MANUFACTURER COST GUIDE · INDIA
500ml Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturing Cost
500ml bottles are frequently a high-volume SKU. Compare PET weight and rate, caps, labels, shrink film, wastage, freight and monthly overhead allocation. Calculate break-even based on total production mix.
Calculate your actual costs →Get material quotations →Worked example: 500ml bottle, 24 bottles per case
| Cost input / result | Per case unless stated |
|---|---|
| Bottles per case | 24 |
| Preform weight | 9.9 g |
| Preform rate | ₹149/kg |
| Cap / label per bottle | ₹0.29 / ₹0.16 |
| Shrink per case | ₹6.00 |
| Materials before allowance | ₹52.20 |
| Extra material allowance | 3% |
| Freight per case | ₹7.00 |
| Variable cost per case | ₹60.77 |
| Selling price excluding GST | ₹95.00 |
| Contribution before fixed expenses | ₹34.23 |
Important: Example values are educational assumptions, not supplier offers, recommended selling prices or independently verified market rates.
Calculation method
- PET per bottle: preform grams × PET price per kg ÷ 1,000.
- Material per case: (PET + cap + label per bottle) × bottles per case + shrink per case.
- Variable cost: material per case × (1 + wastage %) + freight and other variable charges.
- Contribution: selling price excluding output GST − variable cost per case.
- Operating profit: total contribution − allocated monthly factory overhead. Consider input tax credit and GST separately.
For multiple SKUs, allocate factory overhead across the production mix using a consistent method such as machine hours, units or cases. The free calculator's single-SKU break-even assumes the entered fixed expenses belong to that SKU.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate manufacturing cost per case?
Multiply per-bottle PET, cap and label costs by the number of bottles in a case (24 in this example), then add shrink film, wastage and per-case freight. Allocate monthly factory expenses using actual total production.
Is the example a current supplier price?
No. It uses illustrative assumptions only. Request an actual quotation for materials and verify applicable taxes and freight.
How do I calculate profit per case?
Subtract variable cost per case from the selling price excluding GST to get contribution. Subtract appropriately allocated fixed factory costs to estimate operating profit. Loan EMI principal is a cash-flow item, not automatically an operating expense.