When a brand briefs a vendor, the first conversation should not be about price alone — it should be about performance. Asking the right technical and commercial questions up front reduces launch risk and keeps timelines predictable.
Hoy, Paquete DQ, a fabricante de envases flexibles a medida, would like to share a practical guide on what to ask a factory when developing custom snack food packaging, organized so that procurement and product teams can run effective supplier conversations.
Product & Performance Requirements (Spec-First)
Start with a clear product spec.
Tell the factory net weight, pack count, expected shelf life, target OTR/MVTR, and any known formulation issues (oil content, hygroscopic ingredients, particle size). Ask whether they can recommend laminate constructions for your SKU — and request actual test data for those structures.
A supplier that treats custom snack food packaging as an engineering problem will convert your performance targets into measurable acceptance criteria.
Printing & Artwork Capability
Graphics are critical, but print capability is technical.
Ask which processes the factory runs (gravure, flexo, digital), the ΔE tolerances they achieve, and the smallest readable type/line width. Confirm they can provide press proofs and spectrophotometer reports, and ask whether they support variable data for promotions.
Clear requirements around artwork reduce rework and ensure your custom printed snack food packaging looks like the approved sample on delivery.
Materials, Sustainability & Sourcing
Confirm available film types (BOPP/CPP, PET/VMPET/PE, PET/EVOH/PE, mono-PE) and typical use-cases. If sustainability is a brief, ask about PCR availability, mono-material options, and minimums or price differentials.
A qualified supplier will provide CoAs, supplier traceability, and, where possible, LCA summaries for your custom snack food packaging choices.
Sample, Prototyping & Pilot Runs
Define the sample matrix you need: digital mockups, press proofs, and functional prototypes that include the intended laminate and seal.
Ask the factory about pilot run capacity, pilot acceptance criteria (seal strength, CV of fill, headspace O₂), and whether pilots can be performed on your filler or on a validated OEM line. Include sample fees and whether they are refundable against the initial production order for custom snack food packaging.
Filling & Line Compatibility
A bag that looks great on a shelf but fails on the filler is a common risk.
Ask which filling machines the factory has validated, run speeds, and documented waste percentages. For powders, discuss anti-bridging and anti-static options; for liquids, verify burst-pressure and seal design.
Line compatibility questions ensure the custom snack food packaging will perform at your co-packer or contract filler.
Quality Assurance & Testing
Request the factory’s certification list (ISO 9001, ISO 22000, HACCP, BRC) and examples of batch records.
Ask about their AQL, sampling frequency, and which tests are run in-house versus outsourced. Remember, key tests for custom snack food packaging include OTR/MVTR, seal strength (N/15mm), burst, COF, and migration, where relevant.
Compliance & Documentation
Make documentation a precondition. Require layer-specific Declarations of Compliance, migration, and organoleptic reports tied to the laminate lot, and material CoAs.
For export markets, ask about CoO, HS codes, and palletization specs. A factory supplying custom snack food packaging should present export-documentation templates and confirm that they can meet destination-country regulatory requirements.
Quality Failures, Warranty & Remediation
Clarify remediation: defect thresholds, CAPA timelines, return policies, and recall coordination. Ask how the factory archives samples and batch records, and whether they offer insurance or warranty language that can be included in the contract for custom snack food packaging.
Red flags to watch for
Walk away (or escalate) if a factory:
Cannot provide lot-specific test reports,
Refuses pilot runs on your formulation,
Offers only generic CoAs,
Cannot explain their QC sampling strategy.
These are signs that custom snack food packaging could be inconsistent.
Quick checklist
Before you end the call, confirm:
- Product spec and target OTR/MVTR
- Print process, ΔE tolerance, and file requirements
- Laminate options and sustainability stance
- Pilot protocol and acceptance criteria
- Disaggregated pricing and MOQ
- Certifications and export documentation
- CAPA and warranty terms
Conclusión
Asking these questions at the first engagement separates vendors that will be a risk from those that can be a true manufacturing partner. When factories treat custom snack food packaging development as a technical program rather than an order, brands get predictable launches, fewer surprises, and a partner that helps scale the business reliably.
Acerca de DQ Pack
DQ Pack engineers reliable packaging for brands that demand performance. As a custom flexible packaging manufacturer, we supply wholesale custom printed snack food packaging and end-to-end soluciones personalizadas de envasado flexible.
Our team converts specs into validated laminates, supports pilot runs and line-compatibility testing, and issues lot-specific test reports. With robust QA, certifications, and export documentation, DQ Pack partners with brands to ensure predictable launches and scalable supply.
