Electrolyte powders, hydration stick packs, effervescent tablets and drink mixes are the lightweight side of the beverage category, and they bring their own requirements: moisture protection, supplement regulations for many products and heavy subscription volume.
Food or dietary supplement: why it matters
Drink mixes are sold either as conventional foods, with a Nutrition Facts panel, or as dietary supplements, with a Supplement Facts panel. The label determines which FDA rules apply. Dietary supplements fall under FDA's dietary supplement current good manufacturing practice regulation, 21 CFR Part 111, which covers holding and distribution as well as manufacturing.
For supplement-labeled powders, cGMP-aligned storage options are available, with controlled receiving, lot tracking, quarantine of damaged or suspect product and storage conditions that match the label. Responsibility for product formulation, labeling and claims remains with the brand, and we recommend confirming your product's classification with regulatory counsel before you launch.
Protecting powders from moisture and crushing
Powders are not fragile in the way glass is, but they are vulnerable. Humidity can cause clumping, and punctured or crushed stick packs and pouches leak fine powder through a whole order. Tubs can crack at the lid under compression.
We store powders off the floor in clean, dry areas and away from strong odors, and we pack them in right-sized cartons that keep heavier items, such as a shaker bottle or a tub, from crushing lighter stick-pack cartons in mixed orders. Receiving inspection checks for torn cases, broken seals and moisture damage, and anything suspect is quarantined before it reaches a pick location.
Subscriptions, samplers and retail cases
Hydration and drink-mix brands rely heavily on subscriptions and sampling. Stick packs are ideal sample inserts, and many brands ship variety boxes with multiple flavors. We build sampler and variety kits with component lot capture, plan labor around subscription renewal days and insert samples into qualifying orders based on rules you set.
Stick-pack cartons and tubs also ship to fitness, grocery and specialty retailers on pallets. Lightweight, compact products make for efficient parcel shipping, so powder brands often get some of the lowest per-order shipping costs in the beverage category when cartons are sized well.
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle dietary supplement drink mixes?
Yes. Supplement-labeled drink mixes and electrolyte powders can be stored in cGMP-aligned storage options with lot control and quarantine procedures consistent with 21 CFR Part 111 holding requirements.
Can you insert stick-pack samples into orders?
Yes. Sample stick packs can be inserted into all orders or only qualifying orders based on rules such as first purchase, order value or specific SKUs.
How do you prevent powder from clumping in storage?
We store powders in clean, dry areas off the floor, away from heat sources, and inspect for moisture damage and broken seals at receiving.