Start with the product, not the pouch
The packaging brief should begin with what goes inside. Coffee, nuts, dried fruit, pet food and tea each behave differently. Roasted coffee releases carbon dioxide for days after roasting, so a one-way degassing valve matters. Snack seasonings and oils attack some sealant layers. Pet food often needs a strong oxygen and moisture barrier plus puncture resistance. Write down the fill weight, bulk density, water activity and expected shelf life before asking any supplier for a quote.
The next question is how the pack will be filled. A flat bottom pouch stands on the shelf and holds more weight than a stand up pouch of the same width, but it needs a filling line that can handle the shape. Spout pouches, including corner spout and STANDCAP formats, suit liquids and semi-liquids and require spout sealing equipment. Rollstock film runs on form-fill-seal machines and is usually the lowest cost per pack at volume. Match the format to the filler before matching it to the shelf.
Choose the material structure
Most food laminates combine an outer print layer, a barrier layer and a sealant layer. PET/AL/PE gives a strong light, oxygen and moisture barrier and is common for coffee and pet food. PET/NY/PE trades some barrier for toughness and flex crack resistance, which suits frozen or vacuum packs. Kraft paper laminates give a natural look and moderate barrier. Mono-material PE and PP recyclable structures work on existing lines where the pack must fit a recyclability claim. PLA/PBS compostable and degradable options exist for specific programmes.
Barrier needs should be tested, not guessed. A coffee roaster may need an oxygen transmission rate below a set figure to hit a 12-month shelf life. A snack brand may only need moisture protection. Over-specifying the barrier adds cost without adding shelf life. Under-specifying it causes rancidity, staling or caking. Ask the converter for the OTR and WVTR of the proposed structure and compare it with your target shelf life and storage conditions.
Check print method and run size
Print method follows run size. Digital print suits short runs, multiple SKUs and frequent artwork changes. Rotogravure uses engraved cylinders, so it needs a larger run to absorb setup cost, but the unit price drops at volume and it handles up to 10 colours with consistent reproduction. Flexographic print sits between the two for some jobs. A supplier that offers all three can advise which method fits your annual volume rather than pushing one technology.
MOQ and lead time should be confirmed in writing. Digital print runs can start from 100 pcs for pouches or 10 kg for film. Rotogravure runs typically start from 10,000 pcs or 200 kg. Digital lead time is around 10-15 working days after artwork approval. Rotogravure is around 20-25 working days. These figures depend on material availability, so ask for them per order, not per website.
Understand the cost drivers
Unit price is built from several parts. Substrate cost is the largest for most laminates, and aluminium foil or high-barrier films push it up. Print method and number of colours affect setup and running cost. Add-ons such as a degassing valve, zipper, tear notch, window, spout and cap, carry handle or hang hole each add material and a production step. Pouch size and shape change the amount of film used per pack. Freight and duty depend on the shipping terms.
A lower unit price is not always a lower total cost. A cheap structure that fails in transit, leaks on the filling line or shortens shelf life costs more in the end. Ask for a sample of the exact structure and run it on your filler before committing to a large order. Free stock pouch samples are a normal starting point; the customer usually pays courier only. Test the seal, the valve and the zipper under real conditions.
Ask about compliance and factory audits
Food packaging must be made in a facility that follows food safety rules. BRC certification is a common benchmark for packaging manufacturers. The certification belongs to the factory, not to the supplier that sells you the pouches, so ask which factory will run your job and what certificates it holds. Also ask for the declaration of compliance for food contact, migration test reports and a statement on the inks and adhesives used.
Sustainability claims need the same scrutiny. Recyclable mono-material PE and PP structures only count if the whole pack, including the zipper and valve, fits the local collection scheme. Compostable PLA/PBS and degradable options need the right industrial or home composting conditions to break down. Do not let a supplier promise a claim that your market will not accept. Check the rules for the countries where you sell.
Common mistakes to avoid
Buyers often make the same errors. They choose a pouch before checking the filling line. They copy a competitor's structure without testing it for their own product. They forget that a zipper or valve changes the film width and the fill volume. They approve artwork without a physical proof. They order the minimum quantity for a product that may change. They treat lead time as fixed when material availability can move it.
Confirm fill weight, shelf life and storage conditions first - Test the exact structure on your filler - Get MOQ, lead time and shipping terms in writing - Match the print method to annual volume - Verify factory certificates and food contact declarations - Check recyclability or compostability rules in each market
A supplier that answers these questions clearly is easier to work with than one that only sends a price. The right questions take time at the start and save rework later.