Hey, my friends in foreign trade, when discussing coffee-related products, we often get asked about coffee sticks-how are they actually formed? Today, we'll break it down and explain it in detail. I guarantee you'll be able to offer some professional advice to your clients!
Coffee stick forming, in simple terms, involves "kneading" ingredients like coffee grounds, sugar (or sugar substitute), and milk powder into a fixed shape. The most common process involves two steps: mixing and pressing.
First, consider the ingredients. Choose finely ground coffee (similar to the fineness of espresso) to ensure a firm, compact structure when pressed. Sugar and milk powder are used to adjust the taste, and some recipes even add cocoa powder or vanilla extract for added flavor. Weigh the ingredients according to the correct proportions and blend them in a blender until they're as smooth as chocolate sauce-but don't make them too wet! Too much moisture will cause them to stick when pressed into the mold, and the finished product will fall apart easily.
Next comes the crucial step: pressing and forming. The mixed powder is then fed into a mold (usually in stick form, but sometimes mini cylinders are also available) and pressed into a fixed shape using mechanical pressure (the pressure varies depending on the recipe, generally around 5-15 tons).
This step requires precision and ruthlessness: too little pressure will result in loose and fragile coffee sticks; too much pressure may cause cracks during release from the mold. Mold design is also very sophisticated. Features like anti-slip grooves, brand logos, or cartoon designs are common requests from clients for international trade orders.
The pressed coffee sticks are briefly air-dried (not dried, but to enhance their structural stability) before being packaged. Individually packaged coffee sticks are also nitrogen-filled to prevent moisture and flavor changes.
Furthermore, there are now upgraded processes, such as cold pressing (which eliminates the need for heating, preserving more of the coffee's original flavor) or the addition of functional ingredients (such as probiotics and dietary fiber), which can all become selling points for international trade.
In short, while forming coffee sticks may seem simple, the details are incredibly complex. The next time a customer asks, "How do you make your coffee sticks?" you can confidently explain!