BEVERAGE CO PACKERS
Beverage co packers and private label drink manufacturers
Describe the drink, the container and the first run you can fund, and the AI shortlists US beverage co packers with published minimums, processes and lead times compared side by side.
| Supplier | Unit | MOQ | Lead | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Press Source or pick a category to get a vetted shortlist.
The short answer
US beverage co packers publish minimums in five different units, so the first job is converting them. Read on 15 co packers' own sites in October 2026, the floor runs from no minimum at ProtoPackers in Riverside and a 700 can pilot at Eagle Park in Wisconsin, through 1,000 gallons at Niche Beverage and TexBev (about 10,700 cans of 12 oz), to 4,000 gallons per SKU at Wildpack. Only 2 of the 15 publish a price. On a first canned run the bigger minimum usually belongs to the can supplier: printed cans sell by the truckload, while shrink sleeves start near half a pallet.
Why Suppliers
You have a drink that works in your kitchen: a sparkling tea, a functional soda, a cold pressed juice, an energy drink. The next step is a co packer, and the search results are a mix of directories, sales pages and a few guides that tell you minimums "vary". They do vary, and the variation is the useful part, because it decides whether your first run costs a few thousand dollars or ties up most of your raise in cans.
This page is built from what 15 US beverage co packers put in writing, read on each one's own site in October 2026, plus the packaging suppliers whose minimums sit outside the co packer and the FDA rules that decide which plants can make your drink at all. Where a co packer is silent on a number, we say so, because that silence is the first thing to ask about.
Suppliers does the shortlisting from a plain English brief: the drink, its process needs (carbonated, hot fill, HPP, low acid), the container, the first run size and the certifications you need. The agent finds candidate co packers, verifies identity, cross-checks registry data, surfaces stated certifications and flags risk with the evidence shown, then sends one request for quote and lines the answers up side by side.
Minimums converted to one unit
Co packers quote in gallons, liters, cans, cases, pallets or units per SKU. The shortlist converts each stated minimum to cans or bottles of your size, as an estimate, so you can see whose first run you can fund.
Matched to your process
Carbonated, hot fill, tunnel pasteurized, HPP or low acid aseptic: each needs different equipment, and many plants do only some of them. Describe the drink and the shortlist only includes plants that state the process it needs.
Pilot runs surfaced
Some co packers publish a paid pilot well below their production minimum. The brief asks for it, so you can validate a flavor and a label in market before you commit to a full batch.
Packaging minimums in the same view
Printed cans, sleeves, labels and bottles carry their own minimums. The agent asks each co packer who supplies cans and what decoration they accept, so the true first order is visible.
Certifications with evidence
SQF, organic, kosher, FDA registration and process filing status are surfaced with the source shown. Vetting reduces risk; your own sample approval and contract terms still decide.
Flat price, no commission
One predictable monthly fee in USD. We take no percentage of your production order, so nothing pushes you toward a bigger run or a particular co packer.
How it works
Describe, match, decide.
Describe what you need
Type your need in plain English. The agent extracts the structured spec, from quantity and material to target price and destination.
AI finds & vets
It matches qualified suppliers, cross-checks registry and customs data, surfaces certifications, and flags risk, then ranks the fits.
Compare & decide
Review quotes, MOQs, and lead-times side by side, then run RFQ outreach and POs in one place. You stay in control.
Buyer's guide
What to know before you commit.
Five units for one minimum, and how to convert them
Beverage co packers do not agree on what a minimum is measured in. Niche Beverage in Cincinnati, TexBev in Fort Worth and Son Beverage in San Antonio state gallons. InnoMark in Saint George, Utah states liters. Eagle Park in Wisconsin states cans, Universal Pure states bottles, Market Beverage Group states cases, and MetaBrand in New Jersey states pallets ("as little as 2-3 pallets") and cases on the same page.
To compare them, convert. A US gallon is 128 fluid ounces, so as a worked model with the assumptions stated: one gallon fills about 10.7 cans of 12 oz, a 24 can case holds about 2.25 gallons, and 1,000 gallons is about 10,700 cans or 444 cases. Real yield is lower, because tanks and lines hold product back, and none of these plants publishes its loss rate. Wildpack Beverage is the only one that publishes its own conversion: 4,000 gallons per SKU is "around 42,000 units" of 12 oz cans, and 6,000 gallons for a single SKU is around 64,000. Put the unit you think in at the top of your brief and ask every plant to answer in it.
The can minimum is often bigger than the co packer minimum
On a canned drink, the minimum that hurts most usually belongs to someone else. Wildpack, which also distributes cans, states that for printed cans "our MOQ is a single truckload per SKU", while sleeved and brite cans start at half a pallet per SKU. Kaufman Container puts the same gap in numbers: a shrink sleeve run is around 4,000 cans, a printed can order is "well over 150,000 cans" per SKU. Trade press reported that Ball moved buyers without a contract from about 204,000 printed cans per SKU to 1,020,000; Ball itself publishes no minimum.
Set that against a 1,000 gallon first run of about 10,700 cans and the problem is plain: printed cans would leave roughly 19 runs of empty cans in storage. That is why most first runs start on shrink sleeves or digital print. Saxco states a one pallet minimum for digitally printed cans with "no setup fees or plate costs"; Blue Label Packaging in Ohio states 1,556 to 2,024 cans depending on size, and no minimum on sleeves. Market Beverage Group builds the same split into its own offer: 160 cases on sleeved cans, 2,000 cases on direct print, and the turnkey formula cannot be modified below 2,000 cases. Ask every co packer who buys the cans, and what decoration it runs.
Pilot runs and production runs, published side by side
Four plants publish both a small validation run and a production run, which is the most useful number pair a founder can get before a call. Niche Beverage states a 1,000 gallon standard minimum "with 300-gallon pilot batches for brands validating a new product", full turnkey at both tiers, and says pilots are paid (price not stated). Eagle Park states a 700 can pilot minimum against 12,000 to 40,000 can production batches. TexBev runs "from 1,000 gallon trials to 100,000 gallon runs of established brands". At the very small end, ProtoPackers in Riverside states "No Minimum", "solutions for 1 bottle or 10,000", a Hero Run starting at $479 with ingredients extra, and co packing programs at $799 for a 1 to 500 gallon batch.
Wildpack shows why the question needs to be asked in writing. Its co packing page states 4,000 gallons per SKU and 6,000 for a single SKU, its how it works page states 2,000 gallons per run, and in a published interview it says it offers pilot runs but would not recommend under 1,000 gallons per SKU. InnoMark shows 7,000 liters in its FAQ, 7,500 in its page description and 5,000 in its structured data, and adds that minimums "are negotiable". Quote the figure you read back to the plant and ask which one applies to you.
Match the process before you match the price
A co packer that cannot run your process is not a cheaper option, it is the wrong one. Carbonation, hot fill, tunnel pasteurization, HPP and aseptic are different equipment, and most plants list only some. InnoMark hot fills at 185 to 200 F and states it does not produce carbonated, high pH refrigerated or alcohol products. Universal Pure runs HPP on cold filled, non carbonated liquids in 8 to 32 oz bottles at a 20,000 bottle minimum, and expects the brand to supply bottles, lids, labels and juice ingredients. TexBev states carbonation up to 4 volumes of CO2 and liquid nitrogen dosing for still drinks. MetaBrand lists hot fill, cold fill, tunnel pasteurization and nitro dosing in PET, glass and cans.
The hardest gap is a shelf stable protein shake or dairy style coffee. Those are low acid drinks, and none of the small run fillers we read claims aseptic capability. The aseptic plant we found, Advanced Food Products in Pennsylvania, publishes no minimum at all. If your drink is above pH 4.6 and must sit unrefrigerated, expect a quoted, larger run, and put the pH in your brief so plants that cannot run it say so on day one. For a coffee drink specifically, our private label coffee manufacturers page covers the roasters and RTD makers.
Which FDA filings decide who can make your drink
Three federal rules sort beverage plants before price does. Low acid foods, defined in 21 CFR 113 as a finished pH above 4.6 and water activity above 0.85, need a scheduled process set by a qualified process authority. Acidified foods under 21 CFR 114 have their own rules, and the definition excludes carbonated beverages and foods kept under refrigeration, so a sparkling soda sits outside it while a still drink made shelf stable by adding acid can sit inside it. Plants running either must register with FDA on Form 2541 within 10 days of starting and file each scheduled process before packing a new product; FDA assigns the plant an FCE number and each process filing an SID. Juice, including juice used as an ingredient, falls under the juice HACCP rule in 21 CFR 120, which requires a 5 log pathogen reduction.
Wildpack says the practical version plainly: before any co packer, brands need a manufacturing ready formula and a process authority letter from a food scientist. Ask each plant whether it already holds an FCE number and has filed a process for a drink like yours. We do not classify products or give regulatory advice; the brief records your drink's pH, process and claims so each plant can answer for itself. Energy drinks carry one more fork, beverage or liquid dietary supplement, which our energy drink manufacturers page walks through.
When the lead time clock starts
Lead times on beverage sites count from different moments, and the moment matters more than the number. Wildpack quotes 120 to 180 days for a new product "from our first call", and 60 to 90 days for a repeat or transferred product from receiving the 50% deposit. Power Brands in Sherman Oaks quotes 8 to 12 weeks "from approved formula to first production", with reorders often shipping in 2 to 4 weeks. InnoMark quotes 4 to 6 weeks from the purchase order, and asks for a 50% deposit with it (100% up front can be required on a first order). Saxco quotes digitally printed cans at 4 to 6 weeks from artwork approval, and DIY Beverages ships orders under 480 cans in 10 to 12 business days from the order.
Power Brands' two numbers show what most of the long timeline is: formula approval, fill trials and packaging, which happen once. A repeat run is a fraction of a first one. Put your target ship date in the brief and ask each plant what event starts its clock.
What to send a beverage co packer for a real quote
Send the same brief to every plant, or the quotes will not line up. Include the drink type and whether it is carbonated, its pH if you know it, the process you believe it needs, container type and size, decoration (printed, sleeved, labeled), the first run in the unit the plant uses and in finished units, expected reorder size, whether you have a finished formula or need development, which materials you will supply, and the certifications your retailer requires, such as SQF, organic or kosher.
Ask for two quantities, for example your first run and three times it. The difference between the two per unit prices shows how much of the quote is one time setup. Then ask the questions no beverage site answers: what the line loss is, who buys and stores cans, whether a pilot run is credited against the first production order, and who owns a formula the plant develops. For food products beyond drinks, our co packers hub covers sauces, snacks and supplements, and the low MOQ manufacturers page covers small first runs across categories.
At a glance
US beverage co packers by published minimum, process and lead time, read on each company's own site.
| Co packer | Location, as stated | Minimum, as stated | Process and formats | Lead time, as stated | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProtoPackers | Riverside, CA | No minimum; Hero Run from $479; program $799 for 1 to 500 gal | Blending, carbonation; cans 5.5 to 19.2 oz, PET and HDPE | Not stated | Prototype and first test batch |
| DIY Beverages | Southern California | 1 case of 24; $91 a case energy drink | Configurator drinks, 12 oz cans and bottles | 10 to 12 business days under 480 cans | Branded drinks with no formula yet |
| Eagle Park | Milwaukee and Muskego, WI | 700 can pilot; 12,000 to 40,000 can batches | Tunnel and in-line pasteurization, carbonation, nitro; 7.5 to 19.2 oz cans | Not stated | Canned pilot before a full run |
| Niche Beverage | Cincinnati, OH | 300 gal pilot; 1,000 gal standard | In-line pasteurization, canning, sleek and standard cans | Not stated | Paid pilot with turnkey development |
| TexBev | Fort Worth, TX | 1,000 gal trials to 100,000 gal runs | Tunnel pasteurization or Velcorin, CO2 to 4 volumes, LN2; 8.4 to 16 oz cans | Not stated | Carbonated or nitro canned drinks |
| Son Beverage | San Antonio, TX | 200 gal | 5 to 128 oz PET, HDPE or glass | Not stated | Small bottled runs, mixers and concentrates |
| MetaBrand | New Jersey | 2 to 3 pallets; 100 cases | Hot and cold fill, tunnel pasteurization, nitro; PET, glass, 8 to 16 oz cans | Not stated | Hot fill in glass or PET at small scale |
| Market Beverage Group | Not stated | 160 cases sleeved; 2,000 cases printed | Stock energy and soft drink formulas, 8.4 to 16 oz cans | 3 to 4 weeks sleeved; 6 to 8 weeks printed | Stock formula under your brand |
| Wildpack Beverage | Maryland and Austin, TX | 4,000 gal per SKU; 6,000 single SKU; 2,000 gal per run | Mixing, carbonation, sleeving; 12 and 16 oz cans; SQF | 120 to 180 days new; 60 to 90 days repeat | Scaling brands that need cans supplied |
| InnoMark | Saint George, UT | Over 7,000 liters (5,000 and 7,500 also shown) | Hot fill, no carbonation; 8 oz to 1 gal; SQF, organic, kosher | 4 to 6 weeks from PO | Hot fill teas, juices and functional drinks |
| Universal Pure | California and Connecticut | 20,000 bottles per run | HPP, cold fill, non carbonated; 8 to 32 oz | Not stated | Cold pressed juice and cold brew |
| Big Brands | Not stated | 25,000 units per SKU; 100,000 for PET cans | Hot and cold fill, pasteurization, retort, carbonation | Not stated | Established brands at volume |
Read on each company's own website in October 2026. Not stated means we read the site and the figure is not on it. Several plants show different figures on different pages; we list what each page says. Gallon to can figures elsewhere on this page are our worked model at 12 oz, not vendor numbers. Confirm every figure with the plant before you order.
People also ask
The questions buyers actually search.
What is the minimum order for a beverage co packer?
It depends on the plant and its unit. Of 15 US co packers we read in October 2026, ProtoPackers states no minimum, Eagle Park a 700 can pilot, Son Beverage 200 gallons, Niche Beverage and TexBev 1,000 gallons, and Wildpack 4,000 gallons per SKU. At 12 oz, 1,000 gallons is about 10,700 cans before line loss.
How much does it cost to co pack a beverage?
Only 2 of the 15 co packers we read publish a price. ProtoPackers starts Hero Runs at $479 and co packing programs at $799 for 1 to 500 gallons, ingredients extra. DIY Beverages sells a 24 can case of energy drink for $91. Everyone else quotes per project, and printed cans or labels are often the largest line on a first order.
How do I find a co packer for my drink?
Start with process, then minimum. Write down whether the drink is carbonated, its pH, whether it is juice, the container and your first run. Shortlist only plants that state that process, convert their minimums to your container, and send each the same brief with two quantities so the quotes are comparable.
What is the difference between a beverage co packer and private label?
A co packer produces your formula, sometimes with materials you supply. Private label means putting your brand on a formula the maker already has. Market Beverage Group shows the trade off: its stock energy formula runs from 160 sleeved cases, but it cannot be modified below 2,000 cases.
Do I need a process authority letter for a beverage?
For shelf stable low acid or acidified drinks, the scheduled process must be set by a qualified process authority under FDA rules, and Wildpack tells brands to get that letter before approaching any co packer. Carbonated drinks are outside the acidified food definition. Ask each plant what it needs from you.
Can I start with a small batch of canned drinks?
Yes, if you avoid printed cans. Eagle Park runs a 700 can pilot and Niche a 300 gallon pilot, about 3,200 cans at 12 oz. Printed cans usually sell by the truckload, well over 150,000 per SKU, so small runs use shrink sleeves from about 4,000 cans or digital print from about one pallet.
How long does it take to co pack a new beverage?
From weeks to six months, depending on what starts the clock. Wildpack quotes 120 to 180 days for a new product from the first call, Power Brands 8 to 12 weeks from an approved formula, and InnoMark 4 to 6 weeks from the purchase order. Repeat runs are much shorter at all three.
Which beverage co packers do small runs?
Among plants that publish a number, ProtoPackers in Riverside states no minimum, DIY Beverages sells by the 24 can case, Eagle Park in Wisconsin runs 700 can pilots, Son Beverage in San Antonio starts at 200 gallons and Niche Beverage in Cincinnati offers 300 gallon paid pilots.
FAQ
Common questions.
No. Suppliers is an AI sourcing agent. It finds, vets and shortlists beverage co packers, sends your request for quote and compares the answers. You contract and pay the co packer directly.
Yes. Put the process or the drink's pH and carbonation in your brief, and the shortlist favors plants that state that capability, with the source of each claim shown.
Yes, as an estimate. Minimums stated in gallons, liters, cases or pallets are converted to your container size with the assumption shown, so you can compare plants that use different units. Confirm the real yield with each plant.
No. We do not give regulatory advice or classify products. The brief records your drink's pH, process and claims so each co packer can tell you what it needs, and you confirm with a process authority.
Plans start at $99 a month, or $594 a year, with RFQ outreach included. There is no commission on the orders you place and no fee per request.
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