To order, see dog food boxes. This guide covers how to arrive at a specification that survives both the warehouse and the shelf.
Work out the fill volume from your own product
- Fill a container of known volume with your product, settled the way a filling line settles it, and level the top.
- Weigh the contents and divide by the volume. That is your bulk density.
- Divide the pack net weight by that density to get the volume the product needs.
- Add headspace above the settled fill line so the carton closes cleanly and does not burst at the seams if it is dropped.
Kibble, baked treats, dental chews and freeze dried product all behave differently, so run this for each format rather than assuming one figure covers the range.
Construction for a dense load
| Pack weight | Board | Bottom | Liner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light treat packs | Folding carton board | Tuck or crash lock | Often none, or a small inner bag |
| Mid weight retail packs | E flute or heavy carton board | Auto bottom | Poly or foil inner bag |
| Heavy packs | Corrugated, single or double wall | Glued and reinforced base | Liner, sealed after filling |
Fat, moisture and shelf life
Pet food carries oil, and oil wicks into uncoated board and darkens it. A liner bag solves that and protects against moisture at the same time, which matters more than most brands expect for a product that sits open in a kitchen. If you are going liner free for material reasons, say so at quote stage so the board and the coating can be chosen accordingly, and plan a shelf test with real product before you commit to a full run.
Panel space for the information you must carry
Pet food packs carry a lot of required text: ingredients, analysis, feeding guidance, manufacturer details, batch and best before. Those requirements are set by the regulators in the markets you sell into and they change, so confirm what your panel must show and get it reviewed before plates are made. We print the panels you supply and we do not assess regulatory compliance. What we can do is make sure the layout gives that text enough room, keeps it clear of folds and glue areas, and leaves an unvarnished window if you overprint batch and date codes on your own line.
Ordering
The minimum is 100 units. Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on your written quote. Turnaround is quoted per product across three lanes: rush, which is expedited production plus air freight at a premium of roughly 7 to 25 percent depending on the job, standard on air, and cost saver on sea, from about 7 business days in production plus 2 to 5 days for delivery. Specialty imported constructions can run up to about 12 weeks. The die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof are included.
To order, see dog food boxes or custom pet food packaging boxes. The same density method, applied to a different product, is worked through in bird seed box dimensions. Send your net weight and measured density with a quote request.
