Direct answer
Compliance first, capability second
Print quality does not make a film fit for food. Start with the producing site, the certificate, and the documents for the films, inks, adhesives, and coatings in the structure you are buying. Then ask whether that site can make the bag, pouch, or roll.
This page is a buyer guide, not a directory. Use it to write the questions. Then send the same questions to every plant on the shortlist.
What you should see on the spec and the quote
The quote should name the structure, or say the structure is unknown and the sample is the reference. It should name the plant. It should say which documents will come with the order: a certificate for the site, and statements for the materials that match the food and the way you store and fill it.
If those lines are missing, ask before you treat two quotes as the same package. A film nickname is not a document.
Food-safety programs to ask about
Ask whether the plant runs a written food-safety system with a hazard analysis, and whether a third party has certified it. SQF is one program used for packaging manufacture. PCI is SQF certified. Ask for the current certificate and read the site, the scope, and the dates.
GMI is separate. PCI is GMI certified for print quality. Do not accept a print certificate as a food-safety certificate, or the reverse. How to read an SQF certificate is the checklist linked below.
Traceability, allergens, and lot documents
Ask how a finished case, roll, or pouch traces back to the film and ink lots, and how long those records are kept. Ask how allergen controls work if your food or a neighboring product requires them, including inks and coatings.
Ask for a lot label sample. If the plant cannot show how a complaint would find the lot, the certificate is not the whole system.
Structures for the food you pack
Dry goods, frozen food, refrigerated food, and products that need a high barrier do not share one film. Say the food, the fill temperature, and how it is stored. Barrier, when you need it, is a measured property with test conditions, not an adjective.
If you do not know the structure, send the current package and describe what it has to protect against: moisture, oxygen, light, odor, or grease. Mark the structure unknown. Frozen and snack lines on this site are starting points, not a structure recommendation.
Print, inks, and seals
Inks and coatings are part of the food package, not a decoration added later. Ask for documents that cover them along with the film. Keep ink out of seals and out of product-contact areas unless that construction is approved.
PCI prints on two Uteco 10 color presses. Count every ink. Surface print leaves ink on the outside of the film. Reverse print can bury ink in a laminate. Say which you have, or send a sample.
Ten questions to send before the RFQ
Send these before you ask for a number. A qualified supplier can answer them without a speech.
- Which plant will make this order, and what is the address?
- Which certificate covers that plant, and what is the scope and the dates?
- Will you send the certificate with the quote?
- Which documents cover the film, inks, adhesives, and coatings for this food and these storage conditions?
- How is a lot traced, and how long are records kept?
- How are allergens and ink components controlled?
- What structure are you quoting, or is the sample the reference?
- How many colors print in one pass, and how is color approved?
- What event starts lead time? PCI's standard is 3 to 4 weeks after artwork approval.
- Who answers if a document or a lot question comes up after shipment?
Red flags
Treat these as reasons to pause, not as a verdict. Ask once, in writing. If the answer stays vague, take the plant off the shortlist.
- Food-safe as a sentence, with no certificate and no material documents
- A certificate that names a different site from the plant that will run the job
- A structure described only as a film nickname
- Lead time with no start event
- A refusal to say who prints the job
Request a quote and ask the questions
PCI describes its flexible packaging as made in the USA, in Middletown, NY, and supplies brands sold at major retailers. Put PCI on the shortlist and score it with the same ten questions. Send the food, the package, and the questions together.
| Topic | Ask for | It does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Plant certificate | Current certificate, site, scope, dates | That the film fits your food |
| Material documents | Film, inks, adhesives, coatings for your use | Shelf life |
| Traceability | Lot path and record retention | That a trial can be skipped |
| Print certificate | GMI or the print program you require | Food safety |
| Structure | Layers, or unknown plus a sample | A barrier number without test conditions |
Questions buyers ask
What certificates should a food packaging supplier have?
The ones your customers require for the producing site. PCI is SQF certified and GMI certified. Read the site, the scope, and the dates. Ask your customer if you are unsure which program they require.
What should I ask for when the package holds food?
A current food-safety certificate for the plant, and documents for the film, inks, adhesives, and coatings that match the food and the storage and fill conditions. The SQF checklist lists the questions to send first.
What is SQF, and does it apply to packaging suppliers?
SQF is a food-safety program. Packaging plants can be certified to the SQF code for manufacture of food packaging. PCI is SQF certified. The certificate still has to name the site and the scope. The checklist is the longer version of this answer.
What film structure is right for frozen food?
There is no single frozen structure. Send the food, the fill, the storage conditions, and the current package or spec. Barrier and cold-crack performance are confirmed on that product, not from the word frozen.
How do I verify a supplier's food-safety claims?
Ask for the certificate, match the site address, read the scope and dates, and ask for the material documents. Visit the plant when the program justifies it. A sentence on a website is not verification.
See something that needs correcting? Tell Matt.