How to Choose The Right Packaging For A Small Manufacturing Facility

You wouldn't use a riding lawnmower to mow a tiny front lawn.

Why not? The equipment is too big for that space, which makes it difficult to use. For that sort of job, it's much better to have something smaller and simpler to use.

As a small food manufacturer, you may have experienced this same dilemma already relating to your ingredient packaging. As you begin your edible oil sourcing process, you’ll need to choose a packaging size that fits into your work space and will be easy to use. You don’t want to feel like you’re on a riding lawn mower trying to do a 10 point turn!

You’ll need to choose the packaging for your oil ingredients that fits your production line and matches your available storage space. The best way to decide is to start looking closer at some key characteristics about your space. These details will guide you right to the packaging you should choose.

How to Choose The Best Bulk Oil Packaging For Small Manufacturers

Which bulk oil packaging is right for you all depends on what kind of space you’re working in and how small you really are.

The key to choosing the right packaging is to first look closely at your production line, and then at your available storage space. Ask yourself the following questions, in this order. We will provide insight on each of your answers, which will help you make a smart decision.

Ask These Production-Related Questions:

1. Do we have a forklift or pallet jack available?

Larger packaging sizes like drums and totes require a pallet jack or forklift to move them around. Without this functional piece of equipment, these larger packaging sizes are challenging to use (when is the last time you lifted a 2000 pound box?), and you should cross them off your list.

YES, I have a fork lift or pallet jack: Drums, Totes

NO, I have no fork lift or pallet jack: 35 Lb. Containers, 1 Gallon Jugs

2. How do we get the oil from the packaging into each production run?

How you plan to move the oil from the packaging to your production/mixing area is an important part of the discussion. For example, larger manufacturers will connect their 275 gallon totes to their production line using a hose. Smaller manufacturing facilities will often pick up a bottle and pour it into a bowl. This is an especially important question to approach if you’re looking at totes/drums for the first time.

3. Is any part of our production line automated?

Do you have an automated manufacturing facility set up? This is rare for smaller manufacturers, but if you are moving into an automated manufacturing facility, you should look closer at the drums or totes.

YES: Totes, Drums

NO: Totes, Drums, 35 Lb. Containers, 1 Gallon Jugs

4. How quickly are we going through our oil, or how much oil do we use in one month?

How much oil you're using in your production runs will give you a major indication as to what packaging you should choose.

If you use over 30 gallons per month, that is the tipping point where bulk sizes like drums and totes become more worthwhile. If you use less than 30 gallons each month there isn't as much of a cost incentive to look at larger bulk sizes.

OVER 30 GALLONS: 35 Lb. Containers, Drums, Totes (Full Pallet Orders)

UNDER 30 GALLONS: 35 Lb. Containers, 1 Gallon Jugs

Ask These Storage-Related Questions:

1. How much space do we have to store the oil?

Based on the warehouse space that you have, how many boxes (or drums) of oil do you think that you could store at one time? Do you think you could store a full pallet (4 drums or 60 - 35 Lb. Containers)? Or do you have very limited space and you need a max of a couple cases at a time?

Answering question is important, because not only will it guide you toward a particular type of packaging it will also point you towards the type of supplier that you should be working with. A distributor in your industry can sell you just a few cases at a time, where a bulk supplier has a minimum order of one pallet (which is 45 or 60 cases, depending on what you buy).

2. What kind of space do we have available, and where is it located?

Where your available storage space is, is going to matter. Is it consolidated into one big location? Is it available floor space? Or will boxes need to be stacked up on shelves or on various nooks and crannies?

The layout of your space is also important. If you have a 40” x 48” area of floor space that could be used for storage, working with a bulk supplier may be a good option. Their oils will typically come wrapped on a 40” x 48” or 48” x 48” pallet.

If you only have space in a few corners of your production room, or you have to stack it onto shelves, that’s okay too. Count how many boxes you could store at a max. If you can hold up to 60, proceed with a bulk supplier. Once it delivers, you can simply move the boxes into the available space. If you can only hold a few boxes at a time, opt for a local ingredients distributor.

3. Are we using a commercial facility that we will have to transport ingredients to each time when we do a production run?

If you are using a commercial facility or restaurant that you have to transport your ingredients to each time you do production, make sure that you choose a sensible size for all of that shuffling and moving. Opt for the 35 Lb. Containers or 1 Gallon Jugs that you can pick up and easily move by hand.

YES, we’ll need to transport the oil to a separate facility each time we do a production run: 35 Lb. Containers, 1 Gallon Jugs

NO, our storage and production facility is in the same place: Totes, Drums, 35 Lb. Containers, 1 Gallon Jugs

4. Is my storage space the right temperature and climate for my bulk oil ingredients?

Make sure that as you’re planning where to store your bulk oils, that the space you choose is the ideal climate and temperature. You’ll want a storage space is cool, dry, and dark. If you only have a hot warehouse available, you may need to buy less oil at each order to keep it from loosing it’s flavor and color unreasonably soon.

Want to ask questions or talk about this advice as it applies to your facility? Request a consult with one of our experienced team members.

Our Favorite Packaging For Small Manufacturers

For small food manufactures that have hands-on production runs, we would advise using 35 pound containers with attachable spigots.

This sort of set up is ideal because:

• You can move each container individually
• If you store them above ground level, you can pour out of them very efficiently.
• When the spigots are used, you don't have to pick up the boxes to pour them.
• The packaging is less expensive than the 1 gallon containers, because there is less material used.

Where should you buy your wholesale or bulk oil from?

What kind of supplier you work with has to do with how much oil you use. This article about the best places to buy bulk olive oil is a great explanation about the different types of suppliers available, and when to use each type.

If you use less than 30 gallons per month, it will be cheaper for you to buy from a local distributor, a few cases at a time. If you buy more than 30 gallons per month, it's cheaper for you to consolidate your orders and place one bulk order every few months from a bulk supplier.

Key Points

Answer the following questions to get insight on the packaging you should use. At the end of these questions, chances are you’ll know exactly what you should buy your bulk oil in.

1. Do we have a forklift or pallet jack available?
2. How do we get the oil from the packaging into each production run?
3. Is any part of our production line automated?
4. Is my storage space the right temperature and climate for my bulk oil ingredients?
5. How much space do we have to store the oil?
6. What kind of space do we have available, and where is it located?
7. Are we using a commercial facility that we will have to transport ingredients to each time when we do a production run?
8. Is my storage space the right temperature and climate for my bulk oil ingredients?

If you have questions or you want to talk more about the kind of packaging that would work best in your facility, request a consult with our team.