Indonesian Retort Pouch Tuna: 2025 Specs & FOB Price Guide

A practical, 5‑minute buyer’s mini‑calculator for 170g tuna pouches FOB Indonesia. Price ranges, what drives your cost, 20ft container counts, Surabaya vs Bitung, MOQs, lead times, and how 85g vs 170g changes your per‑kg economics.

Hook: a buyer’s mini‑calculator you can use today

If you can price a 170g tuna pouch within ±5 cents and map a 20ft load in 10 minutes, you win negotiations. That’s our aim here. We’ll show you a 2025‑ready way to estimate a fair FOB per pouch from Indonesia, then plan cartons per container with floor‑load vs palletize trade‑offs. And yes, we’ll call out the sneaky cost drivers that move quotes by 10–25%.

In our experience, buyers who come in with a clear spec and a simple cost model cut 1–3 rounds off sampling and get on water faster. Let’s make that you.

The 3 pillars that move your FOB price

When we quote 170g retort pouches, three decisions dominate your cost.

1. Species. Skipjack is your value engine. Yellowfin costs more. Bigeye sits at the top. The raw fish market has been tight since late 2024, and skipjack volatility will keep 2025 ranges wider than usual.

2. Packing medium. Brine is cheapest. Sunflower oil adds real dollars. Olive oil adds more. Oil volatility often surprises first‑time buyers.

3. Pouch film and print. Standard retort laminate with aluminum foil barrier is fine for most markets. Higher barrier or premium print adds cents you’ll feel at volume.

Other levers matter too. Drained weight, cut style (solid vs chunks/flakes), flavoring, MSC COC, and where we load FOB (Surabaya vs Bitung) each nudge the price.

Week 1–2: lock your spec and sanity‑check price

Here’s a fast way to get to a defensible 2025 FOB estimate for a 170g pouch.

Start with a base. Skipjack. Brine. 170g net. 120g drained. Chunks. Standard foil‑barrier pouch. Generic print or simple private label. Fair 2025 base FOB Indonesia: $0.98–$1.10 per pouch.

Add adjustments as needed:

• Yellowfin instead of skipjack: +$0.20–$0.35
• Bigeye instead of skipjack: +$0.35–$0.60
• Sunflower oil medium: +$0.12–$0.20
• Olive oil medium: +$0.22–$0.35
• Drained weight 125g (vs 120g): +$0.06–$0.10
• “Solid” style (higher yield loss vs chunks): +$0.08–$0.15
• High‑barrier/easy‑tear film upgrade: +$0.02–$0.04
• Flavor additions (pepper, chili, lemon): +$0.03–$0.06
• MSC certified raw (COC maintained): +$0.03–$0.06

Example. Yellowfin in sunflower oil, 125g drained, solid style. $1.04 base + 0.28 + 0.16 + 0.08 + 0.10 ≈ $1.66 FOB per pouch. That’s a number you can negotiate with.

Private label print. First run plate/print set‑up is typically charged separately. Think $1,000–$2,500 one‑time across 5–7 colors. Amortized at 50,000–100,000 pouches, it’s roughly +$0.02–$0.04 per pouch on the first order. Subsequent runs drop back to the base plus adjustments.

Practical takeaway. Decide species, medium, drained weight, cut style, and film in week 1. Push suppliers for a line‑item breakout so you see how each change moves cents, not guesses.

Week 3–6: samples, artwork, and film

This is where timelines slip if no one owns the critical path.

• Pre‑production samples. 1–2 weeks. We match your drained weight and texture. Approve sensory now to avoid disputes later.
• Artwork and plates. 1 week to finalize files. 1–2 weeks for plate making depending on printer capacity.
• Film lead time. 4–6 weeks for printed retort pouches. Generic silver/gold stock is immediate, which is why we often run first orders with a high‑quality sticker while plates are made. It shaves a month.

MOQs. For custom‑printed pouches, the practical MOQ is 50,000–100,000 pouches per design. If you need smaller, go with generic stock and label. First container minimums for 170g pouches are usually one 20ft FCL per SKU to keep unit economics clean.

Week 7–12: scale, container planning, and FOB port choice

Once film is in, production is 10–15 working days for a 20ft lot. Book space, align inspection, and pick your FOB port.

Surabaya vs Bitung. Both are valid FOB points in Indonesia. Surabaya has more mainline options. Bitung is close to tuna catch and factories but often uses feeder connections. We include THC, export clearance, VGM, standard documents (invoice, packing list, COO, health cert) in FOB. Bitung can add $150–$300 per FCL vs Surabaya in portside costs depending on carrier, which is a fraction of a cent per pouch on a full load. Either way, you’re covered to “on board” at the named port.

How many pouches per carton, and cartons per 20ft container?

The common retail pack is 48 x 170g pouches per carton.

Working specs we use often:

• Net per carton: 8.16 kg (48 x 170g)
• Typical gross per carton: 8.8–9.5 kg depending on film and carton grade
• Outer carton size we see most: roughly 40 x 26 x 18 cm

20ft counts, based on that carton:

• Floor‑loaded: 1,450–1,650 cartons per 20ft. Volume, not weight, is the limit on pouches.
• Palletized: 1,150–1,250 cartons per 20ft, depending on pallet footprint and stacking policy. You trade 15–25% capacity for easier handling and lower damage.

Quick math. Floor‑loaded at 1,550 cartons equals 74,400 pouches. Palletized at 1,200 cartons equals 57,600 pouches.

Actionable tip. Confirm the exact outer carton with your supplier before you book. A 1–2 cm height change can swing 50–100 cartons on a 20ft.

Straight answers to questions we get every week

What’s a fair 2025 FOB price for a 170g Indonesian tuna pouch?

• Skipjack, brine, 120g drained, chunks, standard film: $0.98–$1.10 per pouch.
• Skipjack in sunflower oil: $1.12–$1.30.
• Yellowfin, brine: $1.20–$1.45. In sunflower oil: $1.35–$1.70.
• Olive oil or “solid” style sits at the higher end of each range.

Markets are tight, so expect mid‑year revisions. We update quotes weekly when skipjack raw jumps.

Is private‑label printing included or charged separately?

First run, plates and cylinder setup are separate. Budget $1,000–$2,500 one‑time depending on colors. After that, printing is baked into FOB. If you need speed or low MOQ, run generic pouches with a label on the first container.

Typical MOQ and lead time in 2025?

• MOQ: 1 x 20ft per SKU is common for economics. For printed film, plan 50,000–100,000 pouches per design.
• Lead time: 6–8 weeks if you need printed film. 3–4 weeks if we use generic stock and label.

Drained weight expectations

170g net with 120g drained is the global workhorse. 125g drained is available and adds +$0.06–$0.10 per pouch. Always put drained tolerance on spec so QC is black and white.

Which ports are used for FOB and what fees are included?

We load FOB Surabaya and Bitung routinely. FOB includes: THC, export customs, VGM, standard documentation (invoice, packing list, COO, health certificate; Halal certificate copy if required). Ocean freight, insurance, and destination charges are for the buyer.

Does the FOB price include MSC, Halal, HACCP?

• HACCP is standard. No surcharge.
• Halal certification is standard for Indonesian plants. Copies included.
• MSC COC supply is available on request and usually adds +$0.03–$0.06 per pouch due to raw material premiums and paperwork.

85g vs 170g. How does size change per‑kg cost?

Smaller pouches carry more packaging and labor per kilogram.

• 85g skipjack in brine: $0.58–$0.72 per pouch, which is roughly $6.82–$8.47 per kg.
• 170g skipjack in brine at $1.02 per pouch works out to $6.00 per kg.

We usually see a 10–20% per‑kg premium on 85g versus 170g.

The five mistakes that quietly wreck margins

1. Vague drained weight. “Around 120g” leads to claims. Lock 120g or 125g with tolerance and inspection method.

2. Underestimating oil. Sunflower and olive oil move. Confirm the oil price mechanism in your PO or build a revision clause.

3. Ignoring plate costs. First‑time buyers are surprised by printing plates. Amortize them over the first two POs or start generic.

4. Wrong carton math. Outer dimensions, not weights, cap a 20ft. Ask for the exact carton drawing before you book space.

5. Port assumptions. Bitung vs Surabaya differences are small but real. Align FOB port at RFQ stage to avoid late‑stage rework.

Resources and next steps

Want a tailored worksheet with your spec and a carton‑by‑carton 20ft plan? We can share our calculator and a firm 48‑hour quote. If that’s helpful, Contact us on whatsapp.

If you’re building a broader seafood program, we also supply complementary tuna formats like Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade), Yellowfin Ground Meat (IQF), and Yellowfin Steak. For mixed containers or adjacent species, browse our range here: View our products.

We’ve found that the buyers who move fastest make their spec decisions in week 1, get samples in week 3, and book film before the market swings. That’s how containers sail on time and on target pricing.