For Brands
Whether you need a food scientist, a pilot plant for production trials, or end-to-end project management — the Alliance brings the expertise and network you need to validate your product before full-scale manufacturing.
Our Services
From finding a facility through launching at scale — the Alliance provides end-to-end support for food and CPG brands at every stage of product development.
We find the right pilot plant or food innovation center for you
The Alliance matches your product requirements, production scale, and timeline with the right facility — university-based, non-profit, or for-profit. We handle the research, outreach, and vetting so you don't have to start from scratch.
End-to-end project management for your pilot program
Managing a pilot plant engagement involves scheduling, specification development, quality reviews, iteration cycles, and coordination between your team and the facility. The Alliance takes on that project management so you can focus on your product.
Food scientists, nutritionists, and formulation experts on your team
Don't have a food scientist on staff? The Alliance connects brands with experienced food scientists, nutritionists, and formulation experts who can take your concept and develop it into a retail-ready, commercially scalable product.
Process
Tell us about your product, what stage you're at, and what you need from a pilot facility. Takes 10 minutes.
Our team reviews your brief and identifies the right type of facility and service for your stage and needs.
We research, evaluate, and present the best facility options — with comparisons, pricing guidance, and recommendations.
We introduce you to the selected facility and help structure the engagement terms, timeline, and scope of work.
The Alliance monitors the engagement, supports communication, and helps resolve any issues that arise during pilot runs.
When pilot runs succeed, we help transition you to full co-packing — with a validated process, quality specs, and co-packer introduction.
Preparation
The more information you bring to the first conversation, the faster we can find the right facility for you.
Category, format, key ingredients, and target consumer. A clear product story helps us identify the right type of facility.
Do you have a recipe? A bench-scale prototype? An existing product you're scaling? Be honest about where you are.
What volume do you need to produce for the pilot run? 50 lbs? 500 lbs? This determines what equipment and facilities are relevant.
Any non-negotiable requirements: allergen-free facility, certified organic, kosher, specific certifications, or geographic constraints.
When do you need the pilot run completed? Working backward from a launch date helps us prioritize facility options.
A rough budget range — even an order of magnitude — helps us match you with appropriate options and set realistic expectations.
Your Next Steps
Your formula works in the lab. Pilot runs proved it scales. Now decide your next move — full production, more R&D, or building your own facility.
Co-Packing
Your pilot runs proved the product works. Contract manufacturers handle the volume.
Explore Co-PackingFood Innovation Centers
Food innovation centers help refine formulations discovered during pilot testing.
Explore Food Innovation CentersCPG Manufacturing
When co-packing isn't enough, design and build your own manufacturing facility.
Explore CPG ManufacturingContact the Alliance team and we'll get back to you within one business day.
info@contractmfg.org
Phone
909-336-6473