How Much Does Custom Food Packaging Cost? Pricing by Format & Volume (2026)

The Real Numbers Behind Food Packaging

We quote food packaging every day. Hundreds of quotes a month — bakeries, snack brands, coffee roasters, meal kit companies, supplement brands. The question is always the same: "What's this going to cost me per unit?"

Here's what we tell them. No ranges-so-wide-they're-useless. Actual per-unit pricing at real order quantities.

Quick context: These prices are for full custom printing (CMYK or Pantone), FDA-compliant food-grade materials, and standard 10-14 day production. Prices current as of May 2026. Your exact quote depends on dimensions, material thickness, and finishing — but these numbers get you within 15% of final pricing.

Food Packaging Pricing Table

Package Format	500 units	1,000 units	2,500 units	5,000 units	10,000+ units
Folding Carton (standard tuck-end, 16pt SBS)	$1.80	$1.20	$0.85	$0.65	$0.40
Windowed Carton (die-cut window + PET film)	$2.20	$1.55	$1.10	$0.80	$0.52
Stand-Up Pouch (8oz, PET/PE, zipper)	$0.85	$0.55	$0.38	$0.30	$0.18
Foil Pouch (8oz, PET/AL/PE, zipper)	$1.10	$0.72	$0.50	$0.38	$0.24
Mylar Bag (1oz, flat, 3-side seal)	$0.45	$0.30	$0.20	$0.15	$0.08
Mylar Bag (1lb, stand-up, zipper)	$0.95	$0.65	$0.45	$0.35	$0.22
Corrugated Mailer (12×10×4", E-flute, printed)	$4.50	$3.20	$2.60	$2.10	$1.60
RSC Shipping Box (18×14×8", kraft, 32 ECT)	$3.80	$2.70	$2.15	$1.75	$1.30

All prices include custom CMYK printing, FDA-compliant food-grade materials, and shipping to continental US. No hidden setup fees.

What Drives Your Per-Unit Price Up

Six things move the needle on food packaging cost. Understanding these helps you make trade-offs that protect your margin.

1. Package Size

Bigger package = more material = higher cost. A 16oz stand-up pouch costs roughly 2x what an 8oz pouch costs. For cartons, every additional inch of height adds $0.03-$0.08 per unit at 5,000 quantity.

2. Material Thickness / Barrier Level

Standard PET/PE film for a pouch: $0.30/unit at 1K. Add an aluminum foil barrier layer (PET/AL/PE) and it jumps to $0.72/unit — a 140% increase. That foil layer adds 8-12 months of shelf life, though. Do the math on product loss vs. packaging cost.

3. Printing Coverage and Method

A one-color kraft bag runs 30-40% less than a full CMYK matte-finish pouch. Spot Pantone colors add $0.02-$0.05/unit per color. Hot foil stamping on a carton? Add $0.08-$0.15/unit. That gold foil logo is beautiful, but know the cost before you commit.

4. Finishing and Add-Ons

Finishing	Per-Unit Add (at 5K qty)
Matte lamination	+$0.03
Soft-touch lamination	+$0.06
Spot UV on carton	+$0.05
Hot foil stamping	+$0.08-$0.15
Embossing/debossing	+$0.05-$0.10
Die-cut window + PET film	+$0.12-$0.18
Resealable zipper (pouches)	Included
Degassing valve (coffee pouches)	+$0.04

5. Order Quantity

This is the biggest lever you have. Going from 500 to 5,000 units typically drops your per-unit cost by 55-65%. From 5,000 to 10,000? Another 25-35% reduction. The economics of packaging favor volume because plate costs, die charges, and setup fees get spread across more units.

6. Turnaround Time

Standard production: 10-14 business days. Rush orders (5-7 days) typically add 15-25% to your per-unit cost. Emergency rush (3-4 days) adds 30-50%. Plan ahead whenever possible.

Cost Per Unit by Food Category

Different food products need different packaging. Here's what our food clients typically spend:

Food Category	Common Format	Typical Cost (at 5K units)	Annual Budget (5K/month)
Artisan bakery	Windowed folding carton	$0.80/ea	$48,000/year
Coffee (12oz bags)	Stand-up pouch w/ valve	$0.42/ea	$25,200/year
Snack brand	Foil stand-up pouch (6oz)	$0.35/ea	$21,000/year
Meal kit company	Printed corrugated mailer	$2.60/ea	$156,000/year
Chocolate / candy	Rigid gift box	$2.80/ea	$168,000/year
Hot sauce brand	Bottle label + carton	$0.55/ea	$33,000/year
Freeze-dried food	Mylar bag (foil, 1lb)	$0.35/ea	$21,000/year

How to Cut Costs Without Cutting Quality

Nine strategies we give every food brand looking to optimize packaging spend:

Order 5K+ units. The cost curve flattens dramatically at 5,000. If you're ordering 1,000 monthly, switch to 5,000 quarterly.
Use digital printing under 3K units. No plate costs. You'll save $400-$800 in tooling.
Choose standard sizes. Custom dimensions require custom dies ($200-$600). Our catalog sizes use existing tooling.
Limit Pantone spot colors. CMYK process color costs nothing extra. Each Pantone adds $0.02-$0.05/unit.
Skip the foil layer if you can. PET/PE pouches work for 6-9 month shelf life. Foil (PET/AL/PE) is only worth it for 12+ months.
Consolidate finishes. Matte lamination + spot UV on the logo gives a premium feel for $0.08/unit total. That's cheaper than all-over soft-touch ($0.06) plus separate foil stamp ($0.12).
Use kraft paper. Unbleached kraft costs 15-20% less than white SBS paperboard and reads as "artisan" and "eco-friendly" to consumers.
Plan ahead. Standard 10-14 day turnaround saves 15-25% vs. rush production.
Bundle categories. Ordering pouches AND cartons AND labels in the same production run? Ask about volume bundling.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Not every packaging supplier is upfront about these. We are.

Plate charges: Some suppliers charge $150-$400 per plate for flexo or offset. We include plates in quoted pricing.
Die charges: Custom die-cuts run $200-$600 one-time. Amortize across your first 3 orders.
Artwork setup: Some charge $50-$200 for file prep. We include this.
Overruns: Industry standard allows 5-10% overruns (and underruns). We charge only for what we ship.
Shipping: Ground shipping to continental US is included in all our quotes. No surprises.

Getting Your Quote

The fastest way to get an exact price for your food packaging:

Submit a quote request with your product type, dimensions, quantity, and any artwork
We respond within 4 business hours with itemized pricing
Need it faster? Use our AI packaging consultant for instant ballpark estimates

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does custom food packaging cost for a startup?

$0.45-$1.80 per unit at 500-unit minimum orders, depending on format. A snack brand starting with 500 stand-up pouches would pay about $425 total. A bakery ordering 500 windowed cartons runs roughly $1,100. Both include full custom CMYK printing.

Why does packaging cost so much less at higher quantities?

Setup costs are fixed regardless of quantity. A flexo plate costs $300 whether you print 500 or 50,000 units. At 500 units, that's $0.60/unit in plate cost alone. At 5,000 units, it's $0.06. Same math applies to die charges, press setup, and color calibration.

Is sustainable food packaging more expensive?

10-25% more per unit. FSC-certified paperboard adds about 8% to a folding carton. Compostable PLA-lined materials add 15-20%. Mono-material PE pouches (recyclable) cost about the same as standard multi-layer pouches — so start there if budget is tight.

Do you charge setup fees or plate charges?

No. Plate charges, die setup, and artwork preparation are included in our per-unit pricing. The price we quote is the price you pay. Shipping to continental US is also included.

What's the cheapest food packaging option?

Mylar bags — starting at $0.08/unit at 10,000 quantity for a 1oz flat bag. For most food brands, the best value is a standard stand-up pouch at $0.18-$0.30/unit (5K-10K quantity), which gives you a resealable zipper, good barrier, and strong shelf presence.

How much should I budget for packaging as a percentage of product cost?

Industry standard for food brands: 8-15% of retail price. A $5.99 retail snack product should budget $0.48-$0.90 for packaging. Premium/luxury food products (artisan chocolate, specialty coffee) often allocate 15-20% — the packaging IS the brand experience.

Want exact pricing for your product? Get your free quote — we respond within 4 hours with itemized per-unit costs. Or browse our full food packaging catalog to see all available formats.