Wrapping Things Up
Introducing Wrapping Things Up — the podcast that tackles packaging automation without putting you to sleep.
No jargon. No gatekeeping. Just proven insights from the people who’ve been there (and have the busted bag samples to prove it). New episodes drop monthly to bring you dependable relief from your biggest packaging automation headaches — just by tapping ‘Play.’
Wrapping Things Up
Why the Best Brands Treat Co-Packers Like Strategic Partners
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In this episode of Wrapping Things Up, guest host Robert Barkley sits down with Mike Reilly — VP of Engineering, Maintenance & Safety at MSI Express and former General Mills veteran — for a candid conversation on how co-packers and co-manufacturers actually work, what brands get wrong, and how to build partnerships that last.
In This Episode:
- Co-packing vs. co-manufacturing — and why the difference matters
- Why 30–40% of annual volume at a co-packer comes in on short notice
- How emerging brands can bridge the gap from commercial kitchen to retail shelf
- What co-packers wish their customers understood about contracts and pricing
- MSI Express's move into gummy manufacturing (including a former Ferrara/Jelly Belly facility)
- The "easy button" philosophy behind how MSI Express supports brands at every stage