For makers and farms

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

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.

24 businesses and programs in Iowa that help small food makers and farms make, store and move product: 4 co-packers, 8 shared kitchens, 5 programs and official lists, and 7 cold storage companies, distributors, processors and suppliers.

4Co-packers
8Shared kitchens
5Programs and lists
24Listings in all

Get listed Shops that carry small makers in Iowa

Programs and official lists in Iowa

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

Iowa Food Hubs Directory (Iowa Valley RC&D)produce
IA · iowavalleyrcd.org
Statewide food hub list, successor to the ISU Extension directory
Iowa Kitchen Connect Kitchen Directory (Iowa Valley RC&D)
IA · iowakitchenconnect.com
Nonprofit directory of rentable commercial kitchens across Iowa
Sourcing Local Meats: Iowa Meat and Poultry Processor Directory (ISU Extension)meat
IA · iastate.app.box.com · source
ISU guide including a directory of Iowa meat and poultry processors
ISU Center for Crops Utilization Research Food Processing Pilot Plants
Ames, IA · ccur.iastate.edu
University food processing pilot plants and equipment for scale-up
ISU Extension Farm, Food and Enterprise Development
Ames, IA · extension.iastate.edu
Business planning, feasibility studies and food business specialists

Co-packers in Iowa

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

Todd's Premium Foodsdry mixes spicesorganic certifiedkosher
Des Moines, IA · toddspremiumfoods.com · source
Dry goods blending and packaging; bottling at Nebraska plant
Shells by Designbaked goodsfrozen
Garner, IA · shellsbydesign.com · source
Tart shells, pies, pastries and breads; private label
Euroclassic Pastriesbaked goodsfrozen
Lester, IA · euroclassicpastries.com · source
Ready-to-bake and frozen pastries
Palmer Candy Companyconfections chocolatesnacks granola
Sioux City, IA · palmercandy.com · source
Confections and nut products

Shared and commissary kitchens in Iowa

8 listed. Licensed kitchens you rent by the hour or month, often with storage and business help. Shared and commissary kitchens in Iowa has its own page.

Kitchen Council
Council Bluffs, IA · kitchencouncil.org · source
Food startup incubator with commercial kitchen and mentorship
Kitchen Spaces
Des Moines, IA · source
Shared-use kitchen with event space for pop-ups and classes
Mickle Center Shared Use Kitchen
Des Moines, IA · source
State-licensed renovated shared-use kitchen
Moxie Kitchen + Events
Des Moines, IA · moxiekitchenevents.com · source
Rentable kitchen and event space
Old Brick Commercial Kitchen
Iowa City, IA · oldbrick.org · source
Small kitchen suited to caterers and market vendors
The 1105 Project Kitchen
Iowa City, IA · builtbycommunity.org · source
Full-service kitchen with dry, refrigerated and frozen storage
Lansing Kitchen Works
Lansing, IA · source
Shared kitchen in northeast Iowa
Cerro Gordo County 4-H Learning Center Kitchen
Mason City, IA · source
Shared-use kitchen with meeting space for classes

Distributors and food hubs in Iowa

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

Iowa Food Hubproducemeatdairy cheese
Decorah, IA · sites.google.com · source
Wholesale and institutional hub for six northeast Iowa counties
Iowa Food Cooperativeproducemeatdairy cheese
Des Moines, IA · iowafood.coop · source
Online member co-op with pick-up sites in several cities
Prudent Produceproduce
Elkhart, IA · prudentproduce.net · source
Home delivery hub sourcing from central Iowa farms
Grinnell Farm to Tableproducemeat
Grinnell, IA · grinnellfarmtotable.org · source
Online local food hub for Poweshiek, Jasper and Marshall counties
Field to Familyproducemeatdairy cheese
Iowa City, IA · fieldtofamily.org · source
Nonprofit food hub delivering to buyers in 17 counties
Camp Creek Organicproduceorganic certified
Kalona, IA · campcreek.localfoodmarketplace.com · source
Wholesale produce hub delivering to 13 counties
Farm Table Deliveryproducemeatdairy cheese
Minden, IA · farmtabledelivery.com · source
Buys from farmers, delivers in western and central Iowa

Suppliers that ship to Iowa

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.