What KariOut does

Kari-Out Co. is a family-owned, privately held U.S. manufacturer of foodservice packaging, portion-controlled condiments, sanitizing wipes, tableware, and food ingredients, founded in 1964 by Howard Epstein in the Bronx, New York, and now headquartered in Tarrytown, NY. The company operates six facilities across New York, New Jersey, and California totaling nearly one million square feet of production and distribution space, employing more than 600 people, and producing billions of individual units annually. Its product portfolio spans paper, plastic, aluminum, and foil packaging (food pails, pizza and chicken boxes, hinged containers, bags, steamtable trays), MaxSeal reusable plastic containers built on Tripak honeycomb technology, sustainable lines such as Eco-Earth (100% recycled board) and Terrasmart (40% less plastic), and a portion-controlled condiment packet franchise — including the industry-first plant-based 100% compostable HoneyPacs launched in March 2024.

Kari-Out sells primarily through broad-line foodservice distributors (both independent and national) and directly to enterprise QSR customers via private-label and custom-print programs, serving national chain restaurants, ethnic restaurants (with a particular concentration in Asian cuisine where its soy and duck sauce packets are category-standard), schools, and corporate cafeterias. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the company does not publish revenue. Recent strategic activity includes the 2020 acquisition of Sanfacon's U.S. towelette business, the 2022 acquisition of Paper Bags USA, and a $10M+ expansion of its Specialty Quality Packaging (SQP) facility that doubled paper-container capacity and added six-color printing capability.

Leadership transitioned to second-generation family control, with founder Howard Epstein serving as Chairman and his son Paul Epstein as President and CEO; brothers David and Adam Epstein hold Vice President and Chief People Officer roles respectively. The company is a stakeholder member of the Biodegradable Products Institute and the U.S. Composting Council, and its largest production facility is solar-powered — both signals that environmental compliance and PFAS-free packaging are central to its forward product strategy rather than peripheral positioning.

Name

KariOut

Legal name

Kari-Out Co.

Website

https://kariout.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kari-Out is a family-owned U.S. foodservice manufacturer founded in 1964, producing portion-controlled condiment packets, sustainable paper and plastic packaging, sanitizing wipes, and tableware for national and independent broad-line distributors, restaurant chains, and ethnic restaurants across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice Packaging and Condiments

NAICS

Other Food Manufacturing (3119), Seasoning and Dressing Manufacturing (31194)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Papers & Allied Products (2600)

akta.pro primary industry

Disposables & Single-Use Foodservice Products Wholesale (AFAIALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grab-and-Go Packaging, Merchandising & Food Safety Programs (Retail Ops) (CRAHAKAL)

Keywords

• Foodservice packaging
• Condiment packets
• Paper food containers
• Commercial tableware
• Private label packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Tarrytown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Food Packaging Products: Manufacture and sale of paper, aluminum, plastic, and sustainable food packaging containers, boxes, bags, and tableware for the foodservice industry. Products include food pails, pizza boxes, chicken boxes, hinged boxes, carry trays, soup containers, and more.
2. Sauces and Condiments: Production and sale of portion-controlled condiment packets including soy sauce, duck sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, mustard, oyster sauce, plum sauce, and sweet & sour sauce. The company is a leading producer and packager of condiments and sauces.
3. Wipes and Sanitizing Products: Sale of Fresh Nap hand sanitizing wipes with 80% alcohol, hot/cold towelettes, and moist towelettes for foodservice and retail customers.
4. Private Label Manufacturing: Custom print and packaging capabilities for restaurants and quick service chains requiring uniquely branded packaging solutions. Since the 1970s producing high quality sauces, condiments and food packaging for national QSR customers.
5. Food and Ingredients: Sale of spices, cooking wine, food coloring, vinegar, fortune cookies, nuts, seeds, starches, and other food ingredients for the foodservice industry.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kari-Out is a U.S. manufacturer, importer, and nationwide distributor of foodservice packaging and condiments for the takeout and restaurant industry. Its product range spans sustainable and traditional paper, plastic, and aluminum food containers, portion-controlled sauce and condiment packets, sanitizing wipes, paper bags, tableware, and food ingredients, complemented by private-label and custom print packaging services for national QSR chains.

Product overview

Kari-Out is a foodservice packaging and condiment company founded in 1964, operating as a manufacturer, importer, and nationwide distributor. The company produces an extensive portfolio of products including sauces and condiments (soy sauce, duck sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, mustard, oyster sauce, sweet & sour sauce), sustainable packaging (Eco-Box, Eco-Earth, Terrasmart containers), wipes (Fresh Nap sanitizing wipes), paper products (food pails, pizza boxes, chicken boxes, carry trays), bags (greaseproof, foil, glassine, shopping bags), plastic containers (MaxSeal, MaxSeal Plus, MaxSeal Pro lines), aluminum take-out containers, tableware, and food ingredients. The company also offers private label and custom packaging solutions. Acquired brands include Paper Bags USA (2022) and Sanfacon towelette business (2020). Products are distributed to national chain restaurants, ethnic restaurants, broad line distributors, schools, and business & industry sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eco-Box™: Eco-friendly hinged containers available in white, black, or kraft colors. Made from recycled material, microwavable friendly, and leak resistant.
• Eco-Earth™
• TerraSmart™
• MaxSeal™
• MaxSeal Plus™
• MaxSeal Pro™
• Fresh Nap™
• Specialty Quality Packaging (SQP®)
• HoneyPacs™

Products and services

• Sauces and Condiments (portion-controlled packets) Classic Chinese sauces and condiments in portion-controlled packets including soy sauce, duck sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, mustard, oyster sauce, plum sauce, and sweet & sour sauce for foodservice operators.
• Wipes and Sanitizing Products Hand sanitizing wipes, hot/cold towelettes, and moist towelettes for foodservice and retail customers; Fresh Nap variant kills 99.9% of common germs with 80% alcohol and is independently tested by an FDA-certified lab.
• HoneyPacs Plant-Based Compostable Condiment Packets The industry's first plant-based 100% compostable condiment packet (HoneyPacs), TUV Certified and home compostable, available with clear or paper exterior and customizable with logos and product information.
• Eco-Earth Sustainable Food Containers Sustainable food container with elegant design; microwavable safe, no PFA added, 100% recyclable, biodegradable and compostable with aqueous coating, made from 100% recycled board.
• Eco-Box Hinged Containers Eco-friendly hinged food containers made from a recycled material mix of virgin recyclable board, available in white, black, or kraft colors, poly-coated, microwavable-friendly, and leak resistant.
• Terrasmart Containers Container line made with 40% less plastic than comparable plastic containers, suitable for hot and cold applications up to 250°F, moisture and grease resistant, marketed as an alternative to foam products.
• Food Pails (wired / coated board) Coated board food pails with protective barrier preventing moisture wicking, including the Formosa Brand and Smart-Serv lines in various prints for takeout foodservice.
• Pizza Slice Holders Individual paper pizza slice boxes for on-the-go pizza service.
• Chicken Take-Out Boxes (custom printed) Custom-printed chicken take-out boxes available in up to 3-color custom prints for low minimum order quantities.
• 4 Cup Carrier Tray (pulp fiber) 4-cup carrier tray made from pulp fiber construction, 100% biodegradable and compostable, with moisture resistance for transporting four 8–44 oz hot or cold cups.
• Greaseproof Sandwich Bags Greaseproof (dry wax and wet waxed) sandwich bags with pinch bottom; dry wax offers moderate grease resistance, wet waxed provides stick-resistant surface.
• Foil Insulated Bags Foil insulated bags with pinch bottom to keep hot foods warm and cold foods cool; available in plain, red and black flame label, and Chinese red label.
• Glassine Food Bags Glassine food bags with the highest grease-resistant properties, recommended for fried foods including egg rolls, tortilla chips, and donut holes; available in plain, lady, and pagoda label.
• Paper Shopping Bags Sturdy kraft-handled paper shopping bags made of 100% recyclable paper, available in white or brown, with automatic bottoms in small, senior, jumbo, trim, and super sizes.
• MaxSeal Microwaveable Plastic Containers Microwaveable reusable container line using Tripak technology; available in round and rectangular shapes, safe for microwave, freezer, and dishwasher.
• MaxSeal Plus Containers (Tripak Honeycomb lid) Microwaveable container line with Tripak Honeycomb technology for flexible lid fit preventing leaks; lightweight, versatile for hot or cold items, available in round, rectangular, and oblong shapes.
• MaxSeal Pro Containers (Triple Snap Seal) Premium microwaveable container line with Triple Snap Seal lid lock; BPA-free premium food-grade plastic; microwaveable, freezer-friendly, and dishwasher safe.
• Aluminum Take-Out Containers Economical and recyclable aluminum packaging including round, oblong, and specialty trays with dome and board lid options for takeout foodservice.
• Steamtable Trays Versatile aluminum pans for cooking, storing, and serving with temperature retention up to 346 fl. oz., suitable for banquets and events.
• Hot/Cold Foil Sheets and Films Cushion foil sheets laminated with paper to keep food hot, grease-proof foil locks in heat; pre-cut sheets free of distracting prints for easy labeling.
• Tableware and Disposables Economical tableware including bamboo skewers, chopsticks (panda plastic red bamboo, mikami white bamboo and wood), green bamboo skewers, napkins, placemats, and plastic cutlery for foodservice.
• Food and Ingredients Foodservice ingredients including spices, sauces, cooking wine, food coloring, vinegar, fortune cookies, nuts, seeds, starches, and tea.
• Private Label and Custom Print Packaging Services Custom print and packaging solutions with decades of experience, providing custom branding capabilities for food packaging, sauces, and condiments for quick-service restaurant customers.
• Two-Compartment Eco Box (carry-out) Patent-pending paper carry-out box from the Eco Boxes series that keeps food separated into two compartments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of food packaging made by Kari-Out is paper-based, with focus on increasing biodegradable and compostable products
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Paper Bags USAcoreOthers · 12 April 2022Kari-Out acquired Paper Bags USA based in New Brunswick, NJ to address growing demand for paper shopping bags as states ban single-use plastic bags. The acquisition expands Kari-Out's focus on paper packaging and complements the company's import network with new domestic production. Immediate plans include doubling facility capacity and enhancing printing capabilities to four-color.
• Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2022Kari-Out joined as a stakeholder member to drive sustainability mission forward. The partnership supports Kari-Out's goal to make each food occasion greener, with 80% of food packaging currently paper-based and commitment to increase biodegradable and compostable products.
• U.S. Composting CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2021Kari-Out became a proud member to share passion for reducing landfill and incineration of compostable waste. The vision aligns with the Council's mission that compost manufacturing and utilization are central to creating healthy soils, clean air and water, a stable climate and a sustainable society.
• Sanfacon U.S. Towelette BusinesscoreOthers · 1 January 2020Acquired Virginia-based manufacturer Sanfacon's U.S. towelette business in summer 2020, allowing Kari-Out to sell alcohol towelettes and expand into PPE industry. Products are made in an FDA-inspected facility in New Jersey.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Anchor Packaging: Specialty foodservice packaging manufacturer focused on rigid containers and cling film for the same QSR, supermarket prepared-foods, and institutional channels as Kari-Out.
• Pactiv Evergreen: One of the largest North American foodservice packaging manufacturers, producing paper and plastic containers, cartons, and food containers for restaurants and QSRs — directly competitive with Kari-Out's paper and plastic container lines.
• Sabert Corporation: Foodservice packaging manufacturer producing plastic and sustainable packaging solutions for foodservice operators, including compostable product lines that overlap with Kari-Out's Eco-Earth and HoneyPacs offerings.
• Genpak: Manufacturer of foodservice packaging including hinged containers, portion cups, and sustainable packaging — competing closely with Kari-Out's MaxSeal and Eco-Box container lines in the QSR and foodservice channel.
• Dart Container Corporation: Major manufacturer of single-use foodservice disposables including cups, containers, and lids, selling through the same broadline foodservice distributor channel Kari-Out uses — a direct head-to-head competitor in to-go containers.
• Lee Kum Kee: Leading Asian sauces manufacturer including soy, duck, hoisin, and other Chinese condiments — directly competing with Kari-Out's portion-controlled sauce packets across U.S. Chinese and Asian restaurants and foodservice channels.

Emerging players

• BioPak (Bioleader USA): Specialized in compostable foodservice packaging made from plant-based materials — directly competitive with Kari-Out's plant-based compostable condiment packets and eco-friendly container lines in the sustainability segment.

Broad incumbents

• Huhtamaki: Global foodservice packaging manufacturer with a strong North American foodservice paperboard and cup business, competing across Kari-Out's paper food containers, eco-friendly hinged boxes, and foodservice tableware categories.
• Reynolds Consumer Products: Manufactures consumer and foodservice products including aluminum foil containers (Reynolds Wrap) and Hefty disposable tableware — overlapping with Kari-Out's aluminum take-out containers and tableware categories.
• Mizkan America: Producer of Asian sauces, vinegars, and condiments (including Nakano and Mizkan brands) sold through foodservice — overlapping with Kari-Out's soy sauce, mustard, and other condiment packet portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kariout_co
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/kariout
• Facebookfacebook.com/karioutco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kari-out
• Instagraminstagram.com/kariout

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KariOut