Drink Mix Powder Manufacturer for Custom Stick Packs and Tubs

EUPHM operates ribbon and V-blenders from 50kg to 500kg batches, with inline sieving to break agglomerates before filling. Stick pack lines run at 40-60 cycles per minute, holding fill weight tolerances of ±2% for most free-flowing blends. For hygroscopic ingredients such as citric acid or certain electrolytes, the filling room is kept below 35% relative humidity and 25°C.

The plant handles both low-dose actives and high-volume carriers. Typical drink mix projects include electrolyte blends, collagen peptides, pre-workout formulas and meal replacement powders. Changeover between SKUs takes 2-4 hours, including full ducting and hopper cleaning. This makes 1,000-unit runs practical without excessive downtime, and 50,000-unit runs efficient on the same line.

EUPHM's formulation team works with your existing recipe or develops one from a brief. They adjust sweetness, acidity, mouthfeel and dispersion rate. Common issues in drink mixes include clumping in cold water, sedimentation and off-notes from vitamins or minerals. The team tests each batch for dispersion time, typically targeting full dissolution in 200ml of water at 20°C within 15 seconds.

Ingredient sourcing covers 200+ raw materials, including maltodextrin, monk fruit extract, stevia, citric acid, sodium citrate, magnesium glycinate and vitamin C. Certificates of analysis are available for every lot. For or non-GMO projects, EUPHM sources from approved suppliers and maintains segregation throughout blending and filling. Flavour systems are available as spray-dried or liquid-on-carrier, depending on your target shelf life.

Every batch of drink mix powder is tested for moisture content, pH, bulk density, fill weight and microbial limits before release. The in-house lab runs total plate count, yeast and mould, E. coli and Salmonella tests. Retain samples are kept for 24 months. EUPHM is an FDA-registered facility and follows GMP and HACCP protocols, with annual third-party audits.

Export documentation includes certificate of origin, health certificate, free sale certificate and halal certificates where relevant. EUPHM ships from Shenzhen and Hong Kong ports, with air freight for pilot runs and sea freight for full container loads. Typical door-to-door transit is 12-18 days to the US west coast, 25-35 days to Europe, and 10-15 days to the Middle East by air.

Every drink mix powder batch is sampled at three points: incoming raw materials, the blended bulk powder, and the finished filled units. Incoming ingredients are tested for identity by FTIR or HPLC, and potency is verified against the supplier's certificate of analysis. Blended bulk is tested for uniformity by taking ten grab samples across the blender and assaying the active marker; a relative standard deviation above 5% triggers re-blending. Finished units are checked for fill weight, seal integrity and microbials. Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) are tested per batch on the bulk powder, with limits set to the destination market's requirements.

Microbial testing covers total aerobic count, yeast and mould, E. coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus. For drink mixes containing probiotics or enzymes, additional stability testing is performed at 25°C/60% RH and 40°C/75% RH for three and six months. Disintegration testing is not applicable to powders, but dissolution and dispersibility are assessed by a standard in-house method to confirm the powder dissolves cleanly in 200ml of water at 20°C within 30 seconds. Results are recorded in the batch record, which is retained for five years.

The certificate of analysis (COA) issued with each batch includes the product name, batch number, manufacturing date, expiry date, and the specification range versus the actual result for each test. It also lists the testing methods used and the signature of the QC manager. A retention sample of at least 200g from every batch is stored under controlled conditions for the full shelf life plus six months. Stability protocols follow ICH Q1A(R2) guidelines where applicable, with accelerated and long-term conditions. For export to the EU or US, the COA can be provided in English and, on request, in the destination language.

Batch documentation also includes the master batch record, blending log, cleaning record between products, and equipment calibration records. If a deviation occurs, such as a fill weight outside the target range, a non-conformance report is raised and the batch is placed on hold pending investigation. Corrective actions are documented and verified. All records are available for customer audit either on-site or by secure file transfer. This level of traceability supports retailer technical audits and regulatory inspections in the destination market.

Drink mix powder can be filled into stick packs, sachets, tubs, jars and bulk bags. Stick packs are typically 2g to 30g, with a standard 4-side seal and tear notch; sachets range from 5g to 50g and can be flat or stand-up. Tubs from 100g to 1,000g are available in PET or HDPE with induction seals and screw caps. For sample or single-serve formats, we also offer 2g to 5g pillow packs. All primary packaging materials are food-grade and can be supplied with a food contact declaration. We can print up to 8 colours on stick film and up to 6 colours on labels.

For the US market, labels must include the statement of identity, net quantity in both metric and US customary units, ingredient list in descending order of predominance, allergen declaration, and the supplement facts panel with serving size, servings per container, and amounts per serving. We can format the supplement facts panel according to 21 CFR 101.36. For the EU, labelling follows Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, including nutrition declaration, allergens and QUID where applicable. Lot codes and expiry dates are inkjet-printed on each primary unit, with a minimum character height of 1.5mm for legibility.

Cartons are specified to meet retailer requirements. Standard cartons are made from B-flute corrugated board with a bursting strength of at least 1,200 kPa. Each carton is labelled with product name, lot number, quantity, gross and net weight, and country of origin. For Amazon FNSKU compliance, we can apply FNSKU labels to each unit and poly-bag units where required. Pallet configurations are built to a maximum height of 1.8m including the pallet, with stretch wrap and edge protectors. We provide a packing list and pallet manifest for each shipment.

Retail-ready packaging also includes tamper-evident seals on tubs and a best-before date printed on the base or lid. For stick packs, we can add a perforated tear strip and a desiccant sachet in multi-pack cartons where humidity sensitivity is a concern. If you supply your own artwork, we run a pre-press check for barcode scannability (GS1-128 or UPC-A), colour separation and regulatory statements. We do not provide legal review of label claims, but we can flag statements that commonly require substantiation in the destination market.

The minimum order quantity for drink mix powder is 1,000 units per SKU for retail packaging, with a pilot run of 1,000 units available for market testing. Sample development takes 7 to 10 working days from receipt of a signed sample request and specification. Samples are supplied free of charge for standard formulations; custom formulations may incur a development fee, which is credited against the first production order. Sample approval is required before mass production begins.

Mass production lead time is 20 to 35 working days after sample approval and receipt of a deposit. This window covers raw material procurement, blending, filling, QC testing and packing. If the order includes custom-printed packaging, add 10 to 15 working days for print production. We provide a production schedule at order confirmation and weekly progress updates. For urgent orders, a fast-track option is available subject to line capacity and material availability, reducing the production window to 15 to 20 working days.

Shipping options include air freight and sea freight. Air freight is typically used for samples and small orders up to 500kg, with transit times of 3 to 7 days depending on destination. Sea freight is more economical for orders above 1,000kg, with transit times of 20 to 35 days to Europe and 15 to 25 days to North America. We ship under EXW, FOB Shenzhen or Hong Kong, and DDP terms. For DDP, we handle customs clearance and delivery to your door, with duties and taxes billed at cost.

Export documents provided with each shipment include the commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of analysis, material safety data sheet (MSDS), and a free-sale certificate where required. For products containing botanical ingredients, a phytosanitary certificate can be arranged if the destination country requires it. We also provide a certificate of origin and, on request, a halal certificate for the specific batch. All documents are issued in English; translation into the destination language can be arranged at cost.