Are You Really Peanut-Free? Key Questions to Ask Your Co-Manufacturer

For allergen-friendly food manufacturing, there’s no room for error, especially when it comes to peanuts. It’s one of the most serious allergens out there, responsible for the majority of severe food allergy reactions in children and adults. 

Peanut allergy has historically been linked to 50–62% of all food allergy–related deaths and is the leading cause of anaphylaxis-related ICU admissions in children across North America, accounting for nearly 39% of cases.

So when a product claims to be “peanut-free,” families are putting their trust (and their safety) in that promise.

Although, not all peanut-free claims are created equal. Some contract food manufacturers may run peanut-free products on shared lines. Others might produce them in facilities that also process tree nuts, dairy, soy, or other allergens. And some may not have strict enough controls in place to prevent cross-contact.

If you're serious about protecting your consumers, your brand, and your label claims, it’s time to dig deeper. Whether you’re developing school-safe snacks, better-for-you baked goods, or other allergen-friendly foods, here are the essential questions every brand should be asking their co-manufacturer.

#1. Is the Facility Dedicated Peanut-Free, or Just Peanut-Free by Batch?

This is the first and most important question. A facility that also runs peanut-containing products but promises to "clean" in between isn't good enough. Cross-contact risks remain even after sanitation, especially in high-volume environments or older facilities with hard-to-reach spaces.

At ZoRoCo, all three of our plants are 100% peanut-free by design. We don’t just clean out the lines — we never bring peanuts through the door. That’s true for our baking plants, blending lines, and even frozen and ambient production facilities. When you manufacture with us, peanut-free is the standard always. 

#2. What Other Allergens Are Handled in the Facility?

Peanuts might be your top concern, but what about tree nuts? Dairy? Soy? Wheat? Many families navigating food allergies are dealing with multiple sensitivities. If your product is marketed as school-safe snacks or Big 9 allergen-free, you’ll need to ask for full disclosure.

Here’s how we do it at ZoRoCo:

• Our Frozen and Temp-Controlled Plant is fully peanut-free, with strict ingredient sourcing and zoning protocols to prevent contamination.

• Our Gluten-Free Plant goes beyond GFCO standards to exclude dairy, soy, sesame, and many tree nuts.

• Our Big 9 Allergen-Free Plant excludes all major allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat, and sesame.

#3. How is Allergen Control Managed and Documented?

Even in allergen-free plants, mistakes can happen. That’s why your co-man should have a robust, documented allergen management plan. Ask for:

• Ingredient sourcing protocols

• Allergen control procedures

• Sanitation and verification steps

• Employee training and hygiene practices

• Line segregation maps and storage protocols

Your co-manufacturer should be prepared to provide all this documentation. For example, at ZoRoCo, our clients have live access to production data, including batch records and inventory movement, through our custom ERP portal. It’s total visibility, with no black box.

#4. Is the Facility Certified by Trusted Third Parties?

Certifications help validate a manufacturer’s processes and give your team and your retail partners peace of mind. Ask your co-manufacturer if they carry:

• GFCO Certification for gluten-free production

• GFSI BRC AA+ rating for food safety and quality management

• USDA Organic certification for organic products

• Non-GMO Project Verification

• OU Kosher Certification

• Rainforest Alliance License

We work closely with certifying bodies to ensure our facilities, processes, and products meet every requirement. From GFCO and USDA Organic to Non-GMO Project Verified and GFSI BRC AA+ rated, our certifications are regularly audited, rigorously maintained, and continuously updated as part of our quality-first approach.

#5. Can I Visit the Plant?

If a contract food manufacturer won’t let you inside their facility, that should be a red flag. Transparency means more than sharing reports — it means showing you how things actually run.

We invite all our partners to visit our facilities in Caldwell, Idaho. Walk the floor, observe a production run, and meet the team. We believe seeing is believing, and we’re proud to show how our allergen controls, packaging processes, and quality checks come together in real time.

#6. How Are Employees Trained on Allergen Safety?

It only takes one slip-up — one mislabeled ingredient, one missed clean — to cause a major problem. That’s why people are just as important as processes. Ask how employees are trained to handle allergens, and how often that training is refreshed.

At ZoRoCo, food safety is a cultural cornerstone. We conduct ongoing training on allergen protocols, verification processes, and food defense. Our team knows what’s at stake and treats every batch with the care it deserves.

#7: Are the Packaging Lines Allergen-Segregated?

Even if the baking line is peanut-free, food packaging can be a contamination zone if it’s shared with other products. That’s why it’s important to understand how your product is packaged, sealed, and labeled.

ZoRoCo offers a wide range of packaging options, all of which can be run in allergen-friendly environments:

• Vertical Form Fill & Seal Bags (VFF)

• Bag-in-a-Box Cartons

• Stand-Up Pouches (SUP)

• Peel + Go Cups and Bowls

• Club and Multi-Pack Formats

• Single-Serve Grab & Go

We’ll help you choose the right packaging format for your product, your claim, and your consumers.

Peanut-Free Should Mean Worry-Free

Peanut-free isn’t just a marketing claim. It’s a safety standard — and your reputation is on the line every time your product hits the shelf. If your co-manufacturer can’t answer these questions with clarity and confidence, it may be time to find a new co-man.

Here at ZoRoCo, allergen safety isn’t an add-on. It’s built into every process, every plant, and every promise we make. Whether you're a growing brand entering the school-safe space or a national company scaling your peanut-free snacks line, we’re here to help you grow — without compromise. Let’s make peanut-free mean what it should: safe, trusted, and truly worry-free.

Reach out to our team to learn more about our allergen-friendly contract food manufacturing!