Before we talk about SEO for food manufacturers, let me paint you a picture.
It’s the middle of the week. A Wednesday.
The production line’s humming, but not like usual.
Forklifts are idling. Pallets of your best-sellers are shrink-wrapped and waiting.
Orders are… light.
You check your inbox again. Nothing new.
And here’s the thing — a few years ago, that never happened.
Back then, your calendar filled itself.
A buyer from a national supermarket would call after hearing about your gluten-free range from someone they met at a trade show.
A boutique snack brand would reach out because another co-packer mentioned your name over lunch.
You didn’t need to “market.” Word of mouth did the heavy lifting.
And that was enough. Until it wasn’t.
Because now?
Now, buyers don’t pick up the phone to ask their mates.
They don’t flip through a dusty Rolodex of referrals.
They don’t wait for the next expo around the corner.
They open a tab and type:
- frozen food co-manufacturer near me
- uk private label protein bar supplier
- gluten-free food manufacturing partner
And if you’re not showing up in that search?
They’re sending samples to someone else.
Sure, maybe you’ve tried a few things.
Maybe you posted a behind-the-scenes shot of your facility on LinkedIn.
Maybe you ran a campaign on Instagram that got a handful of likes from people you already know.
Maybe you dropped some brochures off at a distributor meet-up and hoped the right buyer picked one up on the way out.
But it’s not enough.
Because the way people find a food manufacturing partner has changed.
They don’t wait to be introduced.
They don’t scroll past page one.
They don’t call the guy who might handle a new protein powder line in six weeks if he finds a gap in production.
They call the business that’s right there, first in the search results, with clear capabilities, tight turnarounds, and a strong story.
That’s what SEO does for you.
It puts your name in front of serious buyers the moment they need you.
When a functional beverage startup is ready to scale.
When a food service brand’s current manufacturer dropped the ball.
When a natural snack company needs a clean-label partner they can trust.
These aren’t leads you have to chase.
They’re already looking for you.
They need what you make — and they’re ready to pay.
And the best part? SEO keeps working long after the ad budget dries up.
It keeps your inbox full. Your machines humming. Your orders flowing.
Look, I’m not saying you should abandon referrals.
A happy client who shouts your name in a Slack group is still gold.
But SEO?
That’s how you make sure the people who’ve never heard of you — but desperately need what you offer — find you first.
So, if you’re tired of waiting on word of mouth…
Tired of hoping the next expo brings someone with a real purchase order…
Let’s talk about how to make SEO work for your food manufacturing business.
We’re going to break it down — how to show up for the right searches, attract the right leads, and turn Google into your best damn sales rep.
Let’s get started.
I’m a freelance SEO consultant and content writer with over four years of experience helping manufacturers climb the ranks, pull in better-fit leads, and land the kinds of projects they actually want to work on.
If you’re looking for someone to handle SEO for your manufacturing company, find out more about my services below:
Read on for the rest of the article.
Quickly skip to the section you’re interested in using the Table of Contents below.
How SEO can grow your food manufacturing business
Word of mouth might nudge a new brand your way.
LinkedIn might land you the odd discovery call.
But SEO?
It puts your business right in front of the buyer — the moment they’re ready to make a move.
Think about it.
Every single day, sourcing managers, procurement directors, and startup founders are on Google, looking for manufacturing partners.
They’re typing in keywords like:
- organic snack co-manufacturer
- private label soup producer
- plant-based food manufacturer
If your site isn’t showing up for those searches?
You’re invisible.
That’s money sitting on the table.
How to analyse your competitor's food manufacturing SEO strategy
Before you write a single line of content or think about keywords, you need to know what your competitors are doing online.
This is your recon mission.
Let’s say there’s a food manufacturer in your category who seems to be everywhere — in Google, on supplier directories, in trade articles.
They’re showing up for searches like:
You click through their site… and it’s not even that impressive.
Slow load time. Half-baked case studies.
A “Get a Quote” button that leads to a form longer than a customs declaration.
And yet… they’re ranking.
Here’s your chance.
If they can pull leads with a clunky site, imagine what you can do with a faster website, clearer messaging, and an SEO plan that actually fits the food manufacturing industry.
Start here: Google your target keywords
Pull up Google and type in the keywords your buyers would use.
See who’s ranking on the first page.
These are your real SEO competitors — not the guys next door, but the ones buyers are actually finding.
Next: audit their websites like a sourcing manager would
What do their service pages look like?
Do they explain what they offer, what they’re certified for, and who they serve?
Are they using real case studies or just buzzwords?
Your goal isn’t to copy them. It’s to outdo them.
If they have a page on gluten-free production, yours should go deeper — with certifications, timelines, and examples.
If they have a blog about shelf-stable packaging, yours should be more detailed, more helpful, and built for search.
Dig into data with SEO tools
Tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Mangools let you spy under the hood.
You can see:
- What keywords they’re ranking for
- How much traffic they’re getting
- What backlinks they’ve built (think: trade press, supplier directories, industry blogs)
Want to skip the premium SEO tools?
Use these free options:
- Hoth Rank Checker – to see what keywords they rank for
- Ahrefs Backlink Checker – to see who’s linking to them
This intel helps you build a smarter strategy — one that’s built on real data, not guesswork.
Read this guide to find out more about how to use free tools for your keyword research.
Keyword research for your food production company
Let’s say you manufacture chilled soups, and a foodservice distributor is looking for a partner.
They’re not typing what is soup manufacturing.
They’re typing:
- private label soul manufacturer uk
- chilled ready meals co-packer
- low sodium soup contract manufacturer
Those are commercial keywords — high value, high search intent (find out more about search intent in this guide).
They’re not looking to learn.
They’re looking to buy.
Here’s how to find more of those:
Use related searches
Type a phrase like into Google, hit search and scroll to the bottom.
You’ll see free keyword ideas in the People Also Ask section.
These are gold.
I’ve written an in-depth guide on manufacturing keyword research.
Dig into it for more keyword research ideas.
On-page SEO for food manufacturers
Here’s where you turn your site into something Google loves — and your buyers trust.
Create focused service pages
Don’t cram everything into one “Our Capabilities” page.
Instead, build separate pages for:
- Meal prep co-packing
- Frozen food manufacturing
- Snack bar production
- Plant-based product development
Each page should be:
- Clear about what you offer
- Easy to scan
- Built around the keywords buyers are searching
Use real testimonials, certifications, and specs
Buyers care about safety, shelf life, and whether you’ve worked in their category before.
Show that with:
- Logos of brands you’ve worked with
- BRC, SALSA, Organic, or ISO certifications
- Photos of your facility (real ones)
- Testimonials from actual clients — especially if they’re in foodservice or retail
Nail your meta info
Page titles and meta descriptions aren’t just for Google — they’re what show up in search.
Example:
Title: Private Label Frozen Meal Manufacturer UK | BRC Certified
Description: We help food brands develop, produce, and pack high-quality frozen meals. Low MOQs. Fast lead times. Fully certified UK facility.
How to optimise your Google Business Profile
A lot of food manufacturers brush off Google Business because they think, “We’re not a café or a corner shop — we’re B2B.”
But here’s the truth: your next contract manufacturer deal, private label partner, or bulk buyer will Google you.
And what they find might decide whether they send an email… or keep scrolling.
So let’s make sure your profile does you justice.
1. Fill in every field - yes, all of them
Your business name, address, phone number, website, hours, and service areas — fill them all out.
Add a short but clear description of what you do.
Keep it clean and keyword-friendly.
Think:
We’re a frozen food manufacturer helping DTC brands and foodservice clients launch products faster — from sourcing to packaging.
2. Choose the right categories
Google uses categories to match your profile with search intent.
Choose a primary category that reflects your bread and butter, then add secondaries to cover your full range.
Here are some strong examples:
- Food Manufacturer
- Frozen Food Supplier
- Co-Packer
- Private Label Food Service
- Organic Food Production
Don’t get too clever here — pick what your buyers would actually type into search.
3. Upload photos that build trust
Real photos go a long way.
Include:
- Your facility and production line
- Staff in PPE, doing the work
- Packaging examples (especially if you do private label)
- Certificates, awards, or safety signage
This isn’t about flash. It’s about showing you run a serious, well-equipped operation.
4. Get specific reviews
Ask clients and suppliers to leave reviews that highlight what it’s like to work with you — timelines, communication, production quality, flexibility.
Like:
“We worked with <Your Company> on our low-carb ready meals. They handled everything — shelf-life testing, labelling, logistics. Hit every deadline.”
That kind of detail builds confidence and gives future clients the green light to get in touch.
5. Post monthly updates
Add a short update every week or so:
- “Just installed a new high-capacity tray sealer.”
- “Now offering gluten-free production runs.”
- “Partnered with <X brand> on a new soup line.”
Google notices. So do buyers.
How to hire an SEO for your food manufacturing business
Hiring an SEO isn’t like ordering labels or buying packaging film.
It’s not a one-time transaction. It’s a partnership — and the right one can help bring in contracts without you having to chase them.
But before you start shopping around, ask yourself:
What kind of leads do I want more of?
- New DTC brands looking to outsource production?
- Large retailers or wholesalers?
- Foodservice providers with long-term contracts?
- Less noise, more qualified inquiries?
When you know your goal, you’ll know what kind of SEO help you need.
Ask these questions before you sign anything:
1. What's your pricing model?
- Retainer: Ongoing monthly support. Ideal if you’re in it for long-term growth and lead generation.
- Project-based: One-off audits, technical fixes, or strategy work. Good for testing the waters or solving specific issues.
- Hybrid: Start with a project, then shift into a lighter monthly setup.
If someone won’t explain pricing clearly — that’s a red flag.
2. What will you report on and how?
A good SEO should give you regular updates you can actually understand.
Look for reports that include:
- Keyword movement (Are you climbing?)
- Traffic trends (Are more people finding you?)
- Lead sources (What pages are bringing in form submissions?)
- ROI signals (Are the right people clicking through?)
Ask to see a sample report.
Side note: read my how to choose a manufacturing SEO agency guide for more tips on finding good SEOs.
3. How do you define success?
You want an SEO who talks about outcomes — not just rankings.
- More inbound leads
- Increased quote requests
- Better visibility for industry-specific keywords like frozen co-packer
- And yes, eventually… revenue
If their definition of success doesn’t align with your business goals, keep looking.
That’s it.
That’s how you take your food manufacturing business from hidden gem to Google’s first pick.
No trade show required.
No hoping the right buyer finds your LinkedIn post.
Just consistent, clear visibility in the one place every serious buyer goes — Google.
That’s all he wrote.
Thanks for reading.
Let’s get to work.