What Private Label Covers
Private label means the IRRI-6 rice ships under the buyer's brand name on custom-printed bags. The mill produces the rice, executes the printing, fills the bags, and exports the cargo with the buyer's brand identity. Private label is distinct from white label (plain bags with stencil-only origin marks) and OEM (full product specification authority).
Three private label tiers exist: full custom artwork on BOPP, standard color variation on non-woven, and stencil-only on plain PP. Each tier carries different minimums and lead times.
Minimum Order Quantity
Private label IRRI-6 minimum is 10 x 20' FCL, roughly 270 metric tons. The doubled MOQ versus standard 5 FCL covers the printing setup overhead, plate charges, and dedicated production scheduling.
| Order Type | MOQ | Tonnage |
|---|---|---|
| Standard plain or stencil | 5 x 20' FCL | ~135 MT |
| Private label | 10 x 20' FCL | ~270 MT |
| Mixed grade plus private label | 10 x 20' FCL | ~270 MT |
Bag Material Options and Minimums
Three packaging materials support private label printing. Bag material drives both visual quality and minimum order quantity.
| Material | Print Quality | Bag Minimum | Plate Charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOPP laminated | Full color, photographic, glossy | 15,000 bags | $500-$800 |
| Non-woven polypropylene | Solid colors, simple graphics | 5,000 bags | $300-$500 |
| Standup pouches | Premium retail, 1-5 kg sizes | 20,000 pouches | $500-$800 |
| Plain PP woven (stencil only) | Single-color stencil | None | $0-$100 |
Minimum custom bag size is 5 kg. The mill does not produce 1 kg or 2 kg bags. Bag size selection should match the destination retail channel: 5 kg and 10 kg for supermarkets, 25 kg for food service and small wholesale, 50 kg for bulk wholesale only.
Retail Formats by Market
| Market | Common Retail Format | Material Preference |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya, Tanzania (East Africa retail) | 5 kg, 10 kg, 25 kg | BOPP for branded, non-woven for value |
| Ghana / Ivory Coast parboiled retail | 5 kg, 10 kg, 25 kg, 50 kg | BOPP laminated |
| CIS retail | 5 kg, 10 kg | BOPP laminated |
| EU brown rice retail | 1 kg, 5 kg (1 kg in standup pouches) | BOPP or standup pouch |
| West African staple wholesale | 50 kg only | Plain PP, stencil |
Custom Artwork Process
Six steps from brand brief to printed bag.
- Brand brief. Buyer sends logo files (vector preferred), brand colors (Pantone codes), product copy, and any regulatory text required by destination (nutrition facts, certifications).
- Mock-up design. Mill or its packaging partner produces a digital proof in 5-7 business days. The proof shows front, back, sides, and gusset.
- Buyer review and revisions. One round of revisions included. Additional rounds add 3-5 days each.
- Brand approval signoff. Buyer signs the final mock-up. This freezes artwork.
- Plate production. 7-10 days for BOPP rotogravure plates; 5-7 days for non-woven flexo plates.
- Mass printing and bagging. 14-21 days for the full bag run (15,000+ BOPP bags or 5,000+ non-woven).
Lead Time Math
Total lead time from PI signing to vessel sailing on a first-time private label order: 35-50 days. Repeat orders using the same artwork run on the standard 10-15 day cargo readiness timeline once the design plates are on file.
| Stage | Days (first order) | Days (repeat order) |
|---|---|---|
| Mock-up and revisions | 5-10 | 0 |
| Plate production | 5-10 | 0 |
| Printing and bagging | 14-21 | 5-10 |
| Rice production and filling | 10-15 | 10-15 |
| Inspection and loading | 2-4 | 2-4 |
| Total | 35-50 | 17-29 |
Quality Control on Private Label
Private label inspection includes the standard pre-shipment inspection scope (grain quality, moisture, broken percentage, container cleanliness) plus a packaging-specific audit. The packaging audit verifies print color accuracy against the approved mock-up, label position alignment, fill weight per bag, and seal integrity.
Pre-shipment inspection by SGS, Bureau Veritas, or Intertek is included in the FOB price at the 10 FCL private label MOQ. See the pre-shipment inspection guide for full scope detail.
Brand Protection
Mills sign confidentiality agreements covering brand artwork, recipe, and supply terms. Plates are stored under buyer-specific identification and are not used for any other brand. Mills do not produce the same artwork for competing buyers.
Pricing Premium for Private Label
The private label premium over plain bag is $5-$15/MT, covering plate charges, color matching, and dedicated production scheduling. The premium amortizes over the 270 MT minimum, working out to about 1-3% above standard FOB. Live FOB Karachi pricing shows the standard plain-bag baseline. The premium applies equally to IRRI-6 5% broken and 25% broken grades; mills do not load extra cost onto specific broken grades for branded production.
Where Private Label Wins
Three commercial scenarios where private label pays off. First, supermarket channel access. Most modern grocery chains require their suppliers to deliver pre-branded retail packs, not their own house brand. Second, regional brand differentiation. A buyer building a brand in Kenya or CIS gains 6-12 months of shelf-presence over white-label competitors. Third, traceability. Branded packaging carries the buyer's batch and date code, simplifying recall and consumer feedback.
Cross-Reference Reading
For full container loading patterns and bag count math, see the packaging and container loading guide. For standard import workflow before adding private label, see how to import IRRI-6 rice from Pakistan. The Kenya retail market and Ghanaian parboiled retail are typical destinations for branded 25 kg bags.
Sister-Site Reference
For broader Pakistan rice private-label context covering basmati and other varieties beyond IRRI-6, see complete rice packaging guide.
Start Your Private Label Order
Send your brand brief and target retail format to launch the mock-up phase. Submit a private label RFQ with destination port, grade, bag size, and quantity for a tailored quotation.