Based in Del Rio, TX, Beaverton Foods is a specialty condiment manufacturer in the United States, established in 1929. The company produces a wide range of gourmet condiments, including mustards and horseradish, under its family of brands for retail and commercial markets.
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Salad Dressing Manufacturers
Last updated: January 2026
This directory lists 90 salad dressing manufacturers across the United States, from dedicated private label specialists to large-scale co-manufacturers serving national brands.
Buyers are typically solving problems related to scaling production beyond their in-house capabilities, achieving consistent flavor profiles across large batches, or reformulating for new dietary trends. They require partners adept at managing complex ingredient traceability and ensuring critical emulsion stability under varied distribution conditions.
Supplier types in this space range from boutique kitchens offering artisan, small-batch capabilities, often focusing on unique ingredient sourcing and cold-fill processes, to industrial co-packers equipped for high-volume, automated hot-fill lines for shelf-stable products. Some manufacturers specialize solely in organic or "clean label" formulations, while others offer extensive R&D services for custom flavor development.
To effectively engage potential partners, buyers should come prepared with detailed product specifications, target shelf-life requirements, anticipated volumes, and any specific dietary or allergen control needs. Manufacturers, in turn, expect a clear understanding of desired texture, viscosity, and packaging formats to provide accurate quotes and production timelines efficiently.
A significant trend in this category is the pervasive pivot towards "clean label" ingredients and specialized dietary options like keto, vegan, or allergen-free dressings. This drives demand for manufacturers with certified facilities and advanced expertise in natural preservatives and alternative thickeners that maintain product integrity without compromising taste or texture.
Company Directory
90 companies nationwide
Based in Miami, FL, Big Mama's Foods is a wholesale manufacturer specializing in Calamondin Vinaigrette. The company crafts a unique, gluten-free, and vegan salad dressing made with fresh, natural ingredients, free from added sugar and preservatives. This distinctive product is available for wholesale distribution.
Based in Statesboro, GA, Braswell Food Company manufactures a wide selection of gourmet food products. Their offerings include various salad dressings, jellies, preserves, jams, sauces, seasonings, mustards, and relishes. They are known for their famous Vidalia Onion dressings and provide direct-to-consumer delivery services.
Briannas Fine Salad Dressings is a US-based manufacturer specializing in premium, small-batch salad dressings. Founded in 1982, the company crafts its products using high-quality ingredients. Known for its expertly made dressings, including a popular Caesar variety, Briannas emphasizes quality and traditional methods.
Based in Grand Rapids, MI, Butterball Farms, Inc. is a custom sauce company specializing in premium sauces, butter blends, and pre-portioned options. They provide innovative flavor solutions and high-quality ingredients for the foodservice and manufacturing industries, including tailored offerings that can encompass salad dressings.
Based in Houston, TX, Consolidated Mills, Inc. offers food contract packaging and product solutions for institutional and retail food industries. They specialize in dry and wet blending, providing private label manufacturing of various sauces, including salad dressings. Services encompass product development, custom blends, and portion control.
CTI Foods provides custom-crafted food production services for restaurant chains and B2B manufacturers. With over four decades of experience and six US facilities, the company offers collaborative culinary solutions. They specialize in developing custom proteins, soups, sauces, sides, and beans to meet specific customer needs.
Custom Food Solutions specializes in developing and manufacturing custom, ready-to-use food products. Their offerings include a variety of rich, flavorful dressings and condiments designed to enhance salads and main courses, alongside a broad range of sauces, salsas, dips, and desserts for commercial clients.
Based in Bloomington, IN, Dillman Farm specializes in private label salad dressing manufacturing. They offer B2B clients flexible solutions with low minimum order requirements and fast 3-5 day turnarounds. Committed to using clean ingredients, they provide high-quality, custom dressing options made in Indiana.
Based in Atlanta, GA, DYMA Brands, a Ventura Foods company, provides customized flavor solutions for the foodservice industry. They specialize in liquid portion control, dry condiments, seasonings, and dry-blended mixes, offering a range of sauces and dressings perfect for enhancing food experiences.
Based in Kaufman, TX, ELIS Manufacturing & Packaging provides turnkey contract manufacturing and packaging solutions for the food and beverage industry and consumables. They specialize in tailored blending, custom formulations, product development, ingredient sourcing, and precise filling and packaging services.
Based in Albuquerque, NM, El Pinto Co-Packing is an SQF-certified food manufacturer specializing in private label and co-packing services. They produce a range of products including salsas, sauces, marinades, dipping sauces, and dressings. The company offers hot-fill processing and various packaging formats.
Endorphin Farms offers complete bottling and co-packing solutions for liquid food products. They specialize in hot sauces, BBQ sauces, and marinades, providing full-service assistance from initial concept development and formulation to final packaging. Based in St. Augustine, FL, they serve B2B customers.
Based in Corte Madera, CA, Farmhouse Lab is a manufacturer of 100% vegan, real food dressings. They specialize in small-batch production, consciously sourcing sustainable ingredients. Their handcrafted dressings are free from wheat, nut, dairy, or soy, and are available for wholesale purchase.
Founded in Southern California in the 1970s, Follow Your Heart manufactures plant-based food products. The company specializes in innovative alternatives, including Vegenaise, dairy-free cheeses, and various flavorful vegan salad dressings. Their products are widely available in refrigerated sections for health-conscious consumers.
Based in San Antonio, TX, The Food Craftory offers USDA/FDA-certified co-packing for pre-packaged foods, including salads, sandwiches, and meals. They specialize in chef-inspired products, using fresh ingredients. Services encompass consistent recipe replication and premium private label manufacturing, ensuring high quality and food safety for wholesale clients.
Based in Fredericksburg, TX, Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods manufactures a diverse range of gourmet food products. With over 50 years of experience, they craft award-winning sauces, mustards, jams, and various salad dressings, including unique vinaigrettes and sweet & spicy options.
Gehl Food & Beverage provides aseptic contract manufacturing for high-quality, shelf-stable food and beverage products. They produce various items, including sauces, puddings, and beverages, for top consumer brands. The company offers R&D, validated packaging solutions, and efficient distribution services across the country.
Girard's Food Service Dressings manufactures culinary dressings, sauces, and vinaigrettes for the food service industry. They offer a diverse portfolio of flavors applicable beyond salads, including tostadas and flatbreads. The company also provides custom recipe development services, enabling clients to create unique flavor profiles.
Based in Irvine, CA, Golden State Foods is a major diversified supplier to quick-service restaurant and retail industries. They create and process an innovative array of quality-rich liquid products, including sauces, dressings, condiments, syrups, and toppings for global foodservice customers.
Based in Hazelwood, MO, Golding, Inc. specializes in contract manufacturing for sauces, condiments, and dressings. The company offers private brand solutions and custom manufacturing services, utilizing flavor expertise and multiple facilities to produce a wide range of products for commercial clients.
Griffith Foods specializes in the large-scale manufacturing of sauces, dressings, and gravies for the food industry. They provide solutions to enhance moisture, texture, and color in a variety of foods, offering products that can be incorporated during or after the cooking process.
Grover Processing, Inc. offers co-packing and private labeling services for a variety of acidic food products. They specialize in efficient production and bottling of items including BBQ sauces, marinades, salsas, hot sauces, salad dressings, and syrups for commercial clients.
Based in Rogers, AR, House of Webster provides contract manufacturing and private labeling for a diverse range of food products. They specialize in jams, jellies, fruit butters, salsas, and condiments, including salad dressings. Featuring an in-house R&D team, they assist businesses with custom food production and packaging.
Based in Carrollton, TX, Illes Foods specializes in custom-crafted culinary creations and R&D expertise. They develop and manufacture a range of food products, including marinades, seasonings, and various sauces. Illes Foods serves food manufacturers, foodservice chains, and grocery retailers.
Based in Houston, TX, John Henry's Co-packing Services offers comprehensive contract manufacturing for food products. They provide a one-stop solution from product production to packaging and shipping, specializing in sauces, marinades, and other food items for various brands.
Kraft Heinz Away From Home manufactures and supplies a comprehensive range of salad dressings, including single-serve packets and bulk options, for the foodservice industry. They cater to restaurants, cafeterias, and concessions, providing popular products like Kraft Ranch Salad Dressing. The company also offers specialized dispensing equipment to streamline operations.
Latitude 36 Foods specializes in modern portion-packed food solutions for commercial clients. They offer flavor profile development and comprehensive packaging services, manufacturing diverse food products from multiple US facilities. The company aims to revolutionize the portion-packed food industry, delivering quality and convenience with every package for its customers.
Litehouse Foodservice manufactures high-quality dressings, sauces, and dips for the foodservice industry. They provide custom formulations, private label solutions, and a variety of packaging options, from portion control packets to industrial totes, emphasizing real ingredients for great-tasting products.
Marston Products is a food manufacturer specializing in salad dressings. The company is particularly known for its San Pasqual Salad Dressing, which was notably featured in the popular California Orange Salad. They produce and distribute their own brand of salad dressings.
Based in Modesto, CA, Max's Kitchen is a custom foods manufacturer specializing in large batch kettle products. They produce custom sauces, dressings, marinades, soups, and emulsifications. Serving restaurant groups, manufacturers, and meal kit companies across the 48 United States, they deliver custom flavors with consistency.
Based in Burleson, TX, McLane Classic Foods is a custom kettle products company specializing in custom product development. They leverage a heritage of innovation and customer service to deliver tailored food manufacturing solutions.
Based in Palestine, IL, Mullen's is a family-created company manufacturing unique salad dressings. Their signature Creamy Italian offers a distinctive flavor unlike traditional vinaigrettes. Mullen's products are available for purchase online and through various retail channels.
Hartville Kitchen Foods specializes in manufacturing fresh, homemade salad dressings daily. Operating since 1966, the company produces new batches with the finest ingredients, ensuring quality and taste for its customers.
OWS Foods provides comprehensive R&D, manufacturing, and packaging services for sauces and seasonings. Based in Park, KS, the company assists food service customers from concept to commercialization, including food safety, regulatory, and supply chain management. They specialize in crafting various sauces like BBQ sauces, marinades, and glazes.
Based in Rochester, NY, Private Label Foods manufactures private label sauces, dressings, and specialty food products. The company creates custom recipes or utilizes popular in-house options, offering a diverse selection including vegan and gluten-free choices. They provide professional packaging and nutritional labeling for B2B clients.
Skjodt-Barrett Foods Inc. offers contract manufacturing services specializing in sauces, dressings, and condiments. As experts in wet food ingredients, they provide custom ingredient formulation and manufacturing proficiency for the North American food industry from their facilities, including one in Lebanon, Indiana.
Based in Independence, OH, Signature Sauces is a proprietary manufacturer and private label co-packer. They specialize in creating sauces, dressings, barbecue, soups, and condiments. With an on-site culinary kitchen and food science, their chef-led team develops innovative, custom products tailored for the food service industry.
Based in Shelby, IN, Sonoma Farm Co-Packing is an FDA-certified commercial food co-packer. They offer scalable production, packaging, bottling, and labeling services for food entrepreneurs, chefs, caterers, and restaurant owners, including for products like salad dressings.
Specialty Co Pack is a family-owned food co-packer in Ontario, CA, manufacturing custom sauces, dressings, and salsas. They provide comprehensive services including research and development, filling, labeling, and packaging. The company ensures high quality and cleanliness, adhering to FDA and California Health Department regulations, and holds GMP certifications.
Tessemae's manufactures organic salad dressings and marinades, producing a variety of popular options including Creamy Ranch, Lemon Garlic, and Balsamic Vinaigrette. The company uses real, non-GMO, and gluten-free ingredients in its formulations, aiming to simplify healthy food choices for consumers.
Based in Riverside, CA, Triple H Food Processors, LLC offers custom co-packing and private label services for food products. With over 30 years of experience, they provide comprehensive food processing and packaging solutions, handling a wide variety of container sizes and types, suitable for manufacturing salad dressings.
Based in Hayward, CA, United Foods International (USA), Inc. is a full-service contract manufacturer and co-packer. They specialize in developing and producing custom liquid and dry food products, including sauces like salad dressings, seasonings, and dry mixes. Serving retail, wholesale, foodservice, and industrial clients.
Lee Kum Kee USA manufactures a wide selection of authentic Asian sauces, marinades, and seasoning mixes. Their product range includes flavored mayo, premium soy sauce, and chili crisp oil, catering to both retail and potentially commercial kitchens.
Based in Woodway, TX, Waco Bottling Co. is an SQF Level 2 certified co-packer. They specialize in hot-fill and cold-fill manufacturing for private label beverages, sauces, and dressings. Offering product development support and scalable production, their facilities provide innovative solutions to help clients bring diverse products to market effectively.
Based in Kansas City, MO, Wish-Bone manufactures a diverse range of crowd-pleasing salad dressings and vinaigrettes. The company specializes in producing various Italian, creamy, and Western-style dressings, all known for their rich flavor profiles bursting with herbs and spices for consumers.
Based in Caldwell, ID, ZoRoCo Packaging offers innovative food contract manufacturing and co-packing services. They provide flexible, transparent solutions for food industry partners, specializing in frozen, gluten-free, and free-from products. The company focuses on quality and food safety with guaranteed MOQ execution.
Based in Swedesboro, NJ, Chelten House Products, LLC offers full-service private label and co-manufacturing for salad dressings, sauces, and condiments. They provide culinary expertise to develop and produce custom food products at scale, partnering with retailers and food service clients. The company ensures quality and consistent production across diverse food categories.
Based in Pasadena, CA, The Flavor of California, LLC manufactures and supplies branded Bob's Big Boy refrigerated salad dressings, sauces, and condiments. They serve restaurants and grocery stores across the Pacific Coast and Southwestern US, emphasizing fresh ingredients and featuring the #1 selling Bob's Big Boy Bleu Cheese Dressing.
Forage Kitchen offers co-packing services designed to help food entrepreneurs and small businesses bring their products to market. The company provides professional kitchen facilities and support for various food production needs, including the manufacturing of items like salad dressings and other prepared foods.
LIVWELL Foods manufactures vegan and gluten-free plant-based sauces and dressings. Their product line includes dairy-free dressing and dip multipacks, free from seed oils, refined sugars, and xantham gum. They focus on nutrient-packed, delicious options for healthy living.
Mockingbird Food Group provides higher touch co-packing services for food products, offering customized manufacturing approaches to fit customer businesses. The company focuses on culinary excellence, unparalleled quality, and safety, bringing decades of collective expertise to the table within a network of related food companies.
Based in San Francisco, CA, NaGo Foods manufactures award-winning salad dressings, meticulously taste-tested by a chef to ensure quality. They are known for their great-tasting products made with quality ingredients. NaGo also offers a line of fresh Japanese Grab n Go meals and supports the Alameda Food Bank.
Based in Clarksville, TN, Q & B Foods Inc. specializes in contract and private-label food manufacturing. They offer comprehensive services for salad dressings, adhering to specific client needs for organic, Non-GMO, Kosher, and fat-free formulations. Their expertise supports brands seeking high-quality, custom food production.
Aegle Nutrition, based in Carrollton, TX, is an FDA-registered and GMP-certified liquid co-manufacturer. They provide turnkey private label services, encompassing formulation, custom blending, liquid bottling, and fulfillment for products including sauces. The company supports clients from small businesses to large retailers.
AmeriQual Foods, headquartered in Evansville, IN, specializes in the shelf-stable processing of food products. The company offers co-packing services with expertise in innovative, flexible, and semi-rigid packaging solutions. They provide comprehensive manufacturing capabilities for various food items, serving the food industry as a reliable partner.
Baxters North America is a contract manufacturing partner specializing in shelf-stable food products and packaging solutions. The company provides high-quality, great-tasting food, including health & wellness and on-trend solutions, for various needs from consumer brands to military rations.
Brooks' Bottling Co. provides comprehensive co-packing and bottling services, specializing in product formulation, private label manufacturing, and label development. The company offers complete solutions for salad dressings and ketchups, catering to clients seeking custom food product production and packaging services.
Based in Oceanside, CA, California Hot Sauce Solutions provides expert co-packing and private label manufacturing for custom sauces. They offer high-volume production services for businesses needing specialized sauce creation, including hot sauces and other blended liquid food products for commercial clients.
California Juice Packers is a family-owned firm specializing in co-packing and private label services for liquid food products. They provide dependable packing and bottling solutions for brands, with capabilities extending to items like salad dressings. The company offers comprehensive contract manufacturing expertise.
Based in Torrance, CA, Cal Pack Foods offers co-packing services for fresh foods and beverages. They specialize in manufacturing and packaging various products, including dressings, juices, and salsas. The company utilizes high-pressure processing to extend shelf life while preserving flavor and nutrients for its clients, offering small minimums.
Based in Fairfield, CA, California Olive Oil Co-Packer, Inc. offers contract packing and packaging solutions for food brands. Specializing in cooking oil and vinegar, they provide bottling, material sourcing for containers, and final case-packing services. This family-owned company provides flexible, no-minimum co-packing for businesses.
Based in Smith Mountain Lake, VA, Gazebo Room is a manufacturer of branded salad dressings and marinades. The company offers popular varieties including its original Greek and Balsamic dressings. Products are available for direct purchase in cases and through retailers, often used as versatile dressings or flavorful marinades.
Giraffe Foods specializes in custom manufacturing of sauces, dressings, dips, marinades, and drizzles. They partner with clients from ideation to commercialization, creating value-added food products for industrial, food service, retail, and meal kit applications. Their team includes food scientists and culinary experts.
Based in Norwalk, CA, Golden Specialty Foods is an international co-packing and product development company. They provide comprehensive food processing, packaging, quality assurance, and research and development services. Utilizing a 60,000 sq. ft facility, the company specializes in manufacturing various specialty food products for commercial clients.
Gourmet Gardens manufactures high-quality private label salad dressings for distributors. They provide production services that enable businesses to offer custom-branded salad dressing products to their customers. The company helps businesses expand product lines under their own brand, focusing on reliable service and customer satisfaction.
Hidden Valley manufactures and markets a variety of food products, prominently featuring its flavor-packed Ranch mixes and seasonings. The company provides consumers with recipes and products to enhance meals, including options like Creamy Tortilla Ranch Soup.
Ken's Foodservice, based in Marlborough, MA, specializes in manufacturing over 200 distinct dressings and sauces for commercial foodservice kitchens. They provide unlimited versatility and inspiration for culinary professionals. Their diverse product line supports extensive menu applications and professional operations within the industry.
Based in El Paso, TX, Kraft Heinz is a prominent global food and beverage company. They directly manufacture a diverse portfolio of consumer food products, specifically including various lines of salad dressings. The company leverages extensive manufacturing capabilities to produce beloved brands for the global market.
Based in Sandpoint, ID, Litehouse Foods manufactures a diverse range of fresh and creamy salad dressings. Their offerings include popular varieties like Ranch, Blue Cheese, and Caesar, alongside organic and dairy-free options. Litehouse serves both retail consumers and the foodservice industry.
Based in Chicago, IL, Marie's Salad Dressings manufactures premium salad dressings. Specializing in over 25 fresh-tasting flavors, the company uses real, high-quality ingredients to produce its line of well-known products. Marie's is a prominent brand within the US salad dressing market.
Based in El Paso, TX, Mount Franklin Foods offers extensive expertise in food processing, commercialization, and packaging for various food products. They serve businesses seeking support to achieve their development and manufacturing objectives, including solutions for items like salad dressings.
Based in Renton, WA, Northwest Gourmet Foods manufactures a variety of fine dressings, sauces, mayonnaise, and soups. They serve food service, retail, and private-label clients throughout the Pacific Northwest. The company has over 20 years of experience in food product manufacturing.
Based in Fullerton, CA, Stir Foods, Inc. is a U.S. food manufacturer offering custom food solutions, including innovative sauces and dressings. They provide scalable production facilities for private label salad dressing, marinades, and other culinary products for retail, foodservice, and industrial partners.
Based in Memphis, TN, Stratas Foods manufactures a diverse range of fats, oils, mayos, and sauces for various applications. They provide high-quality dressings, mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar products, serving the foodservice, food ingredients, and retail segments to help brands deliver consistent quality and flavor.
Based in Baltimore, MD, Tulkoff Food Products, Inc. is a high-volume co-packer specializing in condiments, specialty sauces, and ingredients. They provide custom manufacturing and private label services for customers nationwide, offering their expertise for diverse product needs.
Based in Rusk, TX, UniquelyGourmet specializes in co-packing and custom recipe development and production for various food products. The company offers private label options, enabling businesses to manufacture their exclusive recipes. They assist brands in bringing unique food items to market under their own label.
Ventura Foods is a food manufacturer specializing in Classic Gourmet dressings, formulated by culinary experts for restaurants and food service. They focus on recreating homemade flavors, offering products designed to make food extraordinary for commercial applications.
Winland Foods is a private label salad dressing manufacturer serving clients across the US. They offer a comprehensive portfolio of formula options and diverse packaging solutions for custom product development. The company specializes in manufacturing various salad dressings to meet specific business and supply chain requirements.
Based in St. Francis, WI, Wixon, Inc. is a custom taste solutions partner providing private label sauces and custom seasoning. They specialize in developing flavor systems and proprietary taste technologies to mask off-notes, enhance flavors, and improve nutrition across various food and beverage categories.
Based in Hayward, CA, WN Foods is a private label manufacturer and co-packer specializing in sauces, dressings, and marinades. Founded in 1942, the company offers comprehensive manufacturing services for commercial clients, assisting them in bringing their branded food products to market.
Based in Austin, TX, ATX Specialty Foods, LLC. is a producer of high-quality dips and sauces. They offer a diversified portfolio, including retail branded, foodservice, and private label solutions. The company provides full-service food manufacturing capabilities from its SQF certified facilities.
Baldwin Richardson Foods Co. is a custom food manufacturer specializing in private label production of toppings, fillings, and a wide range of sauces. They offer comprehensive manufacturing capabilities for various food products, including salad dressings, with a focus on high-quality ingredients and custom packaging solutions.
Conway Dressings specializes in manufacturing custom sauces and dressings for the meal service industry. They produce a variety of premium products, including specialty, healthy, and classic options, available in portion control cups for convenient to-go sales. The company emphasizes safety and quality in all its offerings.
Based in Cincinnati, OH, Inter-American Products manufactures an extensive line of regular and light salad dressings. The company operates a dedicated manufacturing plant to produce a wide range of dressing options for various market needs and customer specifications.
Kagome USA specializes in manufacturing a diverse lineup of sauces, glazes, marinades, and salad dressings. They provide co-manufacturing and custom formulation services for foodservice and back-of-house clients. Their product portfolio includes various dressings, salsas, and specialty oil blends, delivering authentic global flavors to the B2B market.
Ken's Foods is a US-based manufacturer of salad dressings, sauces, and condiments. Operating facilities in Marlborough, MA, McDonough, GA, and Vineland, NJ, the company produces a wide range of flavorful products. They serve both retail consumers and the food service industry with high-quality dressings.
Little Black Dressing Co. manufactures fresh, flavor-packed salad dressings, offering diverse options from classic Ranch to unique Far East Flair. They provide private label contracts, product development services, and wholesale gallons for B2B clients, alongside direct-to-consumer sales. The company prioritizes fresh ingredients in all its products.
Marzetti Foodservice supplies food products, including a variety of dressings and sauces, to the foodservice industry. They partner with schools, hospitals, and restaurants, offering solutions to enhance menus and support business growth.
Surlean Foods is a custom food manufacturer in San Antonio, TX, serving restaurant chains since 1979. They provide 'back of house' solutions, leveraging culinary R&D and supply chain optimization for custom product development. Specializing in various sauces, including those suitable for salad dressings, soups, sides, and proteins.
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How to Choose a Company
- Verify their R&D and formulation expertise: Assess their capacity to refine your proprietary recipe for commercial scale, ensuring emulsion stability and consistent viscosity without sacrificing flavor integrity through rigorous pilot runs.
- Evaluate their processing capabilities: Determine if they can accommodate your required filling method (e.g., hot-fill for shelf-stable, cold-fill for fresh refrigerated) and preferred packaging types, including single-serve portion control packets or bulk drums.
- Scrutinize their quality and food safety certifications: For broad retail distribution, insist on facilities with GFSI-recognized certifications such as BRCGS, SQF, or FSSC 22000, alongside robust HACCP plans and documented allergen control programs.
- Confirm their ingredient sourcing and supply chain transparency: Ensure they have established relationships with reputable, vetted suppliers for key ingredients like oils, vinegars, and spices, and can provide clear traceability from raw material to finished product batch.
- Assess their flexibility with Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs): For startups and emerging brands, finding a manufacturer willing to produce smaller test or initial production batches is crucial, as many larger co-packers have substantial volume requirements that can quickly deplete initial capital.
- Investigate their shelf-life extension capabilities: Discuss their proven approaches to natural preservation or alternative methods if aiming for an extended shelf-life without artificial additives, including the specific accelerated and real-time testing protocols they employ.
- Be wary of manufacturers who cannot clearly articulate their allergen segregation procedures or provide detailed, easily accessible batch records for all ingredients. Inconsistent documentation or vague responses can indicate significant food safety risks and potential recall exposure down the line.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the typical Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) for custom salad dressings?
MOQs vary significantly based on the manufacturer's scale and your specific product. Smaller, artisan co-packers might accept MOQs as low as 500-1,000 gallons per SKU, especially for cold-fill products. Larger, automated facilities specializing in hot-fill or aseptic processing often require 5,000 to 20,000 gallons or more, driven by batch size and line changeover costs. Always clarify this early in your discussions.
How do manufacturers ensure emulsion stability for creamy dressings?
Emulsion stability is critical for creamy dressings to prevent separation over time. Manufacturers achieve this through various techniques including precise control of ingredient ratios (especially the oil-to-water phase), selection of appropriate emulsifiers (like gums or modified starches), specific high-shear blending equipment, and controlled temperature processing. They often conduct accelerated shelf-life testing to predict long-term stability under different distribution conditions.
What certifications are most important for selling salad dressings in retail?
For broad retail access, manufacturers should possess GFSI-recognized food safety certifications such as BRCGS, SQF, or FSSC 22000, demonstrating robust food safety management systems. Additionally, specific market segments may require USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, Halal, or specific allergen-free certifications (e.g., gluten-free) depending on your target consumer and claims.
Can a manufacturer help with "clean label" reformulations or natural preservation?
Yes, many experienced manufacturers now offer extensive R&D support specifically for "clean label" initiatives. This involves expertise in replacing artificial ingredients with natural alternatives, such as using plant-based thickeners, natural flavors, or antioxidants, and exploring natural preservation techniques like high-pressure processing (HPP) or specific acidification methods to extend shelf-life without synthetic additives.
What information should I provide to get an accurate quote for my salad dressing?
To receive an accurate and timely quote, prepare a detailed product specification that includes your full ingredient list (with percentages if proprietary), desired viscosity and texture, target pH, required shelf-life, precise packaging format and size, estimated annual volume, and any specific certifications needed (e.g., organic, non-GMO). Providing a finished product sample is also highly recommended for flavor matching.
What's the difference between hot-fill and cold-fill processing for salad dressings?
Hot-fill involves filling dressings into containers at high temperatures (typically 180-200°F or higher) to sterilize both the product and the packaging, creating a vacuum seal upon cooling. This is common for shelf-stable, acidic dressings. Cold-fill, conversely, involves filling at ambient or refrigerated temperatures, often used for fresh, delicate, or lower-acid dressings, which typically require refrigeration and have a shorter shelf-life. The choice significantly impacts equipment, shelf-life, and ingredient stability.