Salad Co-Packing and Contract Manufacturing
Co-packing solves a specific problem: a brand owner or retailer has a product idea and a market, but does not want the capital expense or operational complexity of running a refrigerated production plant. Zina's Fine Foods solves that problem for the refrigerated salad category. We run the plant, hold the certifications, manage the cold chain, and ship product under your label.
What we co-pack
The South Plainfield facility produces six refrigerated salad categories: pasta salads, classic American deli salads, grain salads (tabbouleh, couscous, wheatberry), vegan salads, vegetarian salads, and seafood salads. We can also handle prepared-meal entrées and side dishes that fit within the refrigerated short-shelf-life format.
Three engagement models
Recipe co-packing. You bring a finished recipe. We scale it for production, source the ingredients, run the manufacturing, and ship under your label. This is the simplest path for brands that already have a formulation.
Joint development co-packing. You bring a concept and a brief. Our R&D team develops the recipe, runs benchtop and pilot production, and moves into full manufacturing once approved. The IP for the developed recipe belongs to you.
Formula license co-packing. You select from our existing recipe library, optionally with minor customizations (sodium reduction, dressing swap, protein addition), and we produce under your label. This is the fastest path to first shipment.
Certifications
- SQF certified (Safe Quality Food), GFSI-recognized
- HACCP compliant
- Halal certified
Audit documentation is available to qualified buyers under NDA. Our quality team can support customer-specific audit requirements at the time of vendor onboarding.
Packaging capability
Standard cup sizes (5, 7, 12 oz), deli counter tubs (1, 2, 3, 5 lb), foodservice bulk packs, and custom configurations on request. Heat-seal, snap-lid, and modified-atmosphere packaging supported. Label and sleeve artwork can be supplied by the brand owner or coordinated with our packaging partners.
Customers we serve today
Retail customers under various private label and branded programs include Ahold Delhaize banners (Stop & Shop, Giant Food, Giant Company, Hannaford, Martin's Food Markets), Albertsons (Jewel-Osco, Shaw's), Wakefern Food Corp. (ShopRite, PriceRite Marketplace), Meijer, Harris Teeter, Weis Markets, and Fresh Thyme (via KeHE).
Foodservice distribution partners include Performance Food Group, US Foods, UNFI, KeHE, Lipari Foods, and Porky Products. Foodservice end users in our network include university dining, stadium and arena concessions, healthcare commissaries, and quick-service deli programs.
Production capacity
The plant runs five days a week with capacity to add Saturday shifts during seasonal peaks. Minimum order quantities for new programs start at 300 pounds for pilot runs. Established programs typically ship multi-thousand-pound weekly windows. R&D-to-first-shipment timing for a new SKU is 6 to 10 weeks depending on complexity, packaging lead time, and label artwork approval cycles.
Logistics and shipping
South Plainfield's location keeps freight short to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We ship to retailer DCs, third-party logistics warehouses, and direct-to-store programs where the route density supports it. Cold-chain monitoring is documented from production through carrier handoff.
How to evaluate Zina's as a co-pack partner
For most evaluators, the right first step is a 30-minute capability conversation. Email contact@zinasfoods.com with a short brief and your target launch window. We can also schedule a plant visit during the evaluation phase. Related information: B2B program overview, certifications, where our products are sold, and the company overview.