For makers and farms

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

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.

10 businesses and programs in Arkansas that help small food makers and farms make, store and move product: 1 co-packer, 4 shared kitchens, 3 programs and official lists, and 2 cold storage companies, distributors, processors and suppliers.

1Co-packers
4Shared kitchens
3Programs and lists
10Listings in all

Get listed Shops that carry small makers in Arkansas

Programs and official lists in Arkansas

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

Arkansas Local Foods: Division of Agriculture Kitchen Facilities (UAEX)
AR · uaex.uada.edu
Extension page listing the Division's licensed kitchen facilities
Arkansas Food Innovation Centersmall batch
Fayetteville, AR · afic.uada.edu · source
University licensed kitchen space and startup help for food makers
Arkansas Grown
Little Rock, AR · arkansasgrown.org
State ag department branding program with member directory

Co-packers in Arkansas

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

House of Websterjams preservespickles fermentssauces
Rogers, AR · houseofwebster.com · source
Private label preserves, fruit butters, pickled products, sauces

Shared and commissary kitchens in Arkansas

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

Arkitchen
Little Rock, AR · arkitchenlr.com · source
Kitchen incubator with rentable kitchens, open 24/7
Arkansas Share Grounds Kitchen Incubator
Rison, AR · uaex.uada.edu
Certified fairgrounds kitchen for rent, with product development help
Arkansas Food Innovation Center at Market Center of the Ozarkssmall batch
Springdale, AR · aficmco.uada.edu
Shared-use kitchens plus contract processing and bottling
The Kitchens at Olive & Barley
Springdale, AR · oliveandbarley.com · source
Shared kitchen and incubator for culinary businesses

Distributors and food hubs in Arkansas

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

Market Center of the Ozarksproduce
Springdale, AR · marketcenteroftheozarks.org
Food hub facility for produce aggregation, processing, storage, distribution
Spring Creek Food Hubproduce
Springdale, AR · source
Local food aggregator and wholesale distributor

Suppliers that ship to Arkansas

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.