How to start a food brand without a factory
Updated: September 2026
You can start a food brand without a factory by outsourcing weighing, packing and labelling. You still choose the product, approve the information and run the brand, while a co-packer handles the agreed packing process.
Scoop & Pack packs dry, free-flowing coffee, tea, spices and superfoods. It does not roast coffee. Customers across the European Union follow the same process as Polish customers: a 300-unit MOQ and an individual quote within three working days.
What are the eight steps from idea to sale?
| Step | What you need | Who acts | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Product and format | Category, fill weight, pack, target market | Brand and co-packer | Agreed while completing the brief. |
| 2. Goods and recipe | Your goods or a sourcing brief | Brand, supplier or co-packer | Depends on availability; confirmed with the order. |
| 3. Label | Recipe, specifications, company data and artwork | Brand remains responsible; co-packer can help | Depends on complete data and corrections. |
| 4. Business duties | Description of activities and food premises | Brand and competent authority | Confirm before starting the activity. |
| 5. Product codes | Sales-channel requirements and variants | Brand | Confirm with the relevant code issuer. |
| 6. Quote | Product, format, volume and support scope | Brand and Scoop & Pack | Quote within three working days. |
| 7. Packing | Approved goods, pack and label | Scoop & Pack | Date agreed when the order is confirmed. |
| 8. Sale | Finished batch and compliant product information | Brand | Depends on sales-channel readiness. |
Which product and format should you choose?
Start with a dry product that can be described clearly and packed safely. Available formats include doypacks, sachets and cardboard tubes. State the fill weight, variants, destination markets and volume.
Scoop & Pack operates a HACCP system but does not hold IFS or BRCGS certification. If your buyer requires either certificate, choose another partner.
Where do the goods come from?
You can supply the goods or ask the co-packer to source them. White label uses a ready-made recipe and sourced goods. Private label uses a recipe composed for your brand. In co-packing, you provide your product and goods. All three routes start at 300 units.
For coffee, Scoop & Pack works with partner roasteries and does not roast beans itself.
Who is responsible for the label?
Under Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, the operator under whose name the food is marketed is responsible for the information. A co-packer can draft and apply the label, but the brand must provide accurate specifications and approve the result.
Plan label languages for every sales country. Article 15 requires mandatory information in a language easily understood by consumers in the Member State where the food is marketed.
Which food-authority duties apply?
Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 requires a food business operator to notify the competent authority of establishments under its control for registration. Your exact duties depend on whether you store food, sell online or perform other activities outside the co-packer's facility.
Confirm the scope and deadline with the competent food-safety authority in your country before starting. Scoop & Pack remains responsible for its own facility and HACCP system.
What should the quote brief contain?
- the product and category;
- who supplies the goods;
- the recipe or ready-made base;
- format, fill weight and volume, from 300 units;
- destination market;
- required date;
- product specification, if available;
- required label and packaging support.
Every project is priced individually. Scoop & Pack replies with a quote within three working days.
How long does packing take?
The date is agreed when the order is confirmed. Goods, packaging, label and scope must be approved first. Availability of materials and the production schedule also affect timing.
When is this route unsuitable?
Choose another solution for products requiring refrigeration or pasteurisation, supplements, extracts, fine powders, a buyer that requires IFS or BRCGS, roasting services or an order below 300 units. Refrigerated and pasteurised products remain outside the offer.
What if the process needs unusual equipment?
Describe it in the enquiry. If the order makes business sense, Scoop & Pack is prepared to invest in additional equipment, for example for modified-atmosphere packing. This is assessed project by project and is not a promise of a particular machine or delivery date.
Can an EU brand use the service?
Yes. EU customers use the same process, 300-unit MOQ and three-working-day quote. Delivery timing and label languages are agreed for the actual destination and project.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: Articles 8(1) and 15.
- Regulation (EC) No 852/2004: Article 6(2).