01 / THE SHORT ANSWER
Powder. Film. A measured fill.
A lot of decisions before that.
Powder stick packs are made by forming flexible film into narrow tubes, filling each with a measured portion of powder, and sealing the ends. The sticks are then separated, checked and packed according to the project’s requirements.
That’s the machine part. Getting your product ready for the machine is where most of the questions come in.
Do you already have a finished blend? Who’s buying the film? Does “10,000 units” mean individual sticks or 10,000 boxes? Are you trying to prove that a powder will fill well, or are you still figuring out how it should taste?
We get versions of those questions in project conversations all the time. They’re worth sorting out early. Here’s how we’d walk through your first run together.
This guide is about consumable dry-powder stick packs. Think powdered drink mixes, electrolytes, functional coffee and other powder products. Whether a particular formula is a fit still needs review. Liquid and gel filling are different projects.
02 / BEFORE ANYTHING RUNS
Start with the product.
Then work out the package.
An ingredient list is a start. To plan production, we need the amounts, grades and intended grams per serving too. “An electrolyte blend with flavor” leaves a lot open. A formula with an amount for each ingredient gives us something useful to review.
Tell us how people will actually use it.
Mixed into cold water? Stirred into hot coffee? How much liquid? Those details help define what you need from the finished product. If flavor development is part of the job, the samples should be evaluated the way your customer will prepare them.
Be specific about what you already have.
Customers come to us with very different starting points. These are three of the most useful distinctions:
Finished powder
Your blend is already made. Tell us you need filling and packing, and share its specifications and available documentation.
Separate ingredients
You have a formula and components. Blending, material quantities and receiving requirements need to be part of the scope.
A product idea
You still need a formula or flavor work. Build that development into the plan before treating the product as ready to manufacture.
“Can you fill powder another manufacturer made?” Yes, that’s a scope we can review. Say up front that it’s a finished blend so we can quote the work you actually need. Material acceptance and any evaluation still need to be confirmed.
03 / FROM ROLL TO RETAIL
What happens on the line?
Here’s the basic sequence. Equipment and checks vary by product and production setup, so this is a process explanation, not a specification for your particular run.
Prepare the blend and packaging.
The formula and material requirements are reviewed, and the powder is prepared for filling. Printed film needs to be compatible with the product and equipment. Artwork approval, dimensions and purchasing requirements belong here, before film is ordered.
A gram weight is not a packaging specification. Two powders weighing 8 g can occupy different volumes. Density and flow affect what fits. Leave room for the seals too; don’t choose a stick size from a product photo.
Turn flat film into a stick.
A typical stick pack machine feeds flexible rollstock, forms narrow tubes and makes a lengthwise seal. A cross-seal closes the bottom so the tube can receive product.
The film’s protective properties and seal compatibility need to suit the powder. A printed design alone doesn’t tell you whether the material is right.
Measure and fill the powder.
Powder is dosed into the formed package. An auger is one common dosing method for powders. How the blend flows matters: the intended serving weight and the filling setup need to work together.
This is one reason we ask about the actual formula instead of assuming that every powder in the same category behaves the same way.
Seal, separate and check.
The machine makes the remaining cross-seal and separates the finished sticks. Fill weight and seal quality need agreed checks. Fine powder getting into a seal area is a real equipment consideration, not just a cosmetic issue.
Ask which checks and any additional testing are included in your project. “Quality checked” is too vague to tell you whether a specific lab panel or shelf-life study is covered.
Pack it the way you intend to sell it.
Loose sticks in bulk, 30-count pouches, retail cartons and mixed-flavor packs are different packing instructions. The quote needs the type of pack, count and materials.
Finished-goods shipping and customer-by-customer fulfillment are separate questions. Tell us where the product is going and what that destination requires.
For a general equipment demonstration, see Viking Masek’s stick pack machine overview. ROVEMA also explains powder dosing and dust control around seals. These explain equipment principles; they do not identify the equipment or testing scope for your StickPax project.
04 / TRY YOUR NUMBERS
Count sticks.
Then count flavors.
Our standard starter packages begin at 7,500 individual sticks in total. We can review smaller runs for a custom quote. Don’t confuse the number of sticks with the number of retail units. We confirm the quantity split and specifications for each SKU when reviewing your project.
For example, 7,500 sticks packed 30 to a pouch gives you 250 complete pouches. Launching two flavors at 7,500 sticks each means 15,000 sticks overall. Enter 15,000 total sticks and 2 SKUs / flavors in the quote calculator. The first flavor is included; the second adds $400.
See what your run actually represents. Change a number and watch the plan take shape.
This example uses single-flavor packs. Variety packs need a separate packing plan.
This is finished-product math, not an order for materials. Powder for evaluation, setup and production allowances is additional. Confirm the amount to purchase and send with us before ordering.
The quote uses your total sticks, fill weight and flavor count. The first SKU / flavor is included; each additional one adds $400. Choose retail packaging in the calculator.
More flavors mean more choices for your customer. They also mean more formulas, artwork and material decisions for you. If you’re testing demand, ask what a focused first run would look like before spreading the same budget across several flavors.
05 / ANSWER THE RIGHT QUESTION
“I need samples.”
Samples to learn what?
That’s the question we want to answer first. Getting the flavor right, checking a customer-supplied powder, and commissioning laboratory testing are different pieces of work.
“Does it taste and perform the way I want?”
If you need formulation or flavor development, define that work and how samples will be evaluated. An analysis of an existing powder is not a substitute for developing the recipe.
“How does my supplied blend behave?”
Our optional powder analysis covers an evaluation round and preproduction samples in blank sticks, with the scope confirmed for your project. You supply the blend or ingredients for that analysis.
When StickPax sources production ingredients and packaging, powder analysis is not included as part of that package. You can still request analysis, but you need to supply the materials for it. Packaging responsibility alone does not determine whether you need analysis.
Blank-stick samples are also not your final printed retail product. And powder analysis is not a full laboratory testing panel. If you need a specific test, document or shelf-life evaluation, name it so we can confirm the right scope instead of leaving you to assume it’s included.
06 / GET THE WHOLE NUMBER
A filling price is a starting point.
Build the rest of the budget.
We like showing pricing early. It gives you a way to decide whether a project is worth exploring. But the number only helps if you know what it covers.
The StickPax pricing calculator separates manufacturing from the materials and additional services you select. You can model 7,500–100,000 sticks at 1–12 g, configure your scope and download an itemized PDF estimate.
- Manufacturing / tolling
- Blending, filling, sealing and retail packout labor in the calculator’s standard scope. If you already have finished powder or need different handling, say so for the project review.
- Ingredients & flavor
- Below 25,000 total sticks, you supply all production ingredients and the complete flavor system. Ingredient sourcing is available by separate quote at 25,000+ total sticks across all SKUs / flavors, subject to formula review and supplier requirements. The formula, ingredient grades, and purchasing quantities drive this number, including when you purchase ingredients yourself. An early allowance is not a supplier-confirmed ingredient quote.
- Packaging materials
- Stick film and any retail pouches or cartons. Supply compatible components or ask us to quote sourcing. Confirm specifications and purchasing requirements before buying.
- Preparation & additional work
- Formulation, optional powder analysis, specific testing, freight and other project requirements need a clear place in the scope.
Compare the same product at different quantities.
Hold fill weight and included services constant. Our starter pricing runs through 25,000 sticks, with volume pricing above 25,000 and further manufacturing discounts at 50,000 and 100,000. That makes a larger run worth comparing. It doesn’t automatically make it the right inventory decision for your brand.
Check the total cash needed as well as the cost per stick. A lower unit price is useful when the run size, shelf-life requirements and demand make sense for you. Start with the calculator, then let’s review the actual project.
Configure full quote07 / SEND SOMETHING WE CAN WORK WITH
You don’t need to know everything.
Bring what you have.
A useful first message gives us enough context to help you move forward. If something is undecided, label it that way. We’d rather know what needs work than price a set of assumptions you didn’t mean.
- The product
What it is, how the customer will use it, and whether you have a finished formula or need development.
- The run
Sticks per formula or flavor, grams per stick, and how many flavors you want to launch.
- The powder
Finished blend or separate ingredients? Who supplies them? What specifications and documents are available?
- The packaging
Who supplies the stick film, whether artwork is ready, and the retail pack type and stick count.
- The evaluation
Any development, powder analysis, blank-stick samples or specific testing you want us to review.
- The destination
Where finished goods need to go and your target launch date. Flag any retailer or fulfillment requirements early.
Please wait for receiving instructions before shipping ingredients or packaging. Having materials on hand is not the same as having their specifications, quantities and delivery arrangements approved.
“Here’s what we’re working on.”
That’s a perfectly good start.
Build an estimate and attach the PDF when you email us. We’ll review the details and work out what comes next.
Configure full quote hello@stickpax.com08 / A FEW MORE GOOD QUESTIONS
Quick answers.
Who supplies the production ingredients?
Below 25,000 total sticks, you supply all production ingredients and the complete flavor system. Ingredient sourcing is available at 25,000+ total sticks across all SKUs / flavors by separate quote, subject to formula and supplier review. Standalone bulk blending uses customer-supplied ingredients. Packaging and formulation sample development remain available for smaller runs.
What is a stick pack?
A stick pack is a narrow, sealed, single-serving package made from flexible packaging film. For powder products, it holds a measured portion that the customer can open and pour. The right film, dimensions and fill depend on the actual product.
How are powder stick packs manufactured?
Flexible film is formed into narrow tubes, sealed lengthwise and at the bottom, filled with powder, and sealed across the top. The finished sticks are separated and packed for shipment or into retail packaging. Formula review, material preparation and agreed quality checks happen around those machine steps.
Can I provide powder made by another manufacturer?
Yes, you can ask us to quote filling your finished blend. Tell us that the powder is already blended, and share the formula information, specifications and documentation available. Acceptance and any required evaluation are confirmed before materials are shipped or production is scheduled.
Is 7,500 sticks the minimum for every project?
Our standard starter packages begin at 7,500 total sticks. Smaller total runs require a custom quote. Enter the total across all SKUs / flavors in the calculator. The first is included; each additional one adds $400. We confirm the quantity split and specifications for each SKU during project review.
Does an 8 g fill determine the stick's size?
No. Grams describe weight, while the package must accommodate volume and leave room for reliable seals. Powder density, flow and the selected film affect the final dimensions. Confirm the packaging specification before ordering printed film.
Is powder analysis included when StickPax supplies the ingredients?
No. Powder analysis is an optional service for customer-supplied blends, separate from formulation development. You can request it even if we will source production ingredients, but you must supply the blend or ingredients needed for the analysis. It is not a full laboratory testing panel.
How long does a stick pack production run take?
A useful timeline depends on formula readiness, any development or evaluation, packaging approval, material availability and scheduling. Ask for milestones for your actual project. A generic lead time before those details are settled is not a reliable shipping promise.