The co-packing industry has a transparency problem. Ask most facilities what it costs to run 5,000 pouches and you'll get a callback request, a discovery call, a proposal process, and — if you're lucky — a number three weeks later. We think that's backwards.
So here it is. Every number. No games.
Sachet Filling Pricing — HFFS Only
North Lakes runs horizontal form fill seal (HFFS) for powder sachets. Runs up to 5,000 are one flat price; above that you pay per sachet, and the rate drops as runs get bigger. Here's the full table:
| Volume | Price | Per-Pouch Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 5,000 sachets | $2,750 flat | $0.55 at 5,000 |
| 5,001 – 25,000 sachets | + $0.25 per sachet over 5,000 | $0.40 at 10,000; $0.31 at 25,000 |
| 25,001 – 50,000 sachets | + $0.18 per sachet over 25,000 | $0.25 at 50,000 |
| Over 50,000 | Quoted | Drops with volume |
That $2,750 is a flat rate covering up to 5,000 sachets — machine setup and the full run, counted across flavors. Whether you run 500 sachets or 5,000, your production cost is $2,750, plus blending if we blend for you. Above 5,000 you pay for machine time, per sachet. (Stick packs, starting December 2026, are $0.30 a stick over 5,000; see pricing.) That structure exists because our costs — machine time, setup, staffing, facility — don't change much based on whether we fill 1,000 pouches or 5,000. The floor is the floor.
Important — Sachets only
This pricing applies to roll stock sachet filling on our horizontal form fill seal machine only. HFFS gusset and zipper pouches are quoted per job. Hand fill starts at $1.00 a pouch plus $250 setup. Stick packs, starting December 2026, have their own price scale on our pricing page.
Blending Costs
Blending is billed on top of any run — including the $2,750 flat rate — at $0.50–$1.50 per pound, depending on the number of ingredients, particle size, and mix time.
If you ship us a pre-blended powder ready to fill, there's nothing to blend. Your call — some brands prefer to control blending in-house, others want us to handle it. Either works.
Flavor Changeovers
Running multiple flavors in one production day is $250 per changeover. A changeover includes stopping the machine, cleaning the fill path, reloading materials, and recalibrating for the new SKU.
Important: the $250 rate applies to same-package-size changes with no allergen separation and no full clean-out. A full clean-out, allergen clean-out, or package size change is $795. We'll always tell you upfront before you commit.
What the Math Looks Like in Practice
Let's say you want to run 5,000 sachets of a pre-workout blend — pre-blended, single flavor, 30g fill:
- Production run: $2,750
- Blending: $0 (pre-blended)
- Changeovers: $0 (single flavor)
- Total: $2,750
- Effective cost per pouch: $0.55
Now say you want to run 6,000 sachets across two flavors, same package size, and North Lakes blends both:
- Production run: $2,750 + 1,000 × $0.25 = $3,000
- Blending: about 397 lb (6,000 × 30g) × $1.00/lb mid-range = $397
- Changeover: 1 x $250 = $250
- Total: about $3,647
- Effective cost per pouch: about $0.61
Above 5,000 units you pay $0.25 per sachet to 25,000 and $0.18 to 50,000, so per-pouch cost drops as volume goes up. Above 50,000 we quote.
The more you run, the cheaper it gets. But the floor is low enough that small brands can afford to prove their concept.
What's Included in the Production Cost
Your $2,750 flat rate (or custom quote) covers:
- Machine setup and calibration
- Fill weight verification throughout the run
- Quality checks at regular intervals
- Bulk packout — pouches counted and packed into master cases
- Lot numbers and batch records in your specified format
What's Not Included
- Your bulk ingredients — you source them, they ship to us
- Your roll stock film — you source it, it ships to us
- Assembly (putting pouches into retail boxes) — add-on, quoted separately
- Ecommerce fulfillment — available, quoted separately
- Blending — $0.50–$1.50/lb on any run we blend
How This Compares to Large Co-Packers
Large facilities with 50,000-unit minimums will quote you lower per-unit tolling costs — maybe $0.18–$0.35/pouch at scale. But that comparison is misleading unless you're actually ready to order 50,000 units and can absorb the ingredient cost, storage cost, and capital tied up in that inventory.
For a brand running 5,000–15,000 sachets to prove a concept or validate a channel, our pricing is genuinely competitive with large facilities when you factor in total cost — not just tolling.
The real comparison
A 5,000-unit run at North Lakes: ~$2,750 production + your ingredient cost. The same volume at a facility with a 50,000-unit minimum: you'd need to order 10x the inventory before they'd talk to you. The per-pouch tolling might be cheaper. The total cash out is catastrophically higher.
Frequently Asked Questions About Co-Packing Cost
Is there a minimum order quantity?
For sachet HFFS filling, our minimum is any quantity — the floor price is $2,750. HFFS gusset and zipper pouches are quoted per job. Hand fill starts at $1.00 a pouch plus $250 setup.
Do prices include blending?
No — blending is billed separately at $0.50–$1.50/lb on any run we blend, including the $2,750 flat rate. If you ship pre-blended product, there's nothing to blend.
What happens if my run takes more than one day?
Additional production days are priced based on your volume and format. We'll estimate your run time when you submit specs and quote accordingly.
Are there setup fees?
No separate setup fees. Machine setup and calibration are included in your production cost.
Do you charge for quality checks or documentation?
No. Lot numbers, batch records, and quality checks throughout the run are included.
Ready to run your first batch?
Pricing from $2,750 flat. FDA registered. Same-day response.
Get a Quote →