For makers and farms

Co-packers, shared kitchens and food business help in Alaska

Q: Shared kitchen or co-packer: which do I need?

If you still make the product yourself, rent time in a licensed shared or commissary kitchen. When orders outgrow your own hands, a co-packer takes over production.

11 businesses and programs in Alaska that help small food makers and farms make, store and move product: 1 co-packer, 3 shared kitchens, 3 programs and official lists, and 4 cold storage companies, distributors, processors and suppliers.

1Co-packers
3Shared kitchens
3Programs and lists
11Listings in all

Get listed Shops that carry small makers in Alaska

Programs and official lists in Alaska

3 listed. Start here. State and university programs that help food businesses with recipes, safety plans and licensing, and the public lists they keep.

UAF Cooperative Extension Service
Fairbanks, AK · source
Extension classes on food safety and starting cottage food businesses
Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center (UAF)seafood
Kodiak, AK · alaskaseagrant.org
University research kitchens and experimental seafood processing equipment
Alaska Division of Agriculture
Palmer, AK · dnr.alaska.gov
State agency running Alaska Grown marketing and farm to school programs

Co-packers in Alaska

1 listed. Contract manufacturers that make and pack your recipe in a licensed plant.

Coal Point Seafoodseafoodfrozen
Homer, AK · welovefish.com
Custom fish processing, flash freezing and shipping

Shared and commissary kitchens in Alaska

3 listed. Licensed kitchens you rent by the hour or month, often with storage and business help.

Anchorage Commercial Kitchen
Anchorage, AK · source
Rentable commercial kitchen in midtown Anchorage
Arctic Rec Center Kitchen
Anchorage, AK · source
Commercial kitchen rental used by caterers
Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center Kitchen
Wasilla, AK · source
City-owned commercial kitchen rented by the hour or day

Distributors and food hubs in Alaska

1 listed. Specialty, natural and local food distributors, and food hubs that aggregate from small producers.

Arctic Harvest Deliveriesproduce
Anchorage, AK · arcticharvestak.com
Distributes Alaska grown and made foods, household to wholesale

Small meat processors in Alaska

3 listed. State and USDA inspected plants. Ask each one whether it takes custom or private-label work for farms and ranches.

Alaska Sausage and Seafood Co.meatseafood
Anchorage, AK · alaskasausage.com
Family-owned smokehouse with custom game and fish processing
Indian Valley Meatsmeatseafood
Indian, AK · indianvalleymeats.com
Family-owned custom processor of fish, game and exotic meats
Echo Lake Meatsmeat
Soldotna, AK · echolakemeats.com
Meat smoking, processing and packaging

Suppliers that ship to Alaska

Packaging, fulfillment and distribution are mostly national. See insulated boxes, gel packs and dry ice, jars, labels and boxes, cold storage and fulfillment and specialty food distributors. For the how-to, read how to start cold shipping and shipping supplies for food makers.

Get listed, or fix a listing

Co-packer, shared kitchen, packaging supplier, cold storage or distributor that works with small food makers and farms? Send the details and we will add you. Listings are free. If something here is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will fix it.

Software and setup for makers

Madeline's sets up the back office for small food makers and farms: inventory and lot tracking, shipping and cold chain, wholesale ordering, recipe costing and labels and more. See Artisanal Solutions, or sell on the Madeline's marketplace.

Questions

What is a co-packer?

A co-packer (contract packer) is a licensed food plant that makes and packs your product to your recipe. You own the brand and the recipe. They own the equipment, the inspections and the labor. Most ask for a minimum run, so call several and compare minimums, price per unit and what they will source for you.

Shared kitchen or co-packer: which do I need?

If you are still making it yourself, rent time in a shared or commissary kitchen. It is licensed, so you can sell beyond cottage food limits. When orders outgrow your own hands, a co-packer takes over production. Many makers use a kitchen for a year or two first.

Where does this list come from?

From public lists kept by state agriculture departments, university extension and food innovation centers, and from each business's own site. Listings that came from a public list link to that source. A listing is not an endorsement, so check licensing, insurance and minimums yourself.

How do I get listed or fix a listing?

Use the form on this page. Listings are free.

Sources: public lists from state agriculture departments, university extension and food innovation centers, and each business's own site. Listings are independent businesses and are not affiliated with Madeline's. A listing is not an endorsement.