Contract Bar Manufacturing in Europe – Swedish Quality, Scalable Production
Bars Production has been manufacturing bars since 1999 – first as Runes Specialbageri, now as a five-line production facility in Gråbo, Sweden. We produce protein bars, energy bars, oat bars, date bars, and functional snack bars for brands that already know what they want and need a factory that can run it.
We are a factory with a capacity of roughly 50 million bars a year, FSSC 22000 certification, and 25 years of experience turning product specs into finished goods on pallets.
We currently manufacture for more than 50 brands in around ten European countries. Those brands then sell on into considerably more markets than that.
The short version
Certified: FSSC 22000, EU Organic (SE-EKO-06), RSPO, Informed Manufacturer, Sedex member
Volumes and lead times are approximate.
Send us your spec and we will come back within a week.
Two Manufacturing Models
Contract Manufacturing
You own the recipe and the spec. We adapt it to our equipment and run it. Every batch matches your product specification – weight, nutritional content, coating, packaging. You approve, we produce, you receive finished goods.
Co-Manufacturing
You supply specific proprietary ingredients or components. We handle mixing, forming, enrobing, and packing. Common when brands want to protect a key ingredient source but outsource the production itself.
Do not have a recipe yet and want to move fast? See the white label section of our private label page.
Production Facility and Technology
Our factory is in Gråbo, 20 minutes north of Gothenburg on Sweden's west coast, and about the same from Landvetter airport. Port, motorway and air freight are all within easy reach.
Facility facts
- 5 production lines – all extrusion-based
- Enrobing line – milk, dark and white chocolate and compound coatings, with or without sugar, with or without palm oil, plus toppings
- Annual capacity: approximately 50 million bars
- ~50 employees – production, QA, R&D, logistics
- Metal detection and weight checking on every line
- Part of Humble Group (Nasdaq Stockholm, Mid Cap) since 2022 – cooperation across the group on sourcing and innovation
Bar weights: 30g to 120g. Flow-wrapped individually, supplied in cases of 12 to 20 or retail-ready.
Who We Work With
Our contract clients are brands and organisations that already have products in market:
- Established food and nutrition brands that have outgrown their current manufacturer or need additional capacity
- Retailers and grocery chains producing own-brand bars
- Sports nutrition companies adding bars to an existing supplement range
- D2C brands scaling from small-batch to consistent high-volume production
- International brands entering Europe and needing a certified EU-based manufacturer
We can complement your existing suppliers by adding capacity, innovation, and an extra layer of supply security. As demand grows, we help food and nutrition brands reduce risk, maintain continuity, and ensure reliable delivery when their current manufacturing setup is stretched.
If you do not have a product yet and want to co-develop one, see our private label protein bars service. If you want a proven recipe you can put your brand on fast, see the white label section of that same page.
Certifications and Compliance
These are the standards grocery buyers audit against:
Informed Manufacturer
Responsibility for nutrition and health claims and for correct labelling rests with you as the brand owner. We take responsibility for the accuracy of the product specification we give you. For claims work under Regulation 1924/2006, use a regulatory affairs specialist.
Working With Us
- 1Technical briefing
Send us your product spec, volume, and timeline
- 2Feasibility and quoting
We assess production fit and come back with a detailed quote
- 3Sample production
Trial run. If the sample cannot scale, we tell you before you commit to production.
- 4Production scheduling
Your runs integrated into our line planning
- 5QA and delivery
Get a copy of our FSSC 22000 certificate on request, or feel free to contact our QA team for more information about the process.
Timelines and MOQ
- Sample lead time: ≈4 weeks from briefing
- Production lead time: ≈12 weeks from approved artwork to finished goods
- MOQ: ≈10,000 bars per order, against a yearly minimum of ≈100,000. Supplied in cases of 12 to 20 bars.
- Logistics: Delivery across Europe from Gråbo – to your warehouse, distribution centre or retail partner. We handle export documentation ourselves and together with our freight partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between contract manufacturing, private label, and white label?
Contract manufacturing means you bring the product specification – recipe, packaging, everything – and we produce it to spec. Private label means we co-develop the formulation with you from your brief. White label means you use one of our existing, proven recipes and put your brand on it.
What is your minimum order quantity?
≈10,000 bars per order, against a yearly minimum of ≈100,000 bars, supplied in cases of 12 to 20. The same minimum applies to a first order.
Can you allocate a dedicated production line?
No. We do not run a line dedicated to a single customer. We do schedule production to avoid cross-contamination and to meet allergen separation requirements.
How do you handle allergen management?
Our facilities produce with traces of milk, egg and soy. Nuts and peanuts are handled only in one of our two factories, and we have procedures in place to produce gluten-free, nut-free and peanut-free products.
Can you produce organic products under contract?
Yes. Our EU Organic certification (SE-EKO-06) covers ingredient sourcing and production. Your bars carry the EU Organic label. We are one of the few bar manufacturers in the Nordic region with this certification. Organic does not add time to the project if we already source the ingredients.
How long from first contact to first production run?
4–9 months from first contact to finished goods. It can move faster where the recipe needs no significant adjustment and packaging already exists from a previous supplier. We give you a realistic timeline at briefing.
Do you deliver across Europe?
Yes. We ship from Gråbo to warehouses, distribution centres, and retail partners across the EU, EEA, and UK. We handle export documentation ourselves and together with our freight partners.
Send Us Your Spec
If you have a product and need a European factory that can run it at scale, send us your specification. We come back with a quote and timeline.
Request a Quote