PP Food Container Price per Piece: Full Cost Breakdown
Cost anatomy
| Component | Share of FOB |
|---|---|
| Resin | 55–65% |
| Machine time (moulding) | 15–20% |
| Labour and packing | 10–15% |
| Overhead, energy | ~5% |
| Margin | 5–10% |
How to compare two quotes fairly
Ask for these four numbers on every quote:
- Net weight per piece (g)
- Pieces per carton
- Carton CBM and gross weight
- Resin grade
Then compute price per gram of finished product. If one quote is 20% cheaper and 15% lighter, it is the same deal with less plastic — which may be fine for dry food and unacceptable for hot fill.
Example: why the cheapest quote wins nothing
| Supplier A | Supplier B | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit price | USD 0.105 | USD 0.128 |
| Net weight | 18 g | 23 g |
| Pcs per 40HQ | 90,000 | 72,000 |
| Freight per pc (est.) | USD 0.021 | USD 0.026 |
| Landed per pc | USD 0.126 | USD 0.154 |
Supplier B looks 22% dearer per piece and is 22% dearer landed — but the wall is 28% thicker, which is the difference between a container that survives hot fill and one that does not.
FAQ
Why did my price rise without notice? Resin price moves with propylene. Ask for a resin-linked clause with a ±5% band.
Is a lower price possible at higher volume? Yes, up to the point where machine time is fully utilised — usually 200,000+ pcs per run.
Next step
Send us a competitor's quote. We will break it down against ours on the four numbers above, honestly, including where they are cheaper.
Related reading
- 3-Compartment PP Lunch Box: PF-3C900 Specifications
- How to Import PP Containers from China: 8 Steps
- 32oz PP Soup Container: PF-GG950 and PF-L950
Models covered on this site: 2500 ml PF-RW2500 · 1000 ml PF-SQ1000S · 750 ml PF-RG750 · see all models in this category.
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