{"id":48394,"date":"2026-04-24T08:57:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T01:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/?p=48394"},"modified":"2026-04-24T08:57:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T01:57:14","slug":"oem-factory-selection-common-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/contents\/oem-factory-selection-common-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Missing Perspectives Common Among Companies That Fail When Selecting Overseas OEM Factories"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Selecting an overseas pet food OEM factory is a decision that can affect product quality, brand credibility, and profitability over the long term. However, many companies entering overseas outsourcing for the first time, or considering a switch from their current manufacturing partner, choose factories without fully considering three critical perspectives. As a result, they often lose significant time and incur serious costs later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article outlines common failure patterns and explains the three essential perspectives that should be considered when selecting an OEM factory. The goal is to present a structured factory selection framework that goes beyond simple cost comparisons and certification checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What You Will Learn in This Article<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-item__checkmark--square has-dark-white-background-color has-background\">\n<li>The three common missing perspectives that often lead companies to fail when selecting overseas pet food OEM factories.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How each missing perspective can lead to actual business problems and failure patterns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk areas that cannot be identified simply by checking whether a factory has certifications.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Practical checkpoints to review before selecting a factory, including comparison tables.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Frequently asked questions about overseas factory evaluation, negotiation, and contracts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Is Cost-First Factory Selection Risky?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>When a factory is selected based only on cost, risks may emerge simultaneously in three areas: quality, stable supply, and regulatory compliance.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In overseas OEM decision-making, it is natural for quoted prices to become the first point of comparison. However, in overseas pet food manufacturing, using cost as the sole evaluation criterion can lead to structural decision-making errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pet food is ultimately consumed by animals, which means quality issues may not surface immediately. However, when they do become visible, the impact can be severe. One notable industry example is the 2007 melamine contamination incident in the United States, where contamination through imported raw materials led to a large-scale recall. This case strongly demonstrated to the entire industry how procurement decisions focused primarily on price competitiveness can threaten product safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This example is not intended to criticize any specific country or business operator. Rather, it is an important case for understanding the subsequent strengthening of food safety regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fact<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In the United States, under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), manufacturing facilities for animal food, including pet food, are required to establish food safety plans that include hazard analysis, preventive controls, and recordkeeping. This reflects an approach that focuses not only on responding after a problem occurs, but also on identifying and managing risks in the manufacturing process in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, when evaluating a factory, companies must look not only at manufacturing costs and quotation terms, but also at whether the factory has a management system capable of meeting such regulatory requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Countries and factories with strong price competitiveness do not always have regulatory response capabilities that match the requirements of export destination markets. This gap can become a serious market entry risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implication<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Factories with low manufacturing costs may also have relatively limited investment in raw material sourcing, quality control systems, and traceability. Selecting a manufacturing partner without examining the reasons behind its cost advantage may amount to purchasing structural risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-paragraph__lines-right\" style=\"font-size:20px\"><strong><span class=\"epb-underline\">Cost Structures That Cannot Be Seen Through Price Comparison Alone<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Evaluation Item<\/th><th>Costs Often Overlooked in Cost-First Selection<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Quality defects<\/td><td>Recall costs, inspection costs, disposal costs, customer support workload<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Regulatory non-compliance<\/td><td>Import detention, redoing certifications, market entry delays<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Unstable supply<\/td><td>Alternative sourcing costs, opportunity loss, increased safety stock costs<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Communication problems<\/td><td>Rework due to specification changes, increased translation and confirmation workload<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Lack of audit or on-site verification<\/td><td>Information gaps that later turn into additional costs<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A low quotation rarely represents the true total procurement cost. Evaluating OEM outsourcing based on total cost, including these downstream costs, is a fundamental financial perspective in OEM decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Missing Perspective 1: <br>Failing to Verify the Actual Quality Management System<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>The existence of certifications and the actual operational level of a factory\u2019s quality management system are not the same thing. Factory reality cannot be fully understood through document review alone.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Many companies end their quality evaluation once they confirm that a factory has obtained certifications such as \u201cISO 22000 certified\u201d or \u201cHACCP certified.\u201d However, certification is only proof of compliance with certain standards at a particular point in time. It does not, by itself, fully prove that quality management is functioning effectively in daily manufacturing operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fact<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>HACCP, or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, is one of the international food safety management frameworks presented by the Codex Alimentarius. However, the effectiveness of HACCP depends not merely on the existence of a written plan, but on how it is actually operated at each facility, including whether corrective actions and recordkeeping function properly when deviations occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implication<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of stopping at certification checks, companies should confirm actual manufacturing line control records, the process from abnormality detection to corrective action, and the practical operation of lot-level traceability. These checks are essential for evaluating quality risk in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-paragraph__lines-right\" style=\"font-size:20px\"><strong><span class=\"epb-underline\">Factory Quality Management Checklist<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Checkpoint<\/th><th>What Can Be Confirmed Through Documents<\/th><th>What Requires On-Site Verification<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Raw material management<\/td><td>Approved supplier list, receiving standards<\/td><td>Actual frequency and procedures of incoming inspections<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Process control<\/td><td>HACCP plan, monitoring record formats<\/td><td>Actual response flow and records when deviations occur<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Product testing<\/td><td>Testing specifications, contracts with external laboratories<\/td><td>Frequency of internal testing and handling flow for non-conforming products<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Traceability<\/td><td>Explanation of lot numbering system<\/td><td>Actual traceability exercise, including speed and accuracy of forward and backward tracing<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Education and training<\/td><td>Training plan and attendance records<\/td><td>Interviews with on-site staff to confirm understanding<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Equipment maintenance<\/td><td>Equipment list and regular inspection records<\/td><td>Visual confirmation of line cleanliness and foreign material contamination risks<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hypothesis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>There may be a difference in the incidence of quality complaints within 12 months after outsourcing begins between companies that conduct on-site factory audits and those that select factories based only on document review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-paragraph__lines-right\" style=\"font-size:20px\"><strong><span class=\"epb-underline\">Major Certifications and On-Site Confirmation Points<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FEDIAF, the European Pet Food Industry Federation, publishes practical guidelines on the safe manufacturing of pet food. These guidelines provide an industry reference framework for hygiene control, traceability, process management, and related areas. Confirming whether a factory has incorporated such industry guidelines into actual manufacturing operations and audit responses, rather than treating them merely as reference documents, can also serve as a useful supplement to certification checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Missing Perspective 2: <br>Failing to Confirm Regulatory Compliance by Product and Market<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Regulatory requirements differ depending on the export destination and product category. It is essential to individually verify whether the factory\u2019s regulatory response capabilities match the target market.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Regulatory risk in overseas OEM outsourcing is more complex than many companies assume. The assumption that \u201ca factory with food safety certification should be fine\u201d only holds true if the regulatory requirements of the export destination market are aligned with the factory\u2019s actual capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fact 1<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Pet food for the United States must comply with FDA regulations and labeling requirements based on state feed laws. AAFCO provides nutrient profiles, ingredient definitions, and model regulations that are widely referenced across states, but legal enforcement depends on FDA regulations and individual state laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fact 2<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Pet food for the EU is subject to regulations such as Regulation (EC) No 767\/2009 on the placing on the market and use of feed, and Regulation (EC) No 1831\/2003 on feed additives. When factories outside the EU export products to the EU market, labeling compliance and feed additive suitability must be confirmed in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fact 3<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>For Japan, the Act on Safety Assurance and Quality Improvement of Pet Food, administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of the Environment, applies to pet food for dogs and cats. Compliance with ingredient standards, manufacturing method standards, and labeling standards is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-paragraph__lines-right\" style=\"font-size:20px\"><strong><span class=\"epb-underline\">Market-Specific Regulations and Confirmation Points<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Destination Market<\/th><th>Main Regulations and Standards<\/th><th>Factory Capabilities to Confirm<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Japan<\/td><td>Pet Food Safety Act<\/td><td>Ability to comply with ingredient standards and labeling requirements; experience supporting Japanese label design<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>United States<\/td><td>FDA regulations, AAFCO model regulations, state feed laws<\/td><td>FSMA compliance; practical experience in labeling and formulation based on AAFCO references<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>EU<\/td><td>EC 767\/2009, EC 1831\/2003<\/td><td>EU labeling support, verification of approved additives, export experience to the EU<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Southeast Asia<\/td><td>Import registration and labeling regulations of each country<\/td><td>Local registration support, religious certification and local language labeling where required<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Australia<\/td><td>Import conditions and relevant regulatory requirements where applicable<\/td><td>Export experience to Australia, ability to respond to quarantine and import conditions<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>New Zealand<\/td><td>MPI import conditions and related systems<\/td><td>Export experience to New Zealand, ability to provide raw material certificates and respond to quarantine conditions<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implication<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Confirming whether the factory\u2019s past export markets match the market your company plans to enter is an effective initial screening method for regulatory risk. If you are outsourcing a product for a market where the factory has no track record, additional expert support may be required to supplement the factory\u2019s regulatory capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-paragraph__lines-right\" style=\"font-size:20px\"><strong><span class=\"epb-underline\">Common Regulatory Compliance Failure Patterns<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are common practical failure patterns where regulatory non-compliance is discovered only after factory selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list is-style-item__num--border\">\n<li><strong>Overlooking labeling requirements:<\/strong><br>Even if the factory can manufacture the product, it may not have experience meeting the destination market\u2019s labeling requirements, such as ingredient declaration order or nutritional analysis presentation. This can lead to label redesign and delays.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use of additives not approved in the target market:<\/strong><br>An additive included in the factory\u2019s standard formulation may be unapproved or subject to usage limits in the destination market, requiring reformulation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Insufficient raw material origin documentation:<\/strong><br>The destination market may require certificates of origin for raw materials, but the factory\u2019s raw material management system may not be capable of meeting those requirements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Failure to handle quarantine or registration procedures:<\/strong><br>The factory may not be sufficiently familiar with the destination country\u2019s quarantine conditions or pre-registration procedures, causing the product launch to take much longer than expected.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Missing Perspective 3: <br>Failing to Assess Long-Term Collaboration Potential<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Factory selection should not be treated as the selection of a one-time transaction partner. It should be positioned as a decision to identify a partner that can collaborate as the product grows.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Many companies see factory selection as the process of finding the best balance of cost and quality at the present moment. However, in pet food OEM outsourcing, the quality of the relationship across the entire product lifecycle directly affects business competitiveness. Especially in overseas OEM projects, it is important to evaluate not only initial quality and pricing, but also supply continuity and backup production capacity in order to reduce business risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implication<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if a factory produces the first lot without quality or cost issues, its responsiveness, willingness to cooperate, and communication quality may decline when requirements change. These changes may include production scale-up, the addition of product lines, formulation revisions in response to market changes, or packaging specification updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-paragraph__lines-right\" style=\"font-size:20px\"><strong><span class=\"epb-underline\">Three Perspectives Needed to Evaluate Long-Term Partnership Potential<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technical Development Capability<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to evaluate whether the outsourcing partner is not only a factory that can manufacture the current product, but also a factory that can support the development of next-generation products. This is especially important for medium- to long-term brand strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"epb-box epb-has-box-margin-item is-style-epb-border-headline\" style=\"--epb-box-padding-top:16px;--epb-box-padding-right:16px;--epb-box-padding-bottom:16px;--epb-box-padding-left:16px;--epb-box-margin-item:8px;--epb-box-padding-background-color:#ffffff;--epb-box-border-style:solid;--epb-box-border-color:#cf2e2e;--epb-box-border-width-top:2px;--epb-box-border-width-bottom:2px;--epb-box-border-width-left:2px;--epb-box-border-width-right:2px;--epb-box-radius:3px\"><div class=\"epb-box__headline icon-lightbulb \" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"text-align:left;--epb-box-headline-background-color:#cf2e2e;--epb-font-sp:14px;--epb-font-tablet:14px;--epb-font-pc:16px;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0.05em;color:#ffffff\">Points to confirm<\/div><div class=\"epb-box__body\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-item__checkmark\">\n<li>Presence of an R&amp;D department or formulation development personnel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Experience with trial production using new raw materials or functional ingredients.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Minimum production lot size and lead time when formulation changes are required.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Communication Quality and Information Disclosure<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>When manufacturing issues or raw material market changes occur, the factory\u2019s ability to share information quickly and accurately is extremely important from a risk management perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"epb-box epb-has-box-margin-item is-style-epb-border-headline\" style=\"--epb-box-padding-top:16px;--epb-box-padding-right:16px;--epb-box-padding-bottom:16px;--epb-box-padding-left:16px;--epb-box-margin-item:8px;--epb-box-padding-background-color:#ffffff;--epb-box-border-style:solid;--epb-box-border-color:#cf2e2e;--epb-box-border-width-top:2px;--epb-box-border-width-bottom:2px;--epb-box-border-width-left:2px;--epb-box-border-width-right:2px;--epb-box-radius:3px\"><div class=\"epb-box__headline icon-lightbulb \" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"text-align:left;--epb-box-headline-background-color:#cf2e2e;--epb-font-sp:14px;--epb-font-tablet:14px;--epb-font-pc:16px;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0.05em;color:#ffffff\">Points to confirm<\/div><div class=\"epb-box__body\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-item__checkmark\">\n<li>Reporting flow and historical reporting speed when quality issues occur.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advance notification system for raw material price fluctuations or supply instability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Language capability of the person in charge, or availability of interpretation and translation support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scalability and Willingness to Invest in Equipment<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Evaluating not only current production capacity, but also whether the factory has enough spare capacity and willingness to respond to future increases in production, is essential for assessing long-term supply stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"epb-box epb-has-box-margin-item is-style-epb-border-headline\" style=\"--epb-box-padding-top:16px;--epb-box-padding-right:16px;--epb-box-padding-bottom:16px;--epb-box-padding-left:16px;--epb-box-margin-item:8px;--epb-box-padding-background-color:#ffffff;--epb-box-border-style:solid;--epb-box-border-color:#cf2e2e;--epb-box-border-width-top:2px;--epb-box-border-width-bottom:2px;--epb-box-border-width-left:2px;--epb-box-border-width-right:2px;--epb-box-radius:3px\"><div class=\"epb-box__headline icon-lightbulb \" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"text-align:left;--epb-box-headline-background-color:#cf2e2e;--epb-font-sp:14px;--epb-font-tablet:14px;--epb-font-pc:16px;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0.05em;color:#ffffff\">Points to confirm<\/div><div class=\"epb-box__body\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-item__checkmark\">\n<li>Current operating rate and available additional production capacity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Equipment investment record over the past three to five years, such as production line upgrades or introduction of testing equipment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hypothesis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on practical observations, in cases where companies review or switch outsourcing partners within a few years after starting production, the reason is often not only unit price or initial quality. Delays in information sharing and dissatisfaction with response speed may become major reasons for reconsidering the factory relationship. However, no public statistics have been confirmed to support this as a general fact, so it should be understood here as a practical implication rather than a universal conclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risks When These Three Missing Perspectives Overlap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>When all three perspectives are missing at the same time, risk does not merely increase additively. It can expand in a compounding manner.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Let us consider what may happen when outsourcing begins without confirming Perspective 1, the actual quality management system; Perspective 2, regulatory response capability; and Perspective 3, long-term collaboration potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Example Scenario of a Compound Failure<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-item__arrow has-dark-white-background-color has-background\">\n<li><strong>Phase 1: Immediately After Outsourcing Begins<br><\/strong>The first lot is delivered without problems.<br>The company confirms price competitiveness, and the person in charge is satisfied.<br>\u3000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Phase 2: Mass Production<\/strong><br>As production volume increases, quality variation begins to occur.<br>Some raw materials are changed without prior notice.<br>\u3000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Phase 3: Market Entry<\/strong><br>The regulatory authority in the export destination points out deficiencies in labeling requirements.<br>It is later discovered that an ingredient in the formulation is not approved in the local market, requiring reformulation.<br>\u3000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Phase 4: Crisis Response<\/strong><br>The company asks the factory to investigate the cause of the quality problem, but traceability is insufficient and root-cause identification takes time. Communication is fragmented, delaying decision-making.<br>\u3000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Phase 5: Withdrawal or Factory Switch<\/strong><br>The company is forced to look for an alternative factory. However, transferring product specifications, redoing regulatory registration, and managing existing inventory require significant time and cost.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid this sequence of events, systematically evaluating the three perspectives during the selection stage is the most efficient form of risk management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Practical Factory Selection Framework<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Factory selection should not be designed as a simple three-step process of \u201ccertification check \u2192 quotation comparison \u2192 decision.\u201d It should be treated as a decision-making process consisting of at least six evaluation phases.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recommended Evaluation Flow for Factory Selection<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Phase<\/th><th>Evaluation Area<\/th><th>Main Confirmation Method<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>1. Screening<\/td><td>Certification, location, product category fit<\/td><td>Document review, factory profile review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2. Regulatory fit confirmation<\/td><td>Alignment with regulatory requirements of the destination market<\/td><td>Specification review, export record review, advice from regulatory experts<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>3. Quality system evaluation<\/td><td>Actual quality management and traceability<\/td><td>Document review plus on-site audit or third-party audit<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>4. Technical and development capability evaluation<\/td><td>Product development and trial production support<\/td><td>Interviews with technical personnel<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5. Communication evaluation<\/td><td>Information disclosure attitude, response speed, language capability<\/td><td>Observation during the Q&amp;A process<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6. Scalability confirmation<\/td><td>Production capacity, spare capacity, and investment attitude<\/td><td>Factory visit, confirmation of financial stability<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Points to Confirm Before Manufacturing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Confirming the following items before trial production can significantly reduce the risk of rework after manufacturing begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list is-style-item__num--square has-dark-white-background-color has-background\">\n<li>Mutual confirmation of product specifications, including formulation, raw material list, and processing method.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advance verification of ingredients and additives based on the regulatory requirements of the destination market.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confirmation of quality standards, including inspection items, standard values, and testing methods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pre-setting sample evaluation criteria, including both sensory evaluation and analytical testing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confirmation of conditions and procedures for moving from trial production to mass production.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Strategic Perspective in Selecting a Manufacturing Location<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>The selection of a manufacturing location is inseparable from product strategy and market strategy. It is important to evaluate not only the trade-off between cost and quality, but also market fit, regulatory environment, and sourcing network.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>When considering overseas OEM partners, understanding the manufacturing characteristics of each country or region is essential for building the strategic context of factory selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Zealand and Australia<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>New Zealand and Australia are often mentioned internationally as sources of premium pet food ingredients because of their mature food safety systems and high production management standards in agriculture and livestock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"epb-linkcard is-style-epb-radius__0 is-style-epb-hover__floating wp-block-emanon-premium-blocks-linkcard epb-margin-top__default epb-margin-top__default-sp epb-margin-top__default-tablet\" style=\"--epb-linkcard-arrow-size:16px\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_label icon-edit\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"font-size:12px;letter-spacing:0.15em\">Related article<\/div><a class=\"epb-linkcard_link\" href=\"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/contents\/oem-for-dog-foods-in-new-zealand\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_inner epb-arrow-effect-right is-style-epb-arrow__01\" style=\"padding-top:16px;padding-bottom:16px;padding-left:24px;border-style:solid;border-top-width:0;border-bottom-width:2px;border-left-width:0;border-right-width:0;border-color:#e5e7e8\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_heading\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_title\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"--epb-title-font-sp:16px;--epb-title-font-tablet:16px;--epb-title-font-pc:16px;letter-spacing:0.04em;color:#333333\">Benefits and Competitive Advantages of OEM Dog Food Manufacturing in New Zealand<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"epb-linkcard is-style-epb-radius__0 is-style-epb-hover__floating wp-block-emanon-premium-blocks-linkcard epb-margin-top__default epb-margin-top__default-sp epb-margin-top__default-tablet\" style=\"--epb-linkcard-arrow-size:16px\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_label icon-edit\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"font-size:12px;letter-spacing:0.15em\">Related article<\/div><a class=\"epb-linkcard_link\" href=\"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/contents\/oem-for-dog-foods-in-australia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_inner epb-arrow-effect-right is-style-epb-arrow__01\" style=\"padding-top:16px;padding-bottom:16px;padding-left:24px;border-style:solid;border-top-width:0;border-bottom-width:2px;border-left-width:0;border-right-width:0;border-color:#e5e7e8\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_heading\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_title\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"--epb-title-font-sp:16px;--epb-title-font-tablet:16px;--epb-title-font-pc:16px;letter-spacing:0.04em;color:#333333\">The Benefits and Competitive Advantages of OEM Dog Food Manufacturing in Australia<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thailand<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Thailand is one of the major pet food export hubs in Southeast Asia, and many factories have export experience to Japan, the EU, and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"epb-linkcard is-style-epb-radius__0 is-style-epb-hover__floating wp-block-emanon-premium-blocks-linkcard epb-margin-top__default epb-margin-top__default-sp epb-margin-top__default-tablet\" style=\"--epb-linkcard-arrow-size:16px\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_label icon-edit\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"font-size:12px;letter-spacing:0.15em\">Related article<\/div><a class=\"epb-linkcard_link\" href=\"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/contents\/oem-for-pet-foods-in-thailand\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_inner epb-arrow-effect-right is-style-epb-arrow__01\" style=\"padding-top:16px;padding-bottom:16px;padding-left:24px;border-style:solid;border-top-width:0;border-bottom-width:2px;border-left-width:0;border-right-width:0;border-color:#e5e7e8\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_heading\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_title\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"--epb-title-font-sp:16px;--epb-title-font-tablet:16px;--epb-title-font-pc:16px;letter-spacing:0.04em;color:#333333\">[Thailand: A Global Pet Food Export] Product Development &amp; OEM Manufacturing Support<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Canada<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Canada is often considered as a manufacturing base for pet food targeting the North American market, particularly in terms of raw material sourcing infrastructure and quality supervision systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"epb-linkcard is-style-epb-radius__0 is-style-epb-hover__floating wp-block-emanon-premium-blocks-linkcard epb-margin-top__default epb-margin-top__default-sp epb-margin-top__default-tablet\" style=\"--epb-linkcard-arrow-size:16px\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_label icon-edit\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"font-size:12px;letter-spacing:0.15em\">Related article<\/div><a class=\"epb-linkcard_link\" href=\"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/contents\/oem-for-dog-foods-in-canada\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_inner epb-arrow-effect-right is-style-epb-arrow__01\" style=\"padding-top:16px;padding-bottom:16px;padding-left:24px;border-style:solid;border-top-width:0;border-bottom-width:2px;border-left-width:0;border-right-width:0;border-color:#e5e7e8\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_heading\"><div class=\"epb-linkcard_title\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"--epb-title-font-sp:16px;--epb-title-font-tablet:16px;--epb-title-font-pc:16px;letter-spacing:0.04em;color:#333333\">Strategic Advantages of Dog Food Manufacturing via Canadian OEM Partners_Private Label<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"epb-box epb-has-box-margin-item is-style-epb-border-headline\" style=\"--epb-box-padding-top:16px;--epb-box-padding-right:16px;--epb-box-padding-bottom:16px;--epb-box-padding-left:16px;--epb-box-margin-item:8px;--epb-box-padding-background-color:#ffffff;--epb-box-border-style:solid;--epb-box-border-color:#cf2e2e;--epb-box-border-width-top:2px;--epb-box-border-width-bottom:2px;--epb-box-border-width-left:2px;--epb-box-border-width-right:2px;--epb-box-radius:3px\"><div class=\"epb-box__headline icon-lightbulb \" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"text-align:left;--epb-box-headline-background-color:#cf2e2e;--epb-font-sp:14px;--epb-font-tablet:14px;--epb-font-pc:16px;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0.05em;color:#ffffff\">Key Point<\/div><div class=\"epb-box__body\">\n<p>A sourcing structure that depends on a single manufacturing location may be vulnerable to raw material supply instability, currency fluctuations, political risk, and logistics disruptions. Having manufacturing options across multiple regions may help diversify supply risk while also enabling greater variety in the product portfolio.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overview of Major Manufacturing Regions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Region<\/th><th>Characteristics Often Mentioned as Strengths<\/th><th>Points to Consider<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>New Zealand<\/td><td>Raw material quality, mature food safety systems<\/td><td>Manufacturing cost, logistics distance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Canada<\/td><td>Alignment with North American regulations, raw material infrastructure<\/td><td>Currency fluctuations, transportation cost<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Australia<\/td><td>Food safety standards, premium raw material sourcing<\/td><td>Manufacturing cost, export procedures<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Thailand<\/td><td>Cost competitiveness, export experience within Southeast Asia and beyond<\/td><td>Differences in quality levels between factories<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Europe<\/td><td>EU regulatory experience, functional ingredient technology<\/td><td>Manufacturing cost, complexity of certification processes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Note: The characteristics above are based on general market observations and do not guarantee the capability of any individual factory.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q1. Is an on-site factory audit essential? Is document review alone insufficient?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Document review, including certification documents, quality manuals, and inspection records, is a necessary condition. However, it is not sufficient for understanding the actual state of the factory. An on-site audit, or an audit by a trusted third-party organization, is an effective way to evaluate aspects of the manufacturing site that cannot be confirmed through documents alone, such as equipment cleanliness, staff work habits, and emergency response systems. Depending on transaction value, product risk, and the importance of the target market, companies should consider conducting an on-site audit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q2. Can a small brand compare multiple factory candidates?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Even when the first production lot is small, it is still possible to send an RFI, or Request for Information, to multiple factories and compare their responses. A factory\u2019s willingness to disclose information, response speed, and communication quality can be observed during the RFI process itself. Regardless of order size, comparing at least two to three factories before making a final decision may reduce the likelihood of regret later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q3. How much cost should be expected when switching factories?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The cost of switching factories varies significantly depending on the product, market, and regulatory requirements. However, typical cost items may include evaluation and audit costs for the new factory, trial production and quality confirmation costs, re-registration costs in the export destination market where required, disposal or management of existing inventory, and dual management costs during the transition period. The time required for switching depends on product complexity and market requirements, but cases requiring six months to more than one year are not uncommon. From this perspective, improving the accuracy of the initial factory selection is highly cost-effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q4. Can communication with overseas factories be handled in Japanese?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This depends greatly on the factory. Some factories with experience in OEM production for the Japanese market may have Japanese-speaking contact points. However, support in languages other than English must be confirmed individually, including the surrounding support system. In areas where language barriers may arise, such as specification confirmation, quality claim negotiations, and contract condition adjustments, it may be effective to use intermediary support that can bridge local language, Japanese, and English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The three missing perspectives commonly seen among companies that fail in overseas pet food OEM factory selection can be summarized as follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list is-style-item__num--square has-dark-white-background-color has-background\">\n<li><strong>Failure to verify the actual quality management system:<\/strong><br>The company judges based only on whether certifications exist and begins outsourcing without confirming how quality management is actually operated on site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Failure to verify regulatory response capability by market and product:<\/strong><br>The company does not confirm whether the regulatory requirements of the export destination market align with the factory\u2019s actual capabilities, resulting in regulatory non-compliance later.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Failure to evaluate long-term partnership potential:<\/strong><br>The company selects a factory based only on initial order conditions and builds the relationship without evaluating technical development capability, communication quality, and scalability.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>By incorporating these three perspectives systematically from the factory selection stage, companies may significantly reduce the risk of quality problems, regulatory issues, and partnership breakdowns after outsourcing begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cost optimization is important. However, choosing the cheapest factory and choosing the best factory are not the same thing. To select a manufacturing partner that can support long-term business competitiveness, companies should invest the necessary time and expertise into the factory selection process itself. This becomes the foundation of a sustainable OEM strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our Global Sourcing Network<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Through our global sourcing network covering New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Thailand, and Europe, we support factory selection, evaluation, and information organization for overseas pet food OEM outsourcing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We welcome inquiries such as: \u201cWe would like to consider which country\u2019s manufacturing environment best fits our product strategy,\u201d \u201cWe would like to exchange information about the quality and regulatory response of our current outsourcing partner,\u201d or \u201cWe are at the early stage of searching for a manufacturing partner for a new market and would like to clarify the key issues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We cannot guarantee specific quotations, delivery schedules, or supply volumes. However, we can help organize information and present key discussion points during the factory selection stage by utilizing our local network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f7f5f0\"><strong>Email<\/strong><br>nagai@first-reach.org<br>We reply within 1 business day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f7f5f0\"><strong>Phone<\/strong><br>+66 (0)6-1457-4310<br>Weekdays 8:00\u301c17:00<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f7f5f0\"><strong>Web Form<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/contact\/<\/a><br>Available 24\/7 via smartphone or PC<\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"474\" height=\"456\" src=\"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OEM_contact.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-44968 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OEM_contact.png 474w, https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OEM_contact-300x289.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-emanon-premium-blocks-button epb-button epb-alignment-center epb-margin-top__default epb-margin-top__default-sp epb-margin-top__default-tablet\" data-button-size=\"xlg\"><div class=\"epb-btn-size__xlg\" style=\"--epb-button-text-font-sp:14;--epb-button-text-font-tablet:14;--epb-button-text-font-pc:14;--epb-microcopy-top-font-sp:12;--epb-microcopy-top-font-tablet:12;--epb-microcopy-top-font-pc:12;--epb-microcopy-bottom-font-sp:12;--epb-microcopy-bottom-font-tablet:12;--epb-microcopy-bottom-font-pc:12\"><a style=\"--epb-button-bg-color:#00856d;--epb-button-text-color:#ffffff;--epb-button-border-size:1px\" class=\"epb-btn epb-btn__outline is-style-epb-radius__3 is-style-epb-button__standard is-style-epb-hover__floating\" href=\"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"epb-btn-text\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"line-height:1;letter-spacing:0em\">Contact Us<\/span><\/a><div class=\"epb-microcopy-bottom\" data-fontweight=\"normal\" style=\"letter-spacing:0.1em\">Feel free to reach out anytime.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c77dded96ae7e1f3665bae950a75f45b\">References<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0cced2a51c74354ae6823ea445a8310a\">\n<li>FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). &#8220;Melamine Pet Food Recall of 2007.&#8221; U.S. FDA Consumer Updates. 2007. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FDA. &#8220;Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).&#8221; 2011. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FAO\/WHO. &#8220;HACCP System and Guidelines for Its Application. Annex to CAC\/RCP 1-1969.&#8221; Codex Alimentarius. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FEDIAF. &#8220;Code of Good Labelling Practice for Pet Food.&#8221; <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FEDIAF. &#8220;Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs.&#8221; <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AAFCO. &#8220;AAFCO Official Publication 2024.&#8221; <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>European Parliament and Council. &#8220;Regulation (EC) No 767\/2009.&#8221; Official Journal of the European Union.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>European Parliament and Council. &#8220;Regulation (EC) No 1831\/2003.&#8221; Official Journal of the European Union.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u8fb2\u6797\u6c34\u7523\u7701\u30fb\u74b0\u5883\u7701. \u300c\u30da\u30c3\u30c8\u30d5\u30fc\u30c9\u5b89\u5168\u6cd5\u95a2\u9023\u60c5\u5831\u300d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>MPI (Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thai Pet Industry Club. Thailand Pet Food Export Statistics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ISO. &#8220;ISO 22000:2018 \u2014 Food safety management systems.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GS1 Global. &#8220;Traceability in the food supply chain.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FEDIAF. &#8220;Guide to Good Practice for the Manufacture of Safe Pet Food.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The editions and publication years of the sources above are based on the latest versions publicly available at the time of writing. Before practical use, please confirm the latest revisions of all regulatory information and check that all URLs remain active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article is provided for informational purposes only. Decisions regarding individual factories, transactions, and regulatory compliance should be made with advice from appropriate specialists. This article does not include definitive statements regarding prices, delivery schedules, supply guarantees, or product efficacy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Selecting an overseas pet food OEM factory is a decision that can affect product quality, brand credibility, and profitability over the long term. However, many companies entering overseas outsourcing for the first time, or considering a switch from their current manufacturing partner, choose factories without fully considering three critical perspectives. As a result, they often [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":48396,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-by-manufacturing-process"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48394"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48394\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48424,"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48394\/revisions\/48424"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48394"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48394"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}