Marca Awards – Best Copacker Profile

 1. CATEGORIES OF PARTICIPATION

Copacker companies participate according to product categories:

  • Food groceries
  • Beverages
  • Fresh products
  • Frozen products
  • Home care
  • Personal care
  • Pet care
  • Other non-food products
  • Packaging


2. APPLICATION METHOD

To participate in the Marca Awards – Best Copacker Profile selection, companies will need to follow the following steps: 

  1. Fill in and return the Marca Awards 2026 application form to be requested at the bottom of the page
  2. Register your company on the PLM platform to obtain access credentials to the reserved area, via the link that will be sent by Edizioni DM once the application has been received
  3. Once logged in, enter the “PLM Awards – Best Copacker Profile” section to:
    •  Enter personal and company data (company name, headquarters, contact person, contacts)
    • Compile information relating to production capacity and revenue
    • Complete a structured questionnaire, which collects company master data and data on:
      • Production percentage at MDD
      • Number of active MDD references
      • Services offered (R & D, traceability, auditing, assistance, exclusive formats...)
      • Certifications and distribution groups served in Italy and abroad
      • Commitments in sustainability, work ethics and transparency
      • Motivations for application and company recognition

All data collected will be used by the jury to evaluate the quality, flexibility and competitiveness of the company profile as a copacker for PL.

Technical Assessment Questionnaire

  1. Production and operational capacity
  2. Flexibility and Services to Retailers
  3. Sustainability and Compliance
  4. Certifications and Customers Served

Qualitative Data (at the discretionary evaluation of the jury)
Score Assignment Methodology

PL production percentage = proportional score

  • +10 points for each PL reference
  • +100 points: possibility of expanding productivity
  • Production growth % = proportional score
  • +100 points each for:
    • exclusive formats
    • availability at short notice
    • storage
    • R&D department
    • after-sales assistance
    • scheduled auditing
    • complete traceability
    • environmental statement
    • sustainability report
  • +10 points for each national/international certification
  • +10 points for each distribution group served in Italy
  • +10 points for each foreign distribution group

Qualitative assessments and cross-referencing with economic data will be evaluated at the discretion of the internal judging committee (PL Magazine + IPLC Italy), up to a maximum of 200 points for each item.

3. EVALUATION COMMITTEE

The selection process includes:

  • Technical pre-selection by IPLC Italy and PL Magazine
  • Final evaluation by a jury of national and international buyers from large-scale retail chains

4. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND METHODS

The selection will take place in two steps:

  • Technical analysis and pre-selection. 
    The PL Magazine editorial team, together with IPLC Italy experts, will evaluate the candidate company profiles based on the questionnaire completed online and the reasons provided. The three best companies for each product category will be selected for the final evaluation.
  • Final evaluation by buyers.
    The first three companies classified for each product category will be subjected to the judgment of the jury of national and international retailers. From 15 to 19 December 2025, based on criteria of quality, reliability, production flexibility and process innovation, they will indicate the final ranking at their discretion, assigning first, second and third place.

The finalist copackers will also gain visibility through dedicated branding in the Marca Trend exhibition area, official pre- and post-event communication and presence in official event magazines and channels.

The winning companies will receive an official award during the ceremony on January 14, 2026.