Pet Food Holiday Production Rhythm Guide

# Pet Food Holiday Production Rhythm

The Double 11 top 10 pet food brands on Tmall are out. How do brands plan OEM production capacity?

Holiday timeline

| Time | Action |

|------|--------|

| Jul-Aug | Formula final, sampling |

| Sep | Trial production, packaging ready |

| Early Oct | Bulk production, warehousing |

| Late Oct | Pre-sale lock orders |

| Oct 31 8pm | First wave |

| Nov 11 | Peak |

Production planning

1. Start 2-3 months ahead

2. Holiday orders are 3-5x daily

3. Factories are full by October

4. Last-minute additions won't fit

Packaging first

• Bags, labels, gift boxes take 20-30 days
• No packaging = no production

Lock raw material prices

• Chicken, fish oil, starch fluctuate
• Lock prices in September
• Too late before the holiday

Split production

• Wave 1: before Oct 15 (pre-sale)
• Wave 2: before Oct 30 (first wave restock)
• Wave 3: before Nov 5 (Nov 11 restock)

Cost and MOQ

| Item | Holiday volume | Daily |

|------|---------------|-------|

| Kibble | 5-20 tons | 500kg |

| Treats | 1-5 tons | 200kg |

| Freeze-dried | 200-500kg | 50kg |

Common pitfalls

1. Finding a factory in September -> too late

2. Packaging delayed -> production stops

3. Raw material price hikes -> cost overrun

4. Logistics bottleneck -> courier stops

5. Quality inspection delay -> stuck outbound

New brands

1. Don't chase top 10 — start with a small hit

2. 500kg-1 ton kibble is enough

3. Start finding a factory 2 months ahead

4. Source packaging yourself or via factory

5. Reserve 10% for restock

Choosing a co-packer

1. Holiday production experience?

2. Can it lock delivery dates?

3. Sourcing packaging?

4. Expedited QC?

5. Split-wave restock?

If you are planning next year's holiday season, start finding factories now. Mixiaoqi pet food OEM/ODM has holiday production experience with dedicated kibble, freeze-dried, and treat lines starting at 500kg.

FAQ

How much should a new brand stock?

500kg-1 ton, don't overstock.

Can the factory source packaging?

Yes, most can for a service fee.

What if it doesn't sell out?

Kibble has a 12-month shelf life, sell slowly.