Multilane Stick Packing Machine for Yogurt
Today’s health-conscious market is driving unprecedented demand for fresh, nutrient-dense dairy products like liquid and cultured yogurts. Yet, yogurt remains one of the most volatile products to package: fluctuating filling temperatures, thermal sterilization over-exposure, and subtle ambient contamination can instantly degrade beneficial bacterial strains, diminish texture, and spoil batches.
To preserve the original flavor and biological activity of yogurt, it is essential to employ high-standard clean environments and precise, contamination-free packaging processes. Enter the Boevan Ultra-Clean Multilane Stick Pack Machine—the gold standard in hygienic multi-track dosing designed to protect delicate cultures from tank to stick pack.
High-Speed VFFS Packing | Ultra-clean
Shanghai Boevan’s new-generation multi-lane vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) packaging machine is a premier stick-pack solution designed for high-output liquid production lines. It boasts high-speed, stable operation, a capacity of up to 600 ppm, and guarantees packaging accuracy within ±1%.
As a high-performance vertical stick packaging machine meeting ultra-clean standards, it preserves beneficial bacterial cultures and maintains the product's original flavor profile to the greatest extent possible; it also ensures a precise 1:1 ratio of fruit pieces to liquid and supports an Extended Shelf Life (ESL) .
Boevan’s high-speed stick packing machine, designed for ultra-clean production environments, was originally developed for packaging 60ml yogurt sachets. Characterized by stable operation, high-speed output, high precision, and superior product quality, this multi-lane machine has established Boevan as a leading provider of flexible packaging solutions in China.
Automated Packaging Solution for Yogurt Sticks
The popularity of this multi-lane stick-pack packaging machine in the yogurt market is closely linked to the modern pace of life. In a busy world, convenience has become a priority for many, and portion-controlled, portable packaging has emerged as a major trend across a wide range of products.
Using stick packs not only offers greater portability but also results in relatively lower production costs. Here is a comprehensive cost comparison between 60ml stick-pack packaging and 60ml traditional cup packaging for yogurt, based on standard global dairy packaging benchmarks and supply chain data.
1. Per-Unit Packaging Cost Breakdown (60ml)
For small-capacity liquid and viscous dairy products, packaging costs are heavily influenced by material weight and component complexity.
| Cost Component | Stick-Pack (60ml) | Traditional Cup (60ml) | Cost Analysis |
| Primary Container | $0.006 – $0.012(Multi-layer high-barrier foil/film, e.g., PET/AL/PE) | $0.018 – $0.038(Thermoformed or injection-molded PP/PS rigid cup) |
Stick-pack saves ~60%–70%. Flexible roll-stock film uses significantly less raw material by weight compared to rigid plastic cups.
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| Lid / Seal Material | Included(Formed and heat-sealed directly from the roll-stock) | $0.004 – $0.009(Pre-cut peelable aluminum foil or plastic lid) |
Stick-pack eliminates separate lidding costs and the extra heat-sealing process step required for rigid cups.
|
| Secondary Packaging | $0.003 – $0.008(Multipack outer cartons or pouch bags, e.g., 5–10 sticks) | $0.008 – $0.015(Paperboard sleeves, trays, or break-apart multi-cup bands) |
Stick-packs streamline multi-packing. Flat stick profiles stack tightly inside secondary cartons.
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| Total Primary Material Cost | ~$0.009 – $0.020 | ~$0.030 – $0.062 |
Stick-pack primary packaging costs ~50%–65% less per unit.
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2. Supply Chain, Logistics, and Warehousing Efficiency
The physical differences between stick-packs and pre-formed cups result in significant cost disparities across the upstream and downstream supply chain:
Upstream Stage (Inbound: Film Rolls vs. Empty Cups)
Stick-packs: Raw materials arrive as compact, lightweight film rolls. A single 2,000-meter roll can produce approximately 72,000 stick-packs (60ml capacity).
Cups: Empty cups occupy substantial space during transport. The space required for transporting and warehousing empty cups is five to eight times that needed for film rolls.
Downstream Stage (Finished Product Cold-Chain Logistics)
Stick-packs: Each stick-pack has a surface area of approximately 0.009 m², offering excellent space utilization and high packing density within outer cartons or bags.
Cups: A 60ml yogurt cup has a surface area of approximately 0.02 m²; the larger footprint significantly drives up cold-chain logistics costs per unit.
3. Capital and Operational Expenditures (CAPEX vs. OPEX)
Equipment Investment & Line Efficiency (CAPEX)
Multilane Stick-Pack Line: A high-speed multilane stick-pack machine (e.g., 6 to 12 lanes) running ultra-clean liquid dosing operates at very high output rates (400–800 sticks per minute) on a relatively small floor footprint. This lowers the long-term machinery depreciation cost per pouch.
Cup Filling & Sealing Line: Cup rotary or linear thermoforming/filling machines require large footprints for de-nesting, filling, lidding, and trimming modules, resulting in a higher initial equipment cost per unit of output.
Key Takeaway for Brand Strategy
Stick-Pack (60ml): Offers over 50% lower total packaging and logistics costs compared to rigid cups. It is ideal for positioning on-the-go probiotic shots, squeezable kid-friendly snacks, and high-margin functional yogurt lines where portability and price-to-volume ratio matter.
Cup (60ml): Better suited for traditional spoonable/set yogurts where consumer expectation favors rigid containers, though at the expense of a significantly higher packaging-to-product cost ratio for small 60ml volumes.
How can the production and quality assurance of yogurt sticks be guaranteed?
Ensuring reliable yogurt production requires stable packaging equipment, while quality assurance depends heavily on the production environment—specifically, controlling microbial populations, which are a key factor in spoilage.
Performance impacts equipment operation:
Boevan’s yogurt stick packaging machine utilizes a full servo control system to precisely manage every stage of the process, including film unwinding, film feeding, bag forming, filling, and sealing. This ensures not only operational stability but also high precision, with filling accuracy maintained within ±1% and misalignment kept to ≤1mm.
Environment impacts product quality:
1. UV / Heraeus / Hydrogen Peroxide Sterilization System
Equipped with three mainstream sterilization modes: UV sterilization, Heraeus professional sterilization and hydrogen peroxide sterilization. It conducts comprehensive, dead-angle-free and residue-free sterilization on packaging materials and equipment surfaces, effectively ensuring the microbial safety of packaged liquid products.
2. Class 100 / Class 1000 Laminar Flow Hood
Provides a high-standard local dust-free and sterile purification environment for the core filling and sealing area. It continuously filters air dust, bacteria and impurities, reaching Class 100 or Class 1000 purification standards, fully meeting the ultra-clean production requirements of high-end dairy and health products.
3. CIP / SIP Cleaning System
The automatic CIP (Cleaning In Place) and SIP (Sterilization In Place) system realizes unmanned automatic cleaning and high-temperature sterilization of equipment pipelines, filling cavities and material channels. It thoroughly removes residual liquid materials, avoids cross-batch contamination, and ensures continuous and standardized sterile production of the equipment.
Cross-Industry Application Versatility
While celebrated as a top-tier ultra-clean yogurt packing machine for viscous dairy cultures, this flexible multilane vffs packing machine platform adapts instantly via non-standard customization to package multiple fluid types:
- Dairy beverages and plant-based products: Probiotic yogurt drinks and flavored creams.
- Nutraceuticals & Dietary Supplements:Oral liquids, liquid vitamins, collagen gels, and energy shots.
- Sauces & Condiments:High-speed stick pouch filling for ketchup, salad dressings, and syrups.
Consult with Our Regional Application Engineers: Looking to optimize your plant footprint with a high-speed stick packing machine that satisfies strict local electrical and safety protocols (UL/CSA/CE)? Contact Boevan today to receive a free 3D production line layout.
Interested in learning more about the Boevan multi-lane stick packing machine? Leave a message with your requirements, and we will arrange for a professional project engineer to contact you within 8 hours.