Beverage co-packers
Cans, bottles, shots, coffee, tea and drink mixes. What to require from a beverage co-packer, the questions to ask, and US co-packers whose own websites back every claim we list.
Hot fill, cold fill, tunnel pasteurization, HPP, retort and aseptic each suit different drinks and give different shelf lives. Ask which processes the plant runs and which one it would use for your formula.
Juice drinks fall under the FDA juice HACCP rule. Acidified drinks need a process reviewed by a process authority, and shelf-stable low-acid drinks, such as coffee with milk or protein shakes, need a scheduled process filed with the FDA. Ask who files and holds them.
Retailers and distributors usually expect SQF, BRCGS or FSSC 22000. Ask for the current certificate and the result of the last audit.
Run minimums depend on line speed, and printed cans often carry large minimums from the can maker. Ask who buys cans, ends, labels and trays, and whether they run labeled or shrink-sleeved cans for short runs.
Each can or bottle should carry a lot code and date you can trace back to ingredient lots. Ask how long they keep retained samples from each run.
Flavor, color and carbonation drift over time. Agree on who runs the shelf-life study, what it measures, and what date goes on the label.
US manufacturers whose own websites say they make these products for other brands.
11 of 11 manufacturers
Los Angeles, CA
Canning co-packer in Los Angeles for energy, sports, probiotic and sparkling drinks, from first pilot batch to large runs. It blends, cans, labels, tunnel-pasteurizes, packs and stores product, and sources ingredients and packaging.
Makes
Huntersville, NC
Canned beverage manufacturer near Charlotte, North Carolina serving brands from small businesses to national companies, mainly in the Mid-Atlantic. It runs cold-fill carbonated and tunnel-pasteurized products and offers formulation and product development.
Makes
Stated minimum: 5,000-gallon batches
Fort Myers, FL
Private label brewing and canning plant in Fort Myers, Florida for carbonated non-alcoholic drinks. It takes a limited number of brand projects, with runs starting at 10,000 cans.
Makes
Stated minimum: 10,000 cans per run
Fullerton, CA
Coffee and tea specialist in Fullerton, California that co-packs and co-manufactures ready-to-drink beverages, extracts and concentrates, plus craft sodas, energy drinks and sparkling water. It fills PET, glass, cans, kegs and bulk totes.
Makes
Seattle, WA
Seattle cold brew co-packer that works mainly with coffee roasters: the roaster sends roasted beans, and the team develops the cold brew recipe, brews it and fills kegs and cans.
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Scranton, PA
Cold-fill bottler in Scranton, Pennsylvania specializing in carbonated drinks in glass bottles, including custom molds, plus aluminum bottles and bag-in-box syrups. It offers flavor development and private label soft drinks.
Makes
Coppell, TX
Beverage co-packer in Coppell, Texas that brews, hot-fills and packs teas, juices and lemonades in glass or PET for outside brands. It can adjust or develop a recipe for hot fill and ships finished, palletized product.
Makes
Lake Park, FL
Canning co-packer in Palm Beach County, Florida that takes a finished drink or a recipe and handles brewing, canning, labeling, cold storage and shipping. It accepts small runs.
Makes
Stated minimum: 1 pallet
Stevenson, WA
Canning co-packer in Stevenson, Washington for startup and scaling drink brands, with a pre-market program for first runs, tunnel pasteurization and variety packing. Smaller proof-of-concept runs are possible on a separate process.
Makes
Stated minimum: 1,000-gallon pre-production batches
Makes product in PA
Pennsylvania juice and functional beverage co-packer that cold-presses, blends and fills PET bottles from 2 oz shots to 1 liter, using cold fill, hot fill, HTST or HPP. It co-packs brand recipes and also offers stock juice recipes for private label.
Makes
Woodway, TX
Texas co-packer that bottles and cans beverages and functional shots, hot or cold fill, for new and established brands. It offers tolling or turnkey production, lab work on new or existing formulas, and help with process authorities and nutrition panels.
Makes
Listings are in alphabetical order and no manufacturer pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the manufacturer’s own website on the date shown. Minimums appear only when the manufacturer states one. Confirm details, certificates and pricing with the manufacturer before you sign.
It depends on the line. Small-batch canners may run a few hundred cases, while high-speed lines need tens of thousands of units per flavor. Printed can minimums are often the real limit. We only show a minimum when the co-packer states it on its own site.
Hot fill suits high-acid drinks such as juices and teas in heat-tolerant bottles. Cold fill usually relies on preservatives or acidity. HPP keeps a fresh taste but needs cold storage. Low-acid shelf-stable drinks need retort or aseptic processing. Your co-packer and a process authority can confirm.
No. Most new drink brands use a co-packer for years. Some start with a small-batch or pilot co-packer, then move to a larger plant once volume justifies longer runs.
Treat the co-packer as a location. Record the cans, labels and ingredients you send, the finished lots and best-by dates that come back, and the yield of each run. Purchase orders, work orders and lot tracking cover most of it.
If you are a US contract manufacturer or co-packer, request a free listing. No paid placement.