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How to create a custom label
How to create a custom label
Danny avatar
Written by Danny
Updated over 3 months ago

Creating a custom label for your products is very easy once you know what is required.

Here is a PDF overview to help with your labels.

All labels must pass a Supplier Quality Assurance review.

Ultimately, you should refer to the FDA for all up-to-date requirements.

Accurate label design is imperative when you are introducing a new food product into the market. The information provided is not intended to be comprehensive or in any way represented as a guarantee that your label design will meet the FDA requirements. Each selling brand is responsible for their label content and any and all liability related to their labels. Please seek experienced design and legal assistance and carefully review the FDA guidelines and regulations.

To get latest FDA guidelines as of May, 2022 see here:

Here is the sample label:

Size Requirements:

  • Maintain a 2:3 aspect ratio for the image file

  • The label will be 4" wide and 6" tall

  • Required image size is 1600px X 2400px

Let's go through the requirements by the number mentioned in the sample label.

NUMBER 1: Net Weight. (REQUIRED)

Net Weight must be clearly mentioned on your label. There are several Net Wt sizes available in our private label category.

  • Net Weight can be 12Oz., 1LB, 2LB, or 5LB with a private label.

  • Net Wt must be on the front of the bag (or box for capsules).

  • Must not be micro-text.

  • Net Wt must contain ounces and grams or pounds and ounces and grams when 1 pound or more.
    Examples:

    NET WT. 3 OZ (85g)
    NET WT. 12 OZ. (340g)
    NET WT. 1LB (16 OZ.) 454g
    NET WT. 2LB (32 OZ.) 907g
    NET WT. 5 LBS (80 OZ.) 2,268g

    For the coffee pods: NET WT. 4.2 OZ (120g)

The net quantity statement (net quantity of contents) should be placed as a distinct item in the bottom 30 percent of the principal display panel, in lines generally parallel with the base of the container.

Look at food products in your home as examples. Net Wt is almost always near or at the bottom of product packages, on the front of the package, and in a larger text that is very very easy to read. It is never a super tiny text.

Note: Net Weight and Ingredients need to be together with no intervening element between them.

NUMBER 2: Distributed by. (REQUIRED)

This must be on your label. Distributed by tells the consumer where the product originates from.

You CAN put your Company Name above and show Distributed by below, but the Distributed by text must read the following:

Distributed by Temecula Coffee Roasters. Temecula, CA 92590.

The reason, it is mandatory is to comply with USA FDA regulations. Leaving this part out would be a violation according to FDA labeling requirements.

Distributed by statement for Old Chicago custom labels.
Distributed By: Calutech Inc, Orland Park, IL 60462

NUMBER 3: Ingredients (REQUIRED)

Ingredients must be clearly mentioned on your label.

We recommend the following:

For Coffees:

Standard Coffees

Ingredients: Coffee

Coffee Pods

Ingredients: Coffee

Flavored Coffees

Ingredients: Coffee, Natural Flavoring

For Teas:

Jasmine

Ingredients: Green Tea, jasmine blossoms

Masala Chai

Ingredients: Assam BOP, Cloves, Ginger Root, Pepper Black, Cardamom, Star Anise, Marigold Petals, Cardamom Flavor, Cinnamon Flavor

English Breakfast

Ingredients: Black Tea

Peach Paradise

Ingredients: Ceylon OP, Red Rose Petals, Cranberry Flavor, Peach Flavor, Orange Flavor, Cornflowers

Mango Treat

Ingredients: Ceylon OP, Mango Flavor, Marigold Petals

Apple Cider Rooibos

Ingredients: Rooibos, Cinnamon, Orange Peel, Licorice Root, Natural Flavorings

NUMBER 4: Coffee Identity (Required)

We support many types of coffee grinds, coffee pods, and tea:

  1. Whole Bean

  2. Standard Ground

  3. Espresso

  4. Coffee Pods

  5. Coarse

The coffee type should be clearly mentioned on the label.

If your coffee is the whole bean it should be displayed clearly on the label and it needs to be the most obvious part of the label. So this means that it needs to be the largest font and displayed in a prominent location.

You have to be able to look at the label and know exactly what is in the bag. The logo will not count. So if you are named Coffee's coffee, you still need to have "Ground Coffee" in the prominent text below it.

So for Ground Coffee, you need to put "Ground Coffee" prominently on the label. For Whole Bean Coffee, you need to have "Whole Bean Coffee" prominently displayed on the label. The same goes for Espresso. Espresso must display "Ground Coffee"
For Coarse the label must display "Coarse Ground Coffee"

Note: Net Weight and Ingredients need to be together with no intervening element between them.

For Coffee Pods, you can use Fresh Roasted Coffee, Specialty Grade Coffee or similar, just be sure you have a clear statement of identity. Also be sure to include 12 count - single use cups, not labelled for individual sale.

For Teas, you need to put Loose Leaf Tea.
For Flavored Teas, statement of identity and ingredients. Check this sheet.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kZ0EpLPU8FT3SkkwIKYwiVpW_VMMIBCxj0d5XWXll1c/edit#gid=1603002248

What is Not Allowed?

You cannot add USDA, FDA or Fair Trade logos, badges, or any intellectual property to the custom labels. You must be the primary holder of certification to be able to utilize those and cannot be a reseller to utilize them on your products.

Do let us know if you still have any questions.

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