What to Decide Before Outsourcing Small Rice Packs

You want to divide rice you grew into small bags of 1 or 2 go and seal them tightly to sell. Agriture receives inquiries about this kind of small-portion filling. But beyond the work of packing, many people get stuck deciding between vacuum packing and oxygen absorbers, and what to write on the bag.

In this article, based on the terms we actually offer through our Small-bag filling OEM service, we go through what you need to decide when outsourcing small packs of rice. First, a quick overview of how much you can leave to us.

Portions of 1 or 2 go: how much can you outsource?

When outsourcing small portions, the first two things to confirm are whether there is a bag that holds that amount and in what condition to send the rice. Once these are settled, the choice of bags and labels narrows down naturally.

Up to 2 go (about 300g) can be packed as a guide

The bags we offer range from small sizes for samples to larger ones holding around 300g. For rice, 2 go is about the upper limit.

We don't polish rice, so decide these 4 things before sending

We have no rice-polishing equipment, so we weigh and bag the rice exactly as it is sent. If you want to pack rice other than polished rice, such as brown rice, please consult us in advance. The polishing date (or preparation date for brown rice) also matters for the bag labeling explained later.

Deciding the following 4 points before sending makes the consultation go smoothly.

• What condition of rice to pack (polished, brown, etc.)
• Net contents per bag (decide in grams)
• Number of bags you want to make
• When the rice was polished (or prepared, for brown rice)

Who prepares the bags, labels and oxygen absorbers?

You can choose materials from what we offer or bring your own. Here is how each is handled.

Differences in bag shape and material are covered in Kinds of food packaging, and how to choose based on filling method in Points for selecting packaging materials.

Vacuum packs vs. packs with oxygen absorbers: what's the difference?

Small packs of rice in stores come either as vacuum packs, pressed into a firm block, or as packs with oxygen absorbers that have some slack in the bag. Both are closed with a heat seal at the end, but they reduce the oxygen inside the bag in different ways.

Vacuum packs set into a firm block; packs with oxygen absorbers keep some slack

Without a low-oxygen-permeability bag and a proper seal, oxygen absorbers do not work

Simply putting an oxygen absorber in a bag is not enough. Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, the maker of the AGELESS oxygen absorber, assumes the use of packaging with high gas barrier properties (low oxygen permeability) and advises that pinholes or seal defects will prevent the absorber from removing oxygen.

When customers supply their own bags, we test the actual bags before production to confirm they close securely with a heat seal. When choosing a bag, check the following points.

• Is the material resistant to oxygen? (e.g. aluminum or metallized film; for bags with a window or clear bags, check the barrier properties individually)
• Can the material be closed with a heat seal? (for supplied bags, confirmed by advance testing)
• Is the bag large enough to leave room at the seal area for the fill volume?

For including oxygen absorbers or desiccants, see also our FAQ on packing desiccants and oxygen absorbers.

Vacuum if appearance matters most, oxygen absorbers if you want to choose the bag style

If you want vacuum packaging, you can find a contractor that handles it through Food OEM Directory, a service we operate. If you combine vacuum packaging with an oxygen absorber at another company, note that Mitsubishi Gas Chemical advises stopping at a gentle degassing that still lets air circulate inside the bag, because a strong vacuum presses the absorber between the product and the film and makes it harder for it to absorb oxygen.

Labeling, records and notifications required before you sell

If you sell rice in bags, the bag must display the items specified in the Food Labeling Standards. You are also required to communicate origin information and keep transaction records, and in some cases to notify the public health center.

Five items to put on the bag: the milling date is the day the rice was milled, not the day it was bagged

Brown rice and milled rice in containers or packaging must be labeled with five items: name, source brown rice, net quantity, milling date and seller (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Public Health, "Fresh Foods (Brown Rice and Milled Rice)"; Consumer Affairs Agency, "Food Labeling Standards").

The milling date here means the day the rice was milled, not the day it was bagged. The business that milled the rice (the client or their supplier) knows the milling date, so we receive the label information from the client and use it to create and apply the back label. Brown rice and milled rice are treated as fresh foods, so the best-before date and nutrition facts required for processed foods are not mandatory label items.

Rice Traceability Act: keep transaction records for 3 years and pass on origin information

Whether the rice is single-origin or blended, you must keep documents that support the stated origin and variety. In addition, the Rice Traceability Act requires every business that sells rice, including producers, to do the following (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Overview of the Rice Traceability Act").

• Create records of purchases and sales, and keep them together with invoices and other documents for 3 years
• When passing rice to another business, communicate origin information on invoices or on the container or packaging
• Communicate origin information when selling to general consumers as well

Different labeling rules apply if you make processed products from rice. For labeling of processed foods, see Origin labeling rules for ingredients in processed foods.

Do you need to notify anyone if you only outsource and sell? Public health center and rice business notifications

The revised Food Sanitation Act, which took effect in June 2021, introduced a business notification system. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, businesses selling packaged foods that can be stored at room temperature for long periods without risk of spoilage are exempt from notification. On the other hand, if you mill or repackage rice yourself as a business, you may be required to notify. Factors that affect whether notification is needed include the following.

• Whether the rice you sell is grown by you or purchased
• Whether you do the milling and bagging yourself or outsource it
• Whether you only sell prepackaged products

Please check with the public health center that has jurisdiction over your place of business to find out which applies to you.

How much per bag? Costs and the process to delivery

The cost is built up by adding the work and materials for each bag. From our published price list, we have pulled out only the items used for repackaging rice.

Work costs come to about 90 yen per bag, with bags and shipping extra

For example, for a 2 go pack with one back label and an oxygen absorber, the price list unit prices add up to 90 yen per bag for the work (filling 75 yen + label application 15 yen; oxygen absorber free). Bag costs, shipping and shipping work (300 yen per shipment) are added on top. Filling-only orders carry an initial fee of 15,000 yen on the first order. The final amount is confirmed in a quote once the bag and specifications are decided.

To calculate prices by bag type and quantity, use the Small-bag filling OEM service quote form. If you plan to get quotes from several companies, the information to prepare before requesting is covered in How to request a filling quotation.

Allow about 2 weeks to 1 month from inquiry to delivery

1. Discuss specifications (fill weight per bag, bag, label, whether to include an oxygen absorber, number of bags)
2. Decide on the bag and run a heat seal test in advance
3. Send us the rice and the label information
4. Weighing, filling, sealing and labeling
5. Delivery to the location you specify

If you have a fixed deadline, such as a sales launch date, please tell us at your first inquiry.

What to prepare before sending rice and bags

• If supplying your own bags, send a few extra for the pre-production seal test
• Provide all label information (milling date, origin, etc.) together
• Decide on the delivery destination (your company, a warehouse, a retailer, etc.) in advance

Even if the bag is not yet decided, we can give you a quote once we know the fill weight per bag, the number of bags and whether to include an oxygen absorber.

We have prepared materials that explain small-pouch filling

Agriture, flexibly handling everything from small lots to large lots

• Small-bag filling from 500 bags
• Tea and coffee also supported
• Sealing carried out in a single seamless flow

Download the materials here

FAQ

Summary

When outsourcing small rice packs, deciding three things first — quantity, oxygen control and labeling — keeps things moving. Here are the key points if we take on the job.

• 1 go and 2 go can be handled with our stock bags; 3 go and above are not possible with our current bags
• Oxygen control is done by including an oxygen absorber; vacuum packing is not available
• The client decides the label content (especially the milling date) based on information from the business that milled the rice
• Work costs are 90 yen per bag at price list unit prices (one back label, oxygen absorber included). Bags, shipping and shipping work are extra, and filling-only orders carry an initial fee of 15,000 yen on the first order

If you want to know how much a given number of 2 go bags would cost, try the quote form.

Recommended reading
A complete guide to choosing filling-processing OEM
6 Practical Ways to Reduce Initial Costs for OEM Filling
Cutting Costs and Controlling Quality in Stand-Up Pouch Filling