| 1 | Food-Contact Material Compliance | The container must be suitable for direct contact with dry or wet pet food and must not introduce harmful substances. | Material declarations, food-contact compliance statements, supplier traceability records, and product specifications. | FDA 21 CFR food-contact requirements, EU Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004, or the target-market equivalent. | 20% |
| 2 | Material Selection and Barrier Performance | Barrier properties affect oxygen, moisture, light, aroma retention, shelf life, and resistance to oil from pet food. | Material structure, thickness specification, oxygen-transmission data, moisture-transmission data, and compatibility information. | ASTM D3985 for oxygen transmission and ASTM F1249 for water-vapor transmission, where applicable. | 15% |
| 3 | Container and Closure Integrity | Leaks, loose lids, weak seals, or poor fit can cause contamination, product loss, and customer complaints. | Seal-integrity test results, leak-test method, torque or closure specifications, and sample inspection records. | ASTM D3078 for leak detection of flexible packaging and applicable internal closure-performance procedures. | 14% |
| 4 | Quality Management System | A documented quality system helps control raw materials, production variation, inspection, corrective actions, and customer complaints. | Valid quality certificates, audit reports, inspection plans, nonconformance records, and corrective-action procedures. | ISO 9001 certification issued by an accredited certification body. | 12% |
| 5 | Production Capability and Capacity | Stable equipment, adequate capacity, and controlled production scheduling reduce delays and batch-to-batch variation. | Factory audit access, equipment list, production-flow information, stated monthly capacity, and capacity-planning records. | On-site or independent factory audit, production records, and approved pre-production samples. | 10% |
| 6 | Customization and Mold Development | Custom dimensions, colors, closures, labels, and dispensing features may be required for different pet food products and markets. | Technical drawings, CAD files, mold-ownership terms, prototype samples, color-control process, and change-management procedure. | Approved drawings, documented sample approval, dimensional inspection, and color measurement using an agreed reference. | 8% |
| 7 | Minimum Order Quantity and Lead Time | MOQ, tooling time, production lead time, and replenishment speed directly affect inventory investment and launch planning. | Written MOQ by SKU, tooling schedule, sample lead time, mass-production lead time, and shipment performance history. | Compare quoted lead times with purchase-order records and require agreed delivery terms in the contract. | 7% |
| 8 | Testing, Inspection, and Traceability | Lot identification and inspection records make it easier to investigate defects and maintain consistent product quality. | Incoming-material inspection, in-process checks, final-inspection reports, lot codes, retention samples, and calibration records. | AQL-based inspection plan, calibrated measuring equipment, and documented batch traceability. | 6% |
| 9 | Sustainability and Recyclability | Recyclable structures, recycled content, lightweighting, and responsible material sourcing can support retailer and regulatory requirements. | Material composition, recycled-content evidence, recyclability guidance, environmental claims substantiation, and packaging-weight data. | Target-market recycling rules, ISO 14001 where applicable, and third-party evidence for environmental claims. | 4% |
| 10 | Export Documentation and Commercial Reliability | Correct documents, clear Incoterms, secure packaging, and responsive communication reduce customs and supply-chain risk. | Pro forma invoice, packing list, certificate of origin when required, export references, packaging specifications, and communication SLA. | Contractual Incoterms under Incoterms 2020, shipping-document review, and pre-shipment inspection. | 4% |