MOQ is the minimum order quantity a supplier will accept for a given product, usually stated per SKU rather than per order. In frozen food it is driven by production batch size, packaging runs and transport economics: a full reefer load, a printed carton run or a single production shift often sets the floor.
What drives it
- Packaging. Printed retail packs carry a print minimum that is frequently the binding constraint for private label.
- Production. A processing line has a minimum efficient run; short runs carry a changeover cost.
- Freight. Part loads cost disproportionately more per kilogram than full loads.
- Storage. Splitting a lot across customers creates traceability and stock-rotation overhead.
Negotiating around it
MOQ is more flexible than it looks when you can consolidate. Combining several SKUs into one shipment, accepting standard rather than printed packaging for a first order, or aligning your order with an existing production run all reduce the effective minimum. Ask which of the four drivers is binding – the answer tells you what is actually negotiable.
Sourcing sequence and cost modelling: how to source frozen fruit.