Packaging procurement for consumer brands.
Better buying on the packaging you order again and again. Mako helps UK consumer brands source manufacturers, run competitive tenders and negotiate pricing and terms for corrugated boxes and paperboard cartons.
Discuss your packaging costsStart with the pack you need.
We focus on printed corrugated outer shippers, transit cases, paperboard multipack cartons and crash lock cartons for retail and ecommerce. The starting point is your approved pack, annual purchasing volume and delivery requirements.
A meaningful comparison needs more than dimensions and a unit price. We establish board grade or flute, print requirements, artwork versions, finishes and packing arrangements so manufacturers quote against the same brief. Any proposed change to the specification is shown separately for your approval.
Compare the complete packaging cost.
We separate the manufacturing price from tooling, plates, freight, storage and other charges. Production batch size and call off quantities are recorded separately, so a low headline price does not conceal a larger stock commitment.
The commercial review covers minimum order quantities, payment terms, lead times, quote validity, price review conditions and ownership of tooling. Where stockholding is offered, we clarify who owns the stock and what happens to unused or obsolete packaging.
You receive a comparison on an agreed volume basis, with recurring savings and one off costs shown separately. This makes the financial effect of each option visible before a supplier is selected.
Find a manufacturer that fits.
We identify manufacturers suited to the product, production volume and delivery requirement, then issue a consistent tender brief. We assess manufacturing capability and commercial suitability together.
Supplier clarification, samples and your technical approval form part of the decision. Before a change is implemented, we agree the first order, lead time and transition from existing stock with your team. A new quotation can also provide a basis for negotiating with your current supplier.
Prepare for a packaging review.
For a first conversation, share the type of packaging, approximate annual spend, annual units and next reorder date. You do not need a complete technical pack to make an initial enquiry.
After confidentiality arrangements are agreed, useful inputs include current specifications or drawings, recent invoices, order history, delivery postcodes and existing supplier terms. We use these to establish the baseline and assess whether a tender is commercially worthwhile.
Your questions.
Can we keep our current packaging specification?
Yes. We begin with the approved specification and ask suppliers to quote on that basis. Alternative materials or designs are clearly identified and require your approval.
Do we have to change supplier?
No. We assess the offers and your incumbent supplier’s position. The recommendation may be a supplier change or improved pricing and terms with the existing manufacturer.
Is there a minimum order volume?
There is no single minimum that fits every pack. Annual spend, run size, specification and potential savings determine whether a project is worthwhile. We assess that before a full tender.
Agree the scope first.
We start with a free consultation to assess the opportunity. Confidentiality arrangements, the project scope, savings baseline and fees are agreed before tender work begins.
The review can cover one category or an agreed combination of packaging, print and parcel delivery. The signed engagement defines the applicable savings target and commercial terms.
Review your packaging spend.
Tell us what you buy, your approximate annual spend and when you next need to order.
Talk to Mako