Custom Printed Drink Pouches for Juice, Smoothies and Cold Brew

How is a drink pouch different from a sauce spout pouch?

The spout is the giveaway. A drink pouch carries a slim neck, often 8 mm, that sits comfortably in the mouth and takes a straw. A sauce pouch wants a wider neck so thick product can get out.

The shape differs too. Drink pouches run taller and narrower so the hand wraps round the body, and the gusset is shallower because nobody needs the pouch to stand half full in a cupboard.

Thin liquids also put less stress on the spout weld than purees do, so the pouch wall can be lighter. That keeps the pack soft to squeeze and cheaper per unit.

Which drinks are sold in pouches?

Still drinks of every kind. Fizzy drinks are the exception, because the pressure stretches the seals, so cider and sparkling water stay in bottles.

For thicker products such as ketchup, honey and refills, the wider-necked spout pouches for sauces and refills are the better match.

• Cold pressed juice and wellness shots from juice bars
• Fruit smoothies for lunchboxes and school caterers
• Cold brew coffee and iced tea from roasters and cafes
• Slush and frozen fruit pouches eaten from the pack
• Electrolyte and protein drinks for gyms and events
• Pre-mixed cocktails and mocktails for festival bars

What size drink pouch holds 250 ml?

A 250 ml drink pouch is often around 110 × 190 mm with a 50 mm gusset. The pouch is sized above the nominal volume so there is air above the drink and room for the seal.

Volume is driven more by height than width on a drink pouch, because a narrow body is easier to hold. Go too narrow, though, and the pouch becomes top heavy with the spout and cap.

If you are unsure between two sizes, pick the one that leaves 10 percent headspace. Our guide to choosing a pouch walks through the decision from product to pack.

Film and barrier for juice and cold brew

Light and oxygen are what spoil a drink in a clear pack. Cold brew goes flat in flavour, orange juice browns and green smoothies lose colour. A foil laminate stops both reaching the drink.

Clear PET / PE is still popular for coloured drinks sold chilled and drunk within days, because the colour sells the product. The trade is a shorter life, which refrigeration covers for many brands.

Food-contact, high-barrier and compostable film options are available on request, and the laminate is confirmed on your quote. Our explainer on barrier films and laminates sets out what each structure blocks.

Spouts, straws and caps for drinks

Small changes at the neck change how the drink is used. The table lists the common fittings.

Can drink pouches be frozen for slush and ice pops?

Yes, and it is one of the most common uses. The pouch is filled with juice or a slush base, frozen flat or upright, and sold from a freezer to be squeezed and eaten as it thaws.

The PE seal layer stays flexible in the freezer. The points to watch are expansion, so leave extra headspace, and the cap, which should be tightened before freezing so the spout does not weep as the pouch thaws.

Tell us the pouch will be frozen and we confirm a laminate suited to it on the quote.

How do you fill drink pouches on a small line?

Most juice bars and small drinks brands start with a gravity or piston filler and fill through the spout. The routine takes a few seconds per pouch once the station is set up.

1. Stand the pouches on a tray with the gussets opened.
2. Set the filler to the target volume and run a test pouch onto scales.
3. Fill through the spout, stopping at the agreed headspace.
4. Wipe any splash off the neck and screw the cap to the stop.
5. Chill or freeze within the time your process sets.
6. Pack upright in cases so the spouts stay clear of each other.

Design and print for a pouch held in the hand

A drink pouch is read at arm's length and often held by the top. Put the flavour and the volume high on the front panel, below the seal area, where a thumb will not cover them.

Full colour digital print carries fruit photography and bright flavour colours well. On a foil pouch, white under-print keeps those colours clean. A matte finish stops the pouch looking sweaty in a chiller.

Our designers lay the artwork on the dieline and send a free proof. The seal zones, bleed and file formats are listed in our printed pouch artwork guide.

Mistakes brands make with drink pouches

Filling a fizzy drink is the one that costs the most. The pouch balloons, the seals stretch under pressure and the batch has to be poured away.

Underestimating the cold chain is the second. A clear pouch of fresh juice left in a warm van loses colour in a day. Foil buys time but does not replace refrigeration.

The third is a tall, thin pouch with a heavy cap. It tips in the chiller and on the table. A slightly wider body with a shallower gusset holds its feet.

Drink pouches for events, gyms and cafes

Festival bars like pouches because they are light, do not break and are easy to hand over a counter. Gyms sell electrolyte and protein drinks in them because the pack fits a bottle cage or a pocket.

Cafes and roasters use a 250 ml or 330 ml pouch for cold brew, printed with the roast and the brewing notes. Farm shops sell apple juice the same way beside the bottled version.

If your drink is a gel rather than a liquid, the narrow tear-off neck of our energy gel pouches suits it better than a cap.

Ordering drink pouches

Send the volume, the drink, whether it is chilled or frozen and a rough quantity. We quote per order, from £0.25 per unit, and put the figure on a written quote.

A free design proof comes first. After your approval the run takes 4–6 business days, then free tracked UK delivery takes 2–3 business days.

Misprints or damage reported within 10 days with photos are reprinted or refunded. To start, request a written drink pouch quote or send a WhatsApp.