Co-Manufacturer Sourcing Brief

Example output

Co-manufacturer sourcing brief — Marrow & Co shelf-stable bone broth

Capability requirements (must-haves before a plant tour):
- Aseptic or retort processing line qualified for a protein-based liquid at your target pH and viscosity — confirm which process your recipe actually requires; they are not interchangeable and re-qualifying a recipe for a different process late costs months.
- Carton or aseptic-pouch filling compatible with a 16 oz format.
- Current SQF Level 2 or 3 certification, verified directly with SQFI, not just claimed on a sales deck.
- Certified organic handling with a segregated or validated changeover process if the line also runs conventional product.
- Willingness to run a 10,000-case minimum initial batch — many co-packers set MOQs well above this for retort lines; screen for it early to avoid wasting a plant-tour slot.

RFP question set:
1. What is your current utilization on the line that would run this product, and what lead time would our first batch need?
2. Walk us through your changeover process between conventional and organic runs — what's validated, and how is cross-contact prevented?
3. What is your typical yield loss and how is it billed?
4. Which of your current clients run a comparable viscosity and pH product, without naming names — can you describe the closest analog?
5. What does a rejected or out-of-spec batch cost us, and who owns that risk?
6. What is your true MOQ at this format, and does it flex for an initial smaller run?

Volume and capacity fit questions for the plant tour:
- Can this line's current utilization actually absorb 40,000 cases in year one without displacing an existing client — ask this directly, politely, and watch the answer's confidence.
- What capital or changeover investment, if any, would scaling to 150,000 cases require, and who funds it?
- What is the realistic lead time from PO to delivered case at each volume tier?

Red flags to screen for:
- Vague or deflected answers on current utilization — a co-packer that won't discuss capacity honestly will overpromise your lead time.
- No named QA contact separate from sales — food-safety accountability should not run through the salesperson.
- Reluctance to provide references running a similar product, not just a similar category.
- A contract that locks pricing without a raw-material index clause — leaves you exposed to the next protein price spike.
- Certifications that are expired, "in process," or unverifiable directly with the certifying body.

Comparison scorecard (score each candidate 1-5): process fit, certification status, MOQ flexibility, capacity headroom, QA transparency, reference quality, contract terms.

Next steps: shortlist to 3 candidates on the scorecard, request a paid trial run before any volume commitment, and confirm organic segregation with a site walk-through, not a phone call.

Assumption to validate: the 150,000-case year-two volume — confirm this is grounded in real demand signal before it anchors a capacity conversation with a candidate co-packer.

Want me to turn the RFP questions into a shareable scorecard spreadsheet format?