A concept
A target flavor, a function, a format, and a customer in mind. We build the formula from there.
R&D and flavor formulation
Flavor formulation and beverage R&D built for the can
Bring a concept, a kitchen recipe, or a finished formula. We turn it into a production-ready specification that tastes right, holds up on the shelf, and runs cleanly on an aluminum can line in Greenville, South Carolina.
Where you can start
Any stage, one path to the line
A kitchen recipe
Something that tastes right at the bench but has never been pasteurized, canned, or batched at scale. We make it production-ready.
A finished formula
A spec that already runs elsewhere. We check it against our line, adjust only what the process requires, and move to pilot.
What formulation covers
Taste is the start, not the finish
A formula has to survive the process, the can, and the shelf. We work on all three at once so nothing gets rediscovered on the pilot.
Flavor development and matching
Building a new profile, or matching one you already sell so a move to our line is invisible to your customers.
Functional ingredients
Solubility, stability, and taste masking for actives that do not want to behave in a carbonated or still base.
Hemp-derived THC and CBD
Dosing consistency, emulsion compatibility, and testing coordination for the states you sell into.
Carbonation and pH
Carbonation level, acidity, and preservative strategy set together, because each one changes the others.
Shelf life and process
Whether the product needs tunnel pasteurization, and process-authority planning where the product requires it.
Scale-up to the line
Batching instructions and tolerances written for our equipment, not a stove, so the pilot matches the bench.
What you get
A specification the line can run
Formulation ends with documents sourcing and production can act on, and a pilot that proves them.
- 01Production specification
- 02Bill of materials for sourcing
- 03Batching instructions for the line
- 04Ingredient statement inputs for your label
- 05Pilot run on the canning line
Where it goes next
Formulation feeds sourcing and canning
Sourcing and supply chain
The bill of materials becomes purchase orders. Cans, ends, and ingredients arrive by lot.
Aluminum can packaging
The pilot run, then production. Still or sparkling, pasteurized if needed, sleeved or printed.
Capabilities and specs
Can formats, decoration, and pasteurization, in one place.
Frequently asked
Do I need a finished formula before I contact a beverage co-packer?+
No. Upstate Beverage Consultants takes projects at the concept stage, the kitchen-recipe stage, and the finished-formula stage. Earlier-stage projects go through formulation first. Finished formulas go straight to scale-up and a pilot run on the line.
How is flavor formulation for a canned beverage different from a kitchen recipe?+
A kitchen recipe is built for taste on the day it is made. A production formula also has to survive pasteurization if the product needs it, hold flavor and color over its shelf life, stay stable in an aluminum can, and batch consistently at scale. Formulation adjusts ingredients, acidity, and process so all of that holds, not just the taste.
Can you formulate hemp-derived THC and CBD beverages?+
Yes. Hemp-derived beverages are a specialty. Formulation work focuses on dosing consistency from can to can, ingredient compatibility with the emulsion, flavor that works with the active, and testing coordination for the states you sell into.
Who owns the formula after formulation?+
You do. The recipe, the specification, and the brand stay with you. We hold what we need to run production and treat it as confidential.
What happens after the formula is approved?+
The specification moves to sourcing, where cans, ends, and ingredients are procured or received, and then to a pilot run on the canning line. The pilot confirms the formula behaves at production scale before you commit to a full run.
Have a recipe, or just an idea?
Tell us what stage you are at. If the project fits, you will talk with the people who would formulate and run it.