Clear Broths and Stocks
Define extraction or blending duty, fat handling, filtration interfaces, holding conditions and the package. A low-viscosity liquid can still create sanitation, foaming and transfer constraints.
Soup & Broth Processing Solutions
Bring cooking, cooling, transfer and cleaning together around your recipes. DPS helps define the process, specify equipment and coordinate the line from design through startup.
Discuss Your Project
Soup Production Requirements Differ Across Three Product Families.
Smooth Soups and Concentrated Bases
Track viscosity as ingredients hydrate and temperature changes. Compare mixing, wall contact, fouling, cooling and discharge across the full batch rather than the finished sample alone.
Chunky Soups and Particulate Meals
Specify the largest piece, solids loading and the required texture after cooking, pumping and filling. The pump and valve passages must be reviewed with the package and heat-treatment route.
Connect the Production Process
Link cooking, cooling, transfer and chilled distribution to a qualified product-specific process. Avoid unapproved waiting between cook, cool and pack.
- Receive & doseVerify raw materials and addition order.
- Cook & mixConfirm uniformity and product quality.
- Cool & transferDefine approved conditions and timing.
- Pack & chillCoordinate release and cold-chain duty.
Resolve before procurementA chilled route requires its own product, shelf-life and cold-chain basis; it is not established by a generic kettle temperature.
Compare retort and aseptic processing with qualified specialists based on product, particulates, package and the required process. Determine what is pre-cooked and where the final process occurs.
- Define the productpH, water activity and particles matter.
- Select the routeQualified review of process and package.
- Integrate OEMsAgree feed, control and utility interfaces.
- Verify & releaseUse the approved acceptance basis.
Resolve before procurementDo not treat hot filling or kettle cooking as proof of commercial shelf stability.
Model the complete cook-room schedule across loading, cooking, cooling, discharge and cleaning. Review which tasks can safely overlap.
- Load ingredientsInclude preparation and manual additions.
- Run the recipeTemperature and mixing sequence.
- Discharge the batchCheck pump and filler availability.
- Clean for next SKUInclude verified release time.
Resolve before procurementA larger batch can take longer to cool or discharge. Compare saleable kg per production window, not vessel gallons alone.
Equipment That Fits the Process
Review the complete cook room together, including the equipment before and after each vessel.
Jacketed Kettles
Batch heating, cooking and mixing, with cooling and discharge matched to the operating duty.
Buffer Tanks & Transfer
Coordinate holding, temperature and sanitary transfer between batch operations.
CIP & Sanitary Systems
Define cleaning circuits, return conditions and peak utility requirements for the installed line.
Equipment Duties & Supplier Responsibilities
Equipment Duties, Utilities and Supplier Responsibilities.
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| System | Operating duty | Relevant DPS guide | Confirm before purchase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacketed kettle | Batch heating, cooking, mixing and discharge. | DPS kettles & cookers ↗ | Working batch, agitation, heat-transfer duty, cooling and discharge. |
| Staging / buffer tanks | Separate batch operations where the product permits holding. | DPS tanks and vessels ↗ | Permitted residence, temperature, agitation and cleaning. |
| CIP system | Serve the complete vessel / piping circuit. | DPS CIP systems ↗ | Product soils, return conditions, peak utilities and verification. |
| Particulate / thermal / filling packages | Specialist package-process duties. | Process engineering ↗ | Define OEM performance and package / process review requirements. |
Engineering the Whole Line
Start with the business outcome
Soup and broth manufacturers need a coordinated process rather than a cooker selected by nominal volume. DPS can connect kettle duty, ingredient additions, heat transfer, sanitary transfer, controls, cleaning and packaging interfaces. A useful business case values conforming output at contribution margin and includes the cost of utilities, installation, changeovers and startup.
DPS publishes kettle applications for soups and prepared-food bases. Cooking vessels, tanks, CIP and integration must be specified to the actual duty. Retorts, aseptic systems, fillers and specialist particulate equipment require explicit OEM scope and qualified process review.
Commissioning Tests and Performance Acceptance.
Define the Recipe and Piece Envelope
Agree broth or blend preparation, viscosity through the batch, largest pieces, solids loading and the required texture after packaging.
Test Complete Cooking and Cooling Cycles
Measure charging, heating, mixing, cooling, discharge and waiting with representative recipes and actual utility delivery.
Verify Cook-to-Fill and Cleaning Readiness
Check particle integrity through pumps and valves, filler availability, qualified recipe transitions and accepted output per complete batch.
Plan Your Project
Review the scope, cost assumptions and operating case for your project. The examples and calculators below support early planning and are not DPS quotations.
Compare Operating Corrections, Retrofit and Replacement.
Begin with the cycle log and the product envelope. Check the existing kettle, agitator, outlet, pump, heat source, cooling system and filler together. Preserve assets that meet the verified duty and define the shutdown and restart sequence.
Investment boundaryThe example below uses equivalent measured productive time at the constrained line rate. For lumpy batch schedules, confirm that recovered minutes actually produce complete additional batches or reduce paid hours.
Build the SKU and packaging mix first. Establish product / process authority review, ingredient handling, cooking and cooling arrangement, hygienic zones, waste handling, utilities, staffing and planned demand.
Investment boundaryCompare batch and continuous options on the same package, quality and demand basis. Include site fit-out, OEMs, commissioning, startup losses and working capital.
Long Cook-Room Cycle, Damaged Pieces or Rework and Operating Value.
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| Observed condition | Measure before design | DPS / team decision | Economic basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long cook-room cycle | Measure charging, heating, cooling, discharge and waiting independently. | Target the limiting step and compare alternative batch sizes. | Complete good batches × saleable kg; do not monetize theoretical fractional batches. |
| Damaged pieces or rework | Sample quality after agitation, transfer and the filler. | Coordinate mixing energy, passages and transfer method. | Use verified avoided baseline purchases or rework cost; exclude extra volume already valued in contribution. |
| Unbalanced cook and fill | Trend blocked cookers and starved fillers by package. | Review buffer requirements, thermal holds and scheduling. | Incremental sold kg at net contribution, capped by downstream and commercial demand. |
| Cleaning consumes the shift | Map recipe / allergen changes and full installed CIP circuits. | Coordinate circuit sequence, utilities and quality release. | Recovered time plus independently metered resource savings. |
Compare Soup-Line Capacity Options
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| Decision | Targeted Work | Broader Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Capacity | Correct the measured cook, cool or discharge constraint. | Add kettle capacity using complete cycles rather than nominal vessel volume. |
| Pieces and Texture | Trial agitation, passages and sanitary transfer. | Reconfigure packages where the product envelope exceeds retained equipment. |
| Shift Availability | Coordinate filler readiness, cleaning circuits and release. | Expand supporting utilities or package capacity after measuring the limiting stage. |
Soup Processing Equipment Price and Installed Line Cost.
Compare proposals with the same product duty, supplier boundaries and acceptance basis. The amount below is a transparent planning example, not a market price range, supplier estimate or DPS quotation.
| Cost bucket | Assumed amount |
|---|---|
| Engineering and cook-room schedule | $45,000 |
| Configured vessels / process components | $185,000 |
| Mechanical / electrical installation | $80,000 |
| Recipe and controls integration | $45,000 |
| Commissioning / product trials | $30,000 |
| Training and closeout | $15,000 |
| Defined project scope | $400,000 |
| Separate site / facility additions | $50,000 |
| Capital contingency (15%) | $67,500 |
| Separate one-time startup / shutdown cost | $25,000 |
| Incremental working capital | $20,000 |
| Total initial cash | $562,500 |
The defined scope assumes applicable freight, procurement charges and taxes are included in the owner’s estimate. Add missing civil, land / shell, OEM, environmental, validation and permitting costs explicitly. Site and field conditions, duty, production access and quoted supplier scope determine actual price. Financing is excluded.
Worked Operating Case
Illustrative complete-batch basis: a 720-minute window with 180-minute current cycles completes 4 batches; 144-minute proposed cycles complete 5. At 900 good kg/batch this releases 900 kg/day, equivalent to 1 modeled productive hour at 900 good kg/h, rather than one directly saved clock hour. × 250 days × 65% realization = 146,250 additional sold kg/year. At $3.50/kg price less $2.15/kg variable cost, annual capacity contribution is $197,437.50. Labor cash savings are only the approved avoided paid hours; extra-volume labor already belongs in variable cost.
Calculated from these assumptions: steady annual net benefit $221,188; year-one net cash $137,472; cash payback 2.92 years; five-year NPV at 10% is $199,870. Change the assumptions below to test a different case.
Soups, Broths & Prepared-Food Bases: New-Facility Cost and Utilization Case.
Assumed new soup / broth operation: ingredient handling / batching equipment, configured cook-room / transfer equipment, the selected specialist preservation / filling package, utilities, engineering, controls, installation and commissioning are included in $2.4M. The $1.1M site allowance represents the separate assumed facility fit-out boundary. The package and qualified route must be fixed before requesting actual prices.
The $850,000 additional annual fixed cost assumes $550,000 fixed payroll / supervision, $200,000 occupancy and overhead, and $100,000 service / other fixed operation. Incremental product and production costs are already in $2.15/kg variable cost.
| Owner-budget item | Assumed or calculated amount |
|---|---|
| Defined equipment / engineering / installation scope | $2,400,000 |
| Separate site / facility allowance | $1,100,000 |
| Capital contingency (15%) | $525,000 |
| One-time pre-production startup expense | $125,000 |
| Incremental working capital | $250,000 |
| Total initial cash | $4,400,000 |
| Steady sold good output | 1,478,750 kg/year |
| Additional fixed operating cost | $850,000/year |
| First-year gross-benefit realization | 45% |
| First-year net operating cash | $48,341 |
| Steady net annual cash | $1,146,313 |
| Five-year NPV at 10% | −$1,052,730 |
Scheduled capacity is 250 days × 7 hours/day × 1,300 good kg/h; 65% realization and the 1,500,000 kg demand ceiling determine sold output. Historical material, payroll, energy, cleaning and maintenance savings are all zero. Startup expense covers separate pre-production activities; the year-one ramp already models unrealized gross operating benefit. Do not charge the same launch loss twice.
Use the New-facility example button below to inspect and change all assumptions. A negative NPV is a reason to revisit scope, utilization, contribution, timing or the decision horizon; it is not hidden by forcing a faster payback.
Soup Production Line ROI and Complete-Batch Economics.
Replace the illustrative inputs with your own measured or quoted values. The five-year pre-tax model uses good kilograms, demand-capped contribution and separately verified baseline savings; it is not a project quotation.
Both presets are hypothetical owner-budget scenarios. Choose the existing-plant improvement or new-facility case; they have different cost boundaries. New-facility presets set all historic savings to zero and include additional fixed operating cost.
- Initial cash investment
- $562.5k
- Steady annual net benefit
- $221.2k
- Cash payback
- 2.92 years
- 5-year NPV
- $199.9k
- Steady annual cash ROI
- 39.3%
- 5-year net cash ROI
- 81.7%
Includes contingency, startup and working capital
Incremental operating cash before tax
Includes year-one ramp assumption
At 10% annual discount
Net annual benefit ÷ initial cash
Net cumulative gain ÷ initial cash
Modeled incremental sales: 146,250 kg/year at $1.35/kg contribution. The base case has a nonnegative five-year NPV at the selected discount rate. Year-one net cash: $137,472.
Realization needed for the target operating payback
62.8%
Minimum capacity realization for a 3-year operating cash payback; terminal recovery excluded. Demand and unit margin must also hold.
CSV export is local. No inputs are submitted.
Cumulative Project Cash
BaseDownside
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Inspect Annual Cash Flow and Sensitivity
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| Year | Net cash | Cumulative cash | Discounted cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial | −$562,500 | −$562,500 | −$562,500 |
| Year 1 | $137,472 | −$425,028 | $124,974 |
| Year 2 | $221,188 | −$203,841 | $182,800 |
| Year 3 | $221,188 | $17,347 | $166,181 |
| Year 4 | $221,188 | $238,534 | $151,074 |
| Year 5 | $221,188 | $459,722 | $137,340 |
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| Case | Annual benefit | NPV | Cash payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downside | $142,213 | −$177,879 | Beyond 5 years |
| Base | $221,188 | $199,870 | 2.92 years |
| Upside | $246,500 | $287,770 | 2.66 years |
Downside: installed and site costs +20%, realization ×0.75 and unit contribution reduced by 20% of its absolute value. Upside: realization ×1.15, capped at 100%, and unit contribution improved by 10% of its absolute value. The demand ceiling still applies.
Calculation Basis
- Five-year, pre-tax cash flow. Financing, depreciation and asset resale are excluded.
- Initial cash includes contingency, startup costs and working capital; year one reflects ramp-up.
- Output is capped by demand. Count each production gain or verified cash saving once.
Complete-Batch Capacity Comparison
Hold batch quality, recipe and filling access constant. Include loading, cooking, cooling, discharge and recurring cleaning in each full cycle. Only complete batches are counted. Defaults support the main model: one additional 900 kg batch per day, then 65% realization over 250 days. The main ROI hour is an equivalent capacity representation. This operating worksheet refers to the existing-plant example and is independent of the financial preset selected above.
Bring an Operating Baseline and a Testable Investment Brief.
Prepare the information below, export the assumptions you have modeled, and discuss the unknowns with DPS. An unmeasured input is a question to resolve, not a reason to invent precision.
Checklist and model data stay in this browser until you choose to share them.
Soups, Broths & Prepared-Food Bases FAQ
Does the largest kettle give the lowest cost per kilogram?
Not necessarily. Larger batches may increase heating, cooling, charging and discharge time or exceed filler availability. Compare complete cycles and the commercial product mix before judging cost/kg.
Can one soup line handle smooth and chunky products?
Potentially, after verifying mixing, pump and valve passages, heat transfer, package interfaces and cleaning for both products. Trial the most demanding recipes and sample product after the entire train.
How should a shelf-stable soup route be selected?
Have qualified specialists evaluate the product, package and applicable requirements. Retort, aseptic and chilled routes have different process, quality, utility and capital conditions. A generic hot-fill claim is insufficient.
Are these prices or returns a DPS commitment?
No. The example inputs exist to make the business-case calculation reviewable. Actual scope, prices, schedule, savings and performance need project-specific assessment and agreement.
What should the first DPS conversation include?
Bring the product and package mix, operating baseline, commercial target, retained assets, site constraints, available outage window and the capital options you are considering. Mark unknowns for measurement or supplier trials.
Related Planning Guides
Ready Meal Factory Design: Plan Cooking, Assembly, Cooling and Distribution
Design a ready-meal operation around component cooking, assembly, cooling and distribution, with explicit release gates and equipment interfaces.
Food Processing Plant Layout: Plan Product Flow, People Flow and Future Growth
Plan a food processing plant layout around product, people, packaging and waste flows, then test space, access, storage and future expansion.
Food Processing and Packaging Line Integration: Design the Factory Around the Bottleneck
Plan food processing and packaging as one path. Compare rates, batch presentation, buffers, interfaces and staged capacity before selecting equipment.
Plan Your Soup or Broth Project
Discuss a new line, a cook-room upgrade or a specific production constraint with DPS.