With a growing demand for more varied product recipes, and to respond to the new dietary trends including lactose-free and veganism, beverage manufacturers are having to change how they produce their products - from the processes they use to the powder handling equipment they choose.
Why Traditional Beverage Manufacturers are Struggling to Compete
The traditional fixed-line manufacturing methodology is perfect for companies producing the same product, day in day out. But with today’s market requirement for varied recipes and batch sizes, manufacturers are having difficulty keeping up with demand and running an efficient operation.
Beverage manufacturers typically produce three to four recipe batches over the course of a week, producing 1,000–3,000 kg product per hour. Many of these recipes are made up of powder ingredients that are formulated and blended to create a homogeneous mixture /product
The common mixing process for powdered beverages
The mixing process can become one of the pinch points for beverage manufacturers as this stage in the process is where the highest amount of production downtime occurs. Fixed mixers such as ribbon mixers or paddle blenders that can accomplish fast, high-volume blending of ingredients are now not that flexible in meeting today's demands. Recipe changeovers lead to hours of cleaning downtime, during which there is no production.
To perform a full clean that will remove the risks of cross-contamination, the blenders have to be stopped, taken apart (blades removed) and washed. They must then be dried before the next batch can begin to ensure there is no risk to the next batch. This cleaning process often requires a full day of operators focusing on the cleaning regimen. Any shortcuts in the cleaning process can result in cross-contamination from recipe to recipe, as product ingredients can build up in hard-to-access areas.
.webp?width=600&height=100&name=Beverages-Production%20(1).webp)
The risk of transferring materials via pneumatic conveying
Pneumatic conveying systems are also very difficult to clean thoroughly. If the range of final products are all quite similar then it’s not such a problem as common flavours/smells are shared. But with today’s need for more variation of recipes (stronger flavour options and trendy additions), manufacturers are forced to carry out thorough cleaning and surface testing to attempt to control product integrity issues.
Managing powder segregation
In addition, manufacturers also have to deal with ingredient and powder mix segregation issues during transfer and discharge. For example, 3-in-1 beverage manufacturers experience high levels of quality issues because these recipes contain a collection of particles that have different sizes and structures in the mixture. These are commonly prone to blend segregation as the particles move apart during discharge. Manufacturers using butterfly valves or slide valves often experience segregation issues, due to the core flow and rolling of powder particles from the container.
The Advantages of a Decoupled and Contained IBC System
The Matcon Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) system enables manufacturers to switch between recipes without the common downtime issues caused by cleaning at the mixer stage, as we discussed earlier.
By using an IBC system, you adopt lean manufacturing practices and have the ability to reduce your overall manufacturing costs, increasing the return on your investment. A Matcon IBC system enables varied batch production and quick changeover at the blending stage as the IBC becomes the blending vessel. This method means that manufacturers can be more flexible in production and manufacture to meet demand with small inventory levels and minimal work in progress (WIP).
Keeping ingredients contained is vital for beverage manufacturers that use 'free-flowing' powders for several reasons. Aside from the high cost of wasted additives and flavourings, airborne powders present health and safety issues for operators and introduce a risk of cross-contamination, which can negatively affect production.
Butterfly or slide valves are open to the atmosphere during processing and increase the risk of releasing airborne product into the production space. Product can also stick around the valve mechanism and build up, wasting product and again introducing an opportunity for cross-contamination.
Ensure mass flow discharge of powders with no particle segregation
Matcon IBCs use Cone Valve technology to discharge powders accurately and effectively. It provides controlled discharge without the risk of segregation or elutriation. There are no entrapment areas within the IBC or Cone Valve itself, and product flows without the risk of the powder bridging, blockages or ratholing.
Near Infra-red Spectroscopy (NIR) improves recipe consistency
Matcon IBC blenders can integrate the use of NIR during blending allowing for constant monitoring of the blend and ensuring an accurately mixed recipe. NIR removes the requirement for invasive sampling techniques that are prone to error and the risk of cross-contamination (as the container has to be opened).
Mix validation is quick and easy to accomplish with NIR, providing real-time results while the blender is in motion, and pinpointing the exact moment when the recipe becomes fully homogenised. This data can be used to program the blender so that it automatically applies the correct mix time.
If you are curious to test the results of using NIR, contact Matcon’s global testing facilities to book a demonstration of mix validation with NIR using your actual ingredients.
Beverage Manufacturers use IBC Blending to Meet Demand and Remain Competitive
The new market direction has forced beverage manufacturers to identify and adopt new workflows to meet the changing demands of the market, while staying competitive.
3 in 1 Coffee Mix Case Study: Wetra Food Industries
Overlooking something as simple as blending could mean that you’re missing out on extra revenue. Having been in production since 1997, Wetra Food Industries felt it was time to update their manufacturing facility and equipment. Both local and global product demand had increased to 35+ beverage mixes, and success in their contract manufacturing business meant that the company needed to increase production capacity.
The Managing Director stipulated that they needed a flexible system that brought low levels of inventory/WIP and dust containment to ensure a clean, safe facility. Due to the need for validation of their HALAL instant food and beverage products, the factory also had to be designed with cross-contamination risks in mind.
Engineering support provided
As the organization didn’t have an in-house engineering team, Matcon carried out an initial engineering study to discover how their system was currently working and where improvements could be made. With a strong growth trajectory, future expansion plans were considered alongside the initial requirements of the project. Additional areas were included in the plans to incorporate another filling and blending area with 3+ packing line stations that could be installed in the future.
As this project was a full renovation of Wetra’s facility, Matcon could optimise the flow of product from raw materials entering the facility from the east, flowing through the zoned process areas until leaving the factory as finished goods from the west. The company decided to install an IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container) system with no fixed mixers due to the need for an easy to clean, flexible system that allows for high production output.
By decoupling each production process (filling, blending, and packing), all operations could occur simultaneously. The main time-saving advantage to using an IBC system is the reduced cleaning time (as this can also be performed off-line).
Key improvements to their beverage manufacturing process:
- Preserved blend homogeneity throughout the transfer process for a consistent and high-quality end product
- Repeat order processing abilities
- Elimination of ingredient segregation and particle rolling
- Controlled powder flow using a variable lift height mechanism within the Cone Valve, removing the need for additional feeders
- A dust-free atmosphere due to the outer lip seal on the Discharge Station
- Intelligent IBC discharge with the Cone Valve, which can be instantly shut off, facilitating precisely measured amounts for batch dosing or the removal of part-used IBCs from the Discharge Station
- No longer needed to store huge stocks of inventory to meet orders, saving on capital and wasted product
See IBC blending in action:
Since the installation, Wetra has been awarded the ‘HALAL Foods’ certification, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) certification and were invited to become members of the Federation of Manufacturers of Malaysia. The organisation is better positioned to take on new contracts which expand the business further.
