For makers and farms

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

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.

39 businesses and programs in Massachusetts that help small food makers and farms make, store and move product: 15 co-packers, 16 shared kitchens, 5 programs and official lists, and 3 cold storage companies, distributors, processors and suppliers.

15Co-packers
16Shared kitchens
5Programs and lists
39Listings in all

Get listed Massachusetts cottage food law Shops that carry small makers in Massachusetts

Programs and official lists in Massachusetts

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

CISA Commercial Kitchens and Resources
MA · buylocalfood.org
Nonprofit list of rental kitchens in the Connecticut River Valley
MDAR Co-Packer Businesses List
MA · mass.gov
State agriculture department list of co-packers and what they make
MDAR Shared Use Kitchen Space List
MA · mass.gov
State agriculture department list of shared-use kitchens with contacts
UMass Extension Co-Packers List
MA · umass.edu
University list of 23 regional co-packers, updated April 2021
Western MA Food Processing Centersaucessalsajams preservespickles ferments
Greenfield, MA · source
Shared processing, co-packing, storage and technical help for food startups

Co-packers in Massachusetts

15 listed. Contract manufacturers that make and pack your recipe in a licensed plant. Co-packers in Massachusetts has its own page.

Chubby's Saucessauces
Bernardston, MA · chubbysauce.com · source
Acidified hot-pack sauces, 4 ounce to 1 gallon containers
Boston Bakingbaked goodsfrozen
Boston, MA · bostonbaking.com · source
Contract baking, desserts and pie shells, SQF certified
Community Work Servicesdry mixes spices
Boston, MA · cwsnewengland.org · source
Dry goods packing by workforce training nonprofit
Mike Shea's Coffee Roasting Co.coffee tea
Bridgewater, MA · mikesheascoffee.com · source
Private label coffee, toll roasting and co-packing
New England Natural Bakerssnacks granolaorganic certifiedkosher
Greenfield, MA · source
Dry shelf-stable products, kosher and organic, SQF certified
Plenus Group (PGI Foods)frozensaucesseafood
Lowell, MA · pgifoods.com · source
Soups, chowders and sauces, frozen and refrigerated
Sauces 'n Love (WEKOPAK)sauces
Lynn, MA · saucesnlove.com · source
Shelf-stable sauces, dips and dressings
Quality Custom Packingseafoodfrozen
New Bedford, MA · qualitycustompacking.com · source
Scallop and seafood processing, frozen and refrigerated packing
Bake'n Joy Foodsbaked goodsfrozenkosher
North Andover, MA · bakenjoy.com · source
Frozen batters and bakery products, kosher and organic items
Dimitria Delightsbaked goodsfrozen
North Grafton, MA · dimitriadelights.com · source
Frozen bakery and puff pastry products
Theia Foods
Pembroke, MA · theiafoods.com · source
Ready-to-eat cold process dips, spreads and salads
Alfredo's Italian Foodsfrozen
Quincy, MA · aapasta.com · source
Frozen and IQF pasta
Gillian's Foodsgluten freebaked goods
Salem, MA · gilliansfoodsglutenfree.com · source
Gluten-free baked goods, retail and bulk co-packing
Avon Food Companysaucesdry mixes spices
Stoughton, MA · avonfood.com · source
Private label sauces, dressings and spice blends, hot pack
Cape Cod Provisionsconfections chocolate
Wareham, MA · capecodprovisions.com · source
Bag and fill for private label candy

Shared and commissary kitchens in Massachusetts

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

Kitchen Local
Amesbury, MA · kitchenlocal.com · source
Certified shared-use kitchen for small-scale food producers
LaunchSpace Kitchen
Athol, MA · launchspace-orange.com · source
Commercial shared-use kitchen with memberships
CommonWealth Kitchensaucesfrozensmall batch
Boston, MA · commonwealthkitchen.org · source
Nonprofit shared kitchens plus contract manufacturing of sauces and frozen items
WSK
Holliston, MA · thewsk.org · source
Nonprofit licensed commercial kitchen for rent
Gran Cocina
Holyoke, MA · grancocina.org · source
Shared community kitchen with hourly rental and memberships
Serve Food
Holyoke, MA · servema.com · source
Shared-use commercial kitchen for food startups
World Farmers Community Kitchen
Lancaster, MA · worldfarmers.org · source
Community kitchen run by World Farmers nonprofit
UTEC Community Kitchen
Lowell, MA · utecinc.org · source
5,000 square foot shared kitchen run by youth nonprofit
Stock Pot Malden
Malden, MA · stockpotmalden.com · source
Shared kitchen for food trucks, caterers and food entrepreneurs
Chef Commissary Kitchen
Peabody, MA · chefcommissarykitchen.com · source
Shared kitchen space for rent
Foundation Kitchen
Somerville, MA · foundationkitchen.com · source
Shared culinary workspace
Blue Spoon Community Kitchen
Taunton, MA · bgcmetrosouth.org · source
Community kitchen run by Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South
Gate House Kitchens
Walpole, MA · source
33 private kitchens for rent across Walpole, Dedham and Westwood
Atlas Commercial Kitchen
Woburn, MA · atlaskitchenusa.com · source
Commercial kitchen rentals
Clovers Kitchen
Woburn, MA · cloverskitchens.com · source
Commercial kitchen spaces with monthly rentals
Worcester Regional Food Hub
Worcester, MA · worcesterfoodhub.org · source
Commercial kitchens, small business support and farm market connections

Cold storage and fulfillment in Massachusetts

1 listed. Refrigerated and frozen warehousing, and companies that pick, pack and ship orders for food brands. Ask about minimums, since some mostly serve larger brands.

Pioneer Cold Logisticsfrozen
Chicopee, MA · pioneercold.com · source
Frozen, refrigerated and dry warehousing with transportation

Distributors and food hubs in Massachusetts

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

Boston Food Hub (Boston Area Gleaners)produce
Acton, MA · bostonareagleaners.org
Nonprofit program giving local farms access to wholesale markets
New Entry Food Hubproduce
Beverly, MA · nesfp.org
Food hub of New Entry Sustainable Farming Project

Suppliers that ship to Massachusetts

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.