Question 1

What is cold fill bottling?

Accepted Answer

Cold fill bottling fills product into containers at ambient or refrigerated temperature with no in-bottle heat step, relying on formulation controls — pH, water activity, preservatives — and a sanitary filling environment for stability.

Question 2

When should a brand choose cold fill over hot fill?

Accepted Answer

Choose cold fill when heat damages the product: fresh citrus, herbs, aromatics, cultures or cold-pressed juice. Choose hot fill when you need long ambient shelf life on a retail shelf.

Question 3

What is hot fill bottling?

Accepted Answer

Hot fill bottling heats product to roughly 185–210°F, fills and caps it hot, inverts the container to sanitize the closure, then cools it — producing a shelf-stable package without post-fill retorting.

Question 4

How long is hot fill shelf life?

Accepted Answer

Properly acidified hot-filled sauces typically hold 12 to 24 months of ambient shelf life, confirmed by your own shelf-life study and COA data points.

Question 5

Can a co-packer match my existing condiment exactly?

Accepted Answer

Yes — with a written, weighted recipe and an approved gold-standard sample. We run bench trials against your reference before committing a production batch.

Question 6

Do dressings have to be refrigerated?

Accepted Answer

Not always. Acidified vinaigrettes and many emulsions can be shelf-stable; dairy- and egg-forward formulas usually require refrigerated distribution.

Question 7

Why produce frozen instead of shelf-stable?

Accepted Answer

Frozen preserves recipes that cannot be safely acidified or would taste worse if reformulated — chunky soups, dairy sauces, stock-based products — with no preservative additions.

Question 8

What is form fill seal packaging?

Accepted Answer

Form-fill-seal forms a pouch from roll film, fills it with product, and seals it in one continuous line pass — reducing packaging cost, freight weight and tooling investment versus rigid containers.

Question 9

Can a co-packer produce frozen retail products?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Frozen retail production requires freeze-thaw validated formulas, frozen-rated packaging and a cold-chain distribution partner — all of which are planned during discovery.

Question 10

How long is refrigerated shelf life?

Accepted Answer

Refrigerated products typically run 30 to 120 days depending on formulation, pH and packaging, confirmed by your own micro and shelf-life study.

Question 11

Can dips with chunks and cheese be co-packed?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with filling equipment matched to the particulate size and body. The recipe should be locked on particulate specification before a production run is scheduled.

Question 12

Why outsource grain prep?

Accepted Answer

Centralized grain production removes cook-to-cook variability and reclaims prep labor hours, while giving the operator a fixed, known cost per serving.

Question 13

Is my spice blend recipe protected?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Blend formulas are held under a mutual NDA, stored with restricted access, and never used outside your own production runs.

Question 14

What is the benefit of single-serve sauce packets?

Accepted Answer

Packets fix portion cost exactly, eliminate over-pour waste, and carry brand impressions into every delivery and takeout order.

Question 15

What does PC filling mean in food manufacturing?

Accepted Answer

PC stands for portion control — filling and heat-sealing individual cups of a fixed volume so food service staff can serve a consistent portion without measuring.

Every way we can produce your product.

Cold Fill

Hot Fill

Condiments

Dressings

Bulk Frozen

Form Fill

Frozen Goods

Refrigerated Goods

Dips

Grains

Spices

Sauce Packets

PC & Cup Filling

Not sure which process your recipe needs?