Indonesian Canned Mackerel Private Label: 2026 FOB Prices

A spec-driven RFQ guide to get apples-to-apples 2026 FOB Surabaya/Belawan quotes for 24x425g private label canned mackerel in tomato sauce. What to fix in your spec, what actually moves price, typical MOQs and lead times, and the documents you should see in a complete quote.

If you’ve ever chased three “FOB best price” emails and ended up with three completely different offers, this guide is for you. We’ve quoted, produced and shipped private-label canned fish for years, and the fastest way to a fair 2026 price on Indonesian canned mackerel is to lock the right specs up front. Do that, and suppliers compete on execution instead of guesswork.

Below is the RFQ spec we use internally, plus what actually moves the FOB price for 24x425g mackerel in tomato sauce.

The 2026 picture in one minute

Buyers want consistency. Canneries want clarity. Your Indonesia canned mackerel FOB quote will be sharper when you fix drained weight, sauce brix, lid type, can material, artwork readiness, and port.
Pricing in early 2026 is most sensitive to fish solids and tinplate inputs. Tomato paste quality and can components come next. Logistics are FOB, so vessel space isn’t priced in, but port choice affects local charges and scheduling.
Lead times compress when artwork is ready and labels are on order. Payment terms and testing requirements can nudge the price a few percent either way.

Takeaway. Spend 30 minutes on a clean RFQ. You’ll save weeks of back-and-forth and 3–8% on the final FOB.

The one-page RFQ spec checklist (copy/paste)

Use this as your email body or attachment to request a firm 2026 FOB Surabaya or Belawan quote for private label 24x425g mackerel in tomato sauce.

Product core

Species: Mackerel (state acceptable species and scientific names if required by market).
Medium: Tomato sauce.
Can size: 425g net weight, 24 cans per carton.
Drained weight: 200g or 230g. State one only.
Piece count: Target X–Y pieces/can (e.g., 3–5) with tolerance.
Sauce spec: Tomato paste brix target 28–30, final sauce brix X (e.g., 12–14), salt X%.

Packaging components

Can body/end material: ETP or TFS with internal lacquer suitable for acidic media.
Lid type: Normal end or EZ-open. Declare pull tab direction if you care.
Label type: Paper wrap or litho-printed can. Finish (matt/gloss). Glue spec if paper wrap.
Carton: 24x425g, 5-ply export-grade. Print colors (1–2 standard, more if needed). Shrink wrap or straps.

Logistics and loading

Port: FOB Surabaya or FOB Belawan.
Loading: Floor-loaded or palletized. If palletized, specify pallet type/size and cartons per pallet target.
Cartons per 20FCL or 40FCL target if you have a program to hit certain container counts.

Quality, compliance, and tests

Required factory certifications: e.g., HACCP, BRCGS or FSSC 22000, Halal (MUI), FDA registration, EU approval number if applicable.
Market-specific docs: Catch certificate (EU IUU), Certificate of Origin, Health Certificate, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Loading photos, Seam report, Lab COA (histamine/mercury/micro, pH, brix).

Artwork and barcodes

Artwork status: Ready-to-print or requires cannery dielines and design support.
Barcode type and magnification (EAN-13/UPC, ≥80%), language panel requirements, allergen statement format.

Commercial terms

MOQ: Request factory-stated MOQ per label and per order.
Lead time: From artwork approval and deposit label ordering date.
Payment: LC at sight or TT (e.g., 30/70). State your preferred option.
Samples: Pre-production sample approval required? Ship method and timing.

That’s it. Attach any regulatory labeling rules for your market and you’re set. Need help mapping your spec to current Indonesian canning standards? You can Contact us on whatsapp.

What actually moves 2026 FOB price (and by how much)

We get asked for a “ballpark per carton.” The truth is the carton price is a sum of several moving parts. Here are the big levers for 24x425g in tomato sauce.

Drained weight and fish solids

Going from 200g to 230g adds 15% more fish solids per can. Since fish solids are a large share of cost, expect a carton price increase in the mid-to-high single digits in percentage terms, all else equal. If the market is tight on raw fish, that delta can stretch.

Tomato sauce brix and paste grade

Higher brix paste and tighter brix targets in finished sauce mean more paste input. That usually adds a small but noticeable premium per carton. Most buyers choose a practical finished sauce brix that keeps taste and cost aligned.

Can components: ETP vs TFS and lid type

ETP vs TFS. For acidic products, both are lacquered, but ETP generally commands a slight premium and is common for export programs. The premium tends to be a low single-digit percent per carton in normal markets.
EZ-open lids. Pull-tabs add cost. In our experience, that’s a low-to-mid single-digit percent increase per carton compared with plain ends. The convenience often pays back in retail.

Piece count and grading

Tighter piece count bands increase labor and yield loss. A “3–5 pieces” spec prices better than “exactly 3–4 pieces.” If you care about uniformity for retail presentation, budget a modest premium.

Palletized vs floor-loaded

Palletizing adds pallet, fumigation, and handling cost. It also reduces container count. Most markets that require pallets accept the per-carton increase. If your warehouse can handle floor-loaded, you’ll usually land a better FOB.

Payment terms and document stack

LC at sight introduces bank and admin costs. Expect a low single-digit price effect vs TT. Clean, standard document requirements keep quotes tighter. Extensive third-party testing and special forms add cost and time.

Should you request FOB Surabaya or Belawan?

Short answer. Choose the port closest to the cannery. If your supplier is in East Java, FOB Surabaya makes sense. For North Sumatra canneries, FOB Belawan is logical. The base price difference is typically about local charges and overland transport. Schedule reliability and space can vary by lane, so confirm current cutoffs and feeder schedules in your PO planning.

Realistic MOQ and lead time in 2026

MOQ. For private label 24x425g, canneries often quote either one 20FCL as the commercial MOQ or a label MOQ driven by packaging. Label print runs typically start in the low tens of thousands. If you need multiple SKUs, combining labels to meet a single print run helps.
Lead time. A practical plan is 6–8 weeks from artwork approval and packaging availability. If labels need new cylinders or specialty finishes, add 1–2 weeks for prepress and proofing. Peak season or tight tinplate markets can push this to 8–12 weeks.

Tip. Approve artwork and barcodes before you ask for a firm production slot. That’s the single best way to pull lead time forward.

Artwork, dielines, and barcode must-haves

Ask for the cannery’s 425g dielines for can label and master carton on day one. Supply layered AI/PDF files, CMYK, with bleed and clear quiet zones around the barcode.
Confirm regulatory text, nutrition panel format, lot coding location, and production date format upfront. Changing lot code positions late in prepress delays everything.
Full-wrap labels vs litho-printed cans. Paper wrap full-wrap is common and cost-effective. Litho-printed cans look premium but lock you into larger can inventory. If you’re testing a new SKU, start with paper labels.

Common mistakes we see buyers make

Vague drained weight. “As per standard” leads to apples-to-oranges quotes. Fix the number.
Sauce brix left open. A sauce that’s too thin or too thick will miss your sensory target and complicate cost.
Missing lid type. Suppliers assume normal ends if you don’t specify. If your retail needs EZ-open, say so now.
Over-specifying piece count. Retailers don’t pay for a perfect piece band, but factories will charge for it.
Artwork not ready. Waiting on barcodes or claims language will add weeks. Get your label owned early.

Quick answers to the questions we hear most

What specs do I need to include to get a firm 2026 FOB quote for 425g Indonesian canned mackerel?

Fix these: drained weight, sauce brix target, lid type, can material (ETP/TFS), label type, carton spec, loading method, port, certifications/documents, payment terms, and artwork status. That’s the apples-to-apples set.

How much do drained weight and piece count change the price per carton?

Drained weight is the big lever. 200g to 230g means roughly a mid-to-high single-digit percent increase in carton FOB. Tighter piece counts add a smaller premium due to grading and yield.

Do EZ-open lids and full-wrap labels add significantly to Indonesian FOB pricing?

They add modestly. EZ-open lids usually mean a low-to-mid single-digit uplift per carton. Full-wrap paper labels are standard and cost-effective; litho-printed cans cost more and tie up can inventory.

Which documents are typically included in a canned mackerel FOB quote from Indonesia?

Expect Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin, Seam report, Loading photos, and a Lab COA. Add Catch Certificate for EU programs and Halal where required.

Should I request FOB Surabaya or Belawan?

Pick the port nearest the factory. That minimizes inland costs and avoids trans-island moves. Your supplier will confirm which port aligns with their production site.

How do payment terms and artwork readiness impact 2026 FOB quotes?

LC at sight usually prices a bit higher than TT due to banking costs. Artwork-ready programs get earlier slots and fewer packaging delays, which indirectly keeps FOB tighter.

A sample RFQ line that wins you better quotes

“24x425g canned mackerel in tomato sauce. Drained weight 230g. Sauce 28–30 brix paste, finished sauce brix 12–14. ETP can with internal lacquer. EZ-open lid. Paper full-wrap label, gloss. 5-ply export carton 24 cans. Floor-loaded. FOB Surabaya. Factory certs: HACCP + BRCGS + Halal. Docs: Invoice, PL, HC, COO, seam report, COA, loading photos. Payment TT 30/70. Artwork ready, EAN-13 barcodes pre-verified.”

That paragraph does more for your 2026 price than a dozen “what’s your best?” emails. If you want a quick sanity check on your spec or a second quote against your target, feel free to Contact us on email.

Final takeaways

Lock the spec. Drained weight, brix, lid, can material, label/carton, loading, port, docs, payment.
Know the levers. Fish solids and tinplate drive most of the 2026 FOB movement. Lids, labels, and pallets are smaller but real.
Control what you can. Artwork readiness and realistic MOQs/lead times make everything else smoother.

We’ve seen clean RFQs cut negotiation time in half and keep quality on brief from day one. If you adopt this checklist, your Indonesia canned mackerel FOB quote process will be faster, clearer, and more competitive.