottlesBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
BRCGS
Texas Best Proteins (Farm To Market Foods)
Santo, TX
Kettle cook plant in Santo, Texas, run by the Farm To Market Foods team of Texas Best Proteins, making fully cooked boil-in-bag soups, sauces, entrees and sides that are bagged hot and...
Process
Kettle cooking
Packaging
Bags and flexible film
Minimum order
Not published
BRCGSTakes startups or pilot runs
TexBev Co-Packing & Manufacturing
Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth, Texas beverage canner for small and mid-size brands that blends, carbonates (up to 4 volumes) and fills energy drinks, sodas, sparkling waters, functional drinks, agua...
Process
Tunnel pasteurizationCanningCarbonationBrewingKettle cooking
Packaging
Aluminum cansBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Runs from 1,000 gallon trials up to 100,000 gallon runs
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
The Food Processing Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
University of Nebraska-Lincoln service center in the Food Innovation Center in Lincoln, operating since 1983, that offers product and process development, pilot plant scale-up,...
Process
ExtrusionHPP (in house)Batch pasteurizationEmulsifying and homogenizingSpray dryingFreeze drying+9 more
Minimum order
Not published
SQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs
Van Drunen Farms
Momence, IL (also IN)
Family-owned fruit, vegetable and herb ingredient processor in Momence, Illinois, farming since 1856, that offers contract freeze drying, drum drying and IQF freezing of a brand's raw...
Process
Freeze dryingDehydrationIQF freezingDry blendingMilling and grindingSlicing and portioning+2 more
Packaging
Bags and flexible filmBag-in-boxBulk and foodservice
Minimum order
Not published
BRCGSTakes startups or pilot runs
Virginia Food Works
Farmville, VA
Nonprofit that runs commercial co-packing and production rental at the VDACS-inspected Prince Edward County Cannery and Commercial Kitchen in Farmville, Virginia, serving farmers and...
Process
Hot fillKettle cookingAcidified foods (21 CFR 114)
Packaging
Glass jars
Minimum order
4-hour minimum to book co-packing services
Takes startups or pilot runs
Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center
Greenfield, MA
Nonprofit food processing center in Greenfield, Massachusetts, run by the Franklin County Community Development Corporation since 2001. Co-packs shelf-stable prepared and acidified foods...
Process
Hot fillAcidified foods (21 CFR 114)Kettle cooking
Packaging
Glass jarsTubs
Minimum order
Co-pack production runs yield between 500 and 2,000 units depending on unit size; farm value-added products each carry a minimum weight of the key farm ingredient
Takes startups or pilot runs

Read before you call

Other processes

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

Sources

PartnerSlate, Explaining the Meaning of MOQ (2024) (Company)
Cornell Food Venture Center, Kitchens and Co-Packers (University)
PartnerSlate Academy, Co-Man Search Checklist (Company)

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.