How Much Does Packaging Cost for Cookies?

Hey everyone,

I’m starting a small business selling homemade gourmet cookies online, and I really want to make a great first impression with custom packaging. However, I'm unsure about the costs involved.

Could anyone share their experiences with custom packaging? What prices should I expect? Are there minimum order quantities? Also, if you have any recommendations for reliable suppliers or affordable options, I would really appreciate your input!

Thanks!

You seem to be under the impression that home cooks and even a few professionals are in business. You would be far better off getting in touch with people in the food packaging business and in your own area. You also seem to need a professional designer, again, perhaps you should do a google search for your area.

Matthews said:

Hey everyone,

I’m starting a small business selling homemade gourmet cookies online, and I really want to make a great first impression with custom packaging. However, I'm unsure about the costs involved.

Could anyone share their experiences with custom packaging? What prices should I expect? Are there minimum order quantities? Also, if you have any recommendations for reliable suppliers or affordable options, I would really appreciate your input!

Thanks!

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I've designed a lot of packaging. The actual engineering of the packaging is done by the packaging companies. They give me a digital template with dielines (these show how the packaging will be cut by a "die") to fit my design into. There are some stock dielines available online for standard sizes and shapes of packages. You will still need a graphic designer with packaging experience to properly layout the graphics within the dielines, whether custom or stock.

As for actual pricing, you will have to call on some packaging companies. Packaging companies are not going to want to print and produce a small number of custom printed packages. If you are looking at a few hundred units, good luck with that. Packaging companies are accustomed to printing tens of thousands of packages in one printing.

If you do find a company willing to do small quantities, the cost per unit could be ridiculous, so your cookies better be really good for you to charge enough just to break even.

Your cheapest option would probably be to buy premade packages, and affix custom labels to them. Once again, though, small quantities are budget busters.

CD

dragnlaw said:

You seem to be under the impression that home cooks and even a few professionals are in business. You would be far better off getting in touch with people in the food packaging business and in your own area. You also seem to need a professional designer, again, perhaps you should do a google search for your area.

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You posted 15 minutes before me. I need to type faster.

CD

I know absolutely nothing about food packaging so I feel eminently qualified to offer an opinion.

Keep it simple.

Cellophane cookie stacks with a custom printed sticker and a ribbon or foil covered twist tie.



Food grade crinkle cut packing paper and a white corrugated shipping box with another custom printed sticker to prepare the cookies for mailing.



To be honest, it sounds like there may be many more legal/liability and health related issues to consider before venturing into a home based food business.

Good luck!

Try custom packaging! It can be easy on your wallet too. You can start with stickers on boxes you can buy already made. Boxes with your own designs printed on them will cost more, but there are cool websites like Pouch Me and Etsy that sell them. Just ask for a price (get a quote) and look around to see what fits your delicious cookies best!
Also get quote from Branded Packaging Solution, its LA based company.

Matthews said:

Hey everyone,

I’m starting a small business selling homemade gourmet cookies online, and I really want to make a great first impression with custom packaging. However, I'm unsure about the costs involved.

Could anyone share their experiences with custom packaging? What prices should I expect? Are there minimum order quantities? Also, if you have any recommendations for reliable suppliers or affordable options, I would really appreciate your input!

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Have you thought about selling at markets in your area instead of online. You might make more money that way. I buy cookies from a vendor at our local farmer's market. I have a friend who makes homemade organic soaps and she does very well. Just a thought.

Aunt Bea said:

I know absolutely nothing about food packaging so I feel eminently qualified to offer an opinion.

Keep it simple.

Cellophane cookie stacks with a custom printed sticker and a ribbon or foil covered twist tie.
View attachment 69751
To be honest, it sounds like there may be many more legal/liability and health related issues to consider before venturing into a home based food business.

Good luck!

Click to expand...

I believe a lot of custom cooking makers use those cellophane wrappers.

Good point on the health code and legal liability issues!

CD

caseydog said:

I believe a lot of custom cooking makers use those cellophane wrappers.

Good point on the health code and legal liability issues!

CD

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In today’s litigious world I wouldn’t risk what little I have on a home based food business.

Aunt Bea said:

In today’s litigious world I wouldn’t risk what little I have on a home based food business.

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Hey, I have substantial liability insurance on my photography business. It is not terribly expensive.

CD

caseydog said:

Hey, I have substantial liability insurance on my photography business. It is not terribly expensive.

CD

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I have an inexpensive umbrella policy too but the things I do don’t carry as much risk of harm as a food business, transportation, etc…

I suppose our differences are what keep the world interesting.

Yes! I visited Branded Packaging Solution and they offer reasonable prices.

Quit taking the bait from these two. Matthew and GaryHyslop are a couple tag-teaming (probably the same person) spammers hitting all the forum sites. They use different names on each site, but the posts are the same, and they are just looking to plug some kind of labeling business.

terrible!