Spread Filling Machine for Cheese, Chocolate, Sandwich and Vegetable Spreads
Fill thick cheese, chocolate-hazelnut, sandwich and vegetable spreads into pre-formed cups and tubs without voids or messy flanges. The SDH-R doses 50–500 g at ±0.5% accuracy, then seals and snaps on a resealable lid in one pass.
A spread filling machine doses thick, viscous spreads into pre-formed cups or tubs and closes them. Hummus Pack's SDH-R is a fully automatic rotary spread filling machine: a servo-driven volumetric piston fills 50–500 g at ±0.5% accuracy, then the machine heat-seals a roll-film membrane, can nitrogen-flush to 0.3–0.4% residual oxygen and snaps on resealable lids, at up to 30 cups per minute (18–25 real-world).
- Output
- Up to 30 cups/min (18–25 real-world)
- Fill range
- 50 g – 500 g (approx. 2–17 oz)
- Fill accuracy
- ±0.5% (servo-driven volumetric piston)
- Cup sizes
- 4, 8, 10, 16 oz standard; 2–32 oz custom
- Closing
- Roll-film membrane seal + optional snap-on lid
- Changeover
- Under ~15 minutes between SKUs
- Price
- From $45,000 USD (single filler)
What a Spread Filling Machine Needs to Handle
A spread filling machine doses thick, often sticky products into pre-formed cups or tubs and closes them so each pack reaches the shelf with an even surface, an intact seal and a lid the consumer can snap back on. Spreads are harder to fill than most dips: they are stiffer, they hold on to air, many change viscosity sharply with temperature, and they are eaten over several days, so the pack has to reseal. Our SDH-R is a fully automatic rotary cup filling, sealing and lidding machine, designed and built in Calgary, Alberta, that we configure for exactly these products.
This page covers cheese, chocolate-hazelnut, sandwich, vegetable and dairy-free spreads. For looser products like salsa or fresh dips, start with our dip filling and sealing machine page; the full specification is on the SDH-R product page. Every spread configuration shares a servo-driven volumetric piston filler with ±0.5% fill-weight accuracy across 50–500 g. What changes is the nozzle, the stroke settings, the secondary fillers and the closure, and those choices decide whether the line runs cleanly or spends its shifts wiping flanges.
Spreads We Fill: Cheese, Chocolate, Sandwich and Vegetable Spreads
Cheese spreads
Processed, pimento and whipped cheese spreads are dense, cohesive and prone to stringing at the nozzle, and whipped versions change density with the air they hold. A cheese spread filling machine needs a clean cut-off and a stable product feed more than raw speed. If cream cheese is your main SKU, see our cream cheese filling machine page.
Chocolate and chocolate-hazelnut spreads
Chocolate-hazelnut spreads are fat-based: they flow when warm and stiffen as they cool. A chocolate spread filling machine has to receive the product at the temperature it was formulated to fill at, and the seal has to cope with oil near the flange. Many handling traits overlap with our nut butter filling application.
Sandwich spreads
Mayonnaise-based sandwich spreads carry pickle or relish pieces in a shear-sensitive emulsion. A sandwich spread filling machine is usually specified with large-bore valving and a cut-off nozzle sized to the largest piece, so pieces pass without bridging and the emulsion is not thinned.
Vegetable and dairy-free spreads
Ajvar, muhammara and roasted red pepper spreads combine a coarse base with oil, and some carry walnut pieces or breadcrumbs, so oil separation and free oil on the flange are the usual problems. A vegetable spread filling machine benefits from wide-bore valving and an optional second filler for an oil finish. Sesame-based spreads follow our tahini filling machine configuration, and cashew or oat spreads are covered in our plant-based filling guide.
Spread Types, Filling Challenges and the Right SDH-R Option
Different spreads fail on a line in different ways. Use this table as a starting point; our engineering team confirms the final configuration against a sample of your product.
Spread type vs filling challenge vs SDH-R option
| Spread type | Main filling challenge | SDH-R option |
|---|---|---|
| Processed and pimento cheese spreads | Stringing at the nozzle; flange smearing | Volumetric piston with cut-off nozzle; settings stored per recipe |
| Whipped cheese spreads | Entrained air causes weight drift | Slower piston stroke; optional weight checker with feedback loop |
| Chocolate-hazelnut spreads | Stiffens as it cools; oil near the seal area | Fill at a pumpable temperature confirmed with engineering; suck-back nozzle |
| Sandwich spreads with relish | Pieces bridging the valve; shear-sensitive emulsion | Large-bore valving; cut-off nozzle sized to the pieces |
| Ajvar, muhammara, roasted pepper | Oil separation; free oil on the flange | Wide-bore valving; optional peristaltic pump or garnish filler |
| Dairy-free cashew or oat spreads | High viscosity; tree-nut cross-contact | Tool-free strip-down; optional CIP system |
| Spreads used over several days | Resealing after the membrane is peeled | Membrane seal plus lid pick-and-place and snapping device |
Filling Thick, Temperature-Dependent Spreads at a Pumpable Temperature
For many spreads, viscosity depends on temperature. A chocolate-hazelnut spread that flows at the end of mixing can be close to solid an hour later, and blends containing butter or hard fats sit at the firmest end of the range, which our butter and margarine filling machine page covers.
The SDH-R is designed for fresh and refrigerated cup products filled at a pumpable temperature, where the spread flows under piston pressure and stops cleanly when the stroke ends. We do not publish a hot-fill limit. Tell us the temperature your spread leaves your process at, how long it waits and when it sets, and our engineering team confirms the feed and nozzle arrangement before quoting. You can send us your product details at any stage.
Because the piston is servo-driven, fill settings are stored per recipe on the HMI rather than fixed mechanically. A thick product can be drawn with a slower stroke so the cylinder fills completely instead of cavitating, and switching to a softer spread means loading a recipe, not readjusting hardware.
- Keep the hopper level steady; large top-ups change head pressure at the piston intake and cause weight variation.
- Do not let temperature-sensitive spreads sit in the hopper long enough to set.
- Re-check fill weights after any stop long enough for the product to cool.
Get a configured SDH-R quote for your productSend your product, cup size and target cups per minute — we reply within 24 hours.
Request a quoteStopping Air Pockets and Voids in Spread Cups
A void under the surface does not show on the line, but the consumer finds it as a hollow when scooping, it lowers delivered weight on a volumetric fill, and it traps oxygen inside the pack. Thick spreads do not self-level or release air, so air that goes into the cup stays there. It enters during upstream transfer, at the piston intake, and in the cup when product folds over itself.
- Reduce air upstream with low-shear transfer and a steadily fed hopper.
- Slow the piston intake so a viscous spread fills the cylinder completely.
- Fill from the bottom up: with the nozzle discharging near the cup floor, the spread builds upward and pushes air ahead of it. Whether your product needs this approach is confirmed with our engineering team during quoting.
- Keep the discharge steady so the top layer settles instead of piling into a peak.
- Use the optional weight checker with feedback loop to flag light cups.
A Flat, Clean Surface for Clear-Lid Shelf Appeal
Many spreads sell under clear snap-on lids, so the surface is the first thing a shopper sees. A peak where the nozzle pulled away or a tail dragged across the top reads as poor quality, and on a stiff spread these marks do not relax before sealing. The suck-back nozzle pulls product back from the tip at the end of the stroke, so nothing drips as the cup indexes; the cut-off nozzle shears cleanly through spreads with pieces. Because each cup sits in a fixed turret position, the deposit lands in the same place every cycle.
Surface and seal quality are linked. Any spread that reaches the flange sits between film and cup during heat sealing, and with fat-rich cheese or chocolate-hazelnut spreads a thin oily film can stop the seal bonding and leave a channel leak. You can also finish the surface on purpose: an oil drizzle on muhammara, paprika on pimento cheese through the vibration filler, or chopped nuts through the garnish filler, all in one pass, as described in our multi-component filling guide.
How the SDH-R Spread Filling Machine Works, Station by Station
The SDH-R is a rotary machine: an indexing turret carries each cup through every station in one pass, on a 44 × 52 in (1,100.5 × 1,315.5 mm) footprint, 65.6 in (1,666 mm) high.
- Cup loading: a pneumatic denester places a pre-formed round, square or rectangular cup or tub.
- Base fill: the servo-driven volumetric piston doses 50–500 g at ±0.5% accuracy.
- Secondary or third fill (optional): oil via peristaltic pump, spices via vibration filler, or nuts and herbs via garnish filler.
- Membrane sealing: roll film is cut and heat-sealed to the flange; pre-die-cut lids are an alternative.
- Nitrogen MAP flushing (optional): residual oxygen reduced to 0.3–0.4%.
- Lid placement (optional): plastic lid pick-and-place, with a snapping device for over-top lids.
- Discharge to the conveyor, with optional labeling, variable data coding and a weight checker.
PLC controls and the HMI store a recipe per spread and raise diagnostic alerts. Output is up to 30 cups per minute on a dry cycle and 18–25 in real-world production, depending on product, cup size, fill weight and options; stiff spreads filled slowly tend toward the lower end.
Spread Packaging Machine Closures: Tubs, Membrane Seals and Snap-On Lids
Spreads are rarely finished in one sitting, so most spread packaging uses two closures: a heat-sealed membrane for tamper evidence and freshness, and a rigid snap-on lid the consumer keeps using. As a spread packaging machine, the SDH-R applies both in one pass.
- Tub formats: 4, 8, 10 and 16 oz cups as standard, with custom tooling for 2–32 oz in round, square or rectangular shapes. The SDH-R fills pre-formed containers and does not thermoform them.
- Membrane seal: temperature, pressure and dwell are set for the film, cup material and flange width and stored with the recipe, alongside the nozzle settings that keep the flange clean.
- Snap-on lids: the optional lid station places a plastic lid and the snapping device locks over-top lids onto the rim, framing a clean surface under a clear lid.
For fresh, refrigerated spreads, optional nitrogen flushing lowers residual oxygen to 0.3–0.4%, and typical refrigerated shelf life can extend from roughly 7–10 days to 30–45 days or more, depending on the product and confirmed by your own testing. See our MAP cup filler page for detail.
Allergen Control and Changeover Between Spread SKUs
Spread portfolios are allergen-dense: milk in cheese spreads, tree nuts in chocolate-hazelnut and muhammara, sesame in tahini-based spreads, egg in mayonnaise-based sandwich spreads. Under FALCPA and the FASTER Act the US recognizes nine major allergens, with sesame added on January 1, 2023. FSMA's Preventive Controls rule (21 CFR Part 117) expects cross-contact to be controlled through sanitation and scheduling, and Canada's SFCR, enforced by the CFIA, requires comparable preventive controls. The SDH-R is not itself certified to HACCP, BRCGS or SQF; it is designed to support plants operating under them:
- Food-grade 304 stainless steel construction with tool-free strip-down.
- An optional CIP (clean-in-place) system.
- FDA-compliant food-contact materials; CE marked and UL listed.
- HMI recipe storage, so each SKU restarts with its own settings.
A changeover between compatible SKUs takes under about 15 minutes. Crossing an allergen boundary, such as hazelnut spread to a nut-free cheese spread, needs the full sanitation step in your food safety plan and takes longer, which is why most plants run allergen-free spreads first and the most allergen-dense last.
Spread Filling Machine Price, Lead Time and When to Choose Something Else
The SDH-R starts from $45,000 USD in its single-filler configuration, scaling with additional fillers, MAP, labeling and custom tooling; our cup filling and sealing machine cost article explains how options add up. Delivery is 8–12 weeks from order confirmation, with a 12-month warranty and support from our service centres in Alberta, New Jersey and California.
When the SDH-R is not the right fit
- More than 30 cups per minute on a single SKU: an inline cup filling machine is usually better.
- Glass jars or bottles: the SDH-R fills pre-formed cups and tubs only.
- Aseptic or retort shelf-stable products: the SDH-R is neither an aseptic nor a retort system.
- Fills below 50 g: outside the standard range; 2 oz cups sit at the low end.
Send us your spread type, cup size, target cups per minute and options; our team may reach out to learn more about the product, and we reply within about 24 hours. Request a spread filling machine quote or call +1 (888) 922-7271.
Spread Filling Machine — Frequently Asked Questions
The Hummus Pack SDH-R spread filling machine starts from $45,000 USD in its single-filler configuration. The price rises with additional fillers such as an oil or garnish station, nitrogen MAP flushing, labeling integration and custom tooling for non-standard tubs. Send us your spread, cup size, target cups per minute and options, and we reply with a quote within about 24 hours.
The SDH-R rotary spread filling machine runs up to 30 cups per minute on a dry cycle and 18–25 cups per minute in real-world production, depending on the spread, cup size, fill weight and options. Stiff spreads filled with a slower piston stroke to avoid air pockets usually sit toward the lower end. Lines needing more than 30 cups per minute on one SKU suit an inline machine.
The SDH-R fills pre-formed cups and tubs in 4 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz and 16 oz as standard, with custom tooling for 2 oz to 32 oz in round, square or rectangular shapes. The standard fill range is 50–500 g (about 2–17 oz); fills outside that range are confirmed with our engineering team. It does not thermoform cups or fill glass jars.
The SDH-R uses a servo-driven volumetric piston filler with fill-weight accuracy of ±0.5%. Because a volumetric filler doses a set volume, delivered weight depends on the spread's density, so entrained air in whipped or poorly transferred spreads shows up as light cups. An optional weight checker with a feedback loop monitors fill weights and helps correct drift.
Yes, provided the spread reaches the SDH-R at a pumpable temperature, meaning it flows under piston pressure and cuts off cleanly at the nozzle. We do not publish a hot-fill limit, so our engineering team confirms fill temperature, viscosity and nozzle choice against your product before quoting. The SDH-R fills pre-formed cups and tubs, not glass jars, and is not an aseptic or retort system.
Yes. The SDH-R heat-seals a tamper-evident membrane, cut from roll film, onto the cup flange; an optional plastic lid pick-and-place station then places a lid, and a snapping device presses over-top lids onto the rim. Spreads get the two closures they usually need: a sealed membrane before opening and a resealable lid for multi-day use.
For fresh, refrigerated spreads it can. The SDH-R's optional nitrogen MAP flushing reduces residual oxygen in the container to 0.3–0.4%, and typical refrigerated shelf life can extend from roughly 7–10 days to 30–45 days or more, depending on the product. Your own shelf-life testing should confirm the result. Our MAP and nitrogen flushing guide explains the details.
The SDH-R is built from food-grade 304 stainless steel with tool-free strip-down and an optional CIP system, and each SKU's settings are stored as an HMI recipe. A changeover between compatible SKUs takes under about 15 minutes. Crossing an allergen boundary, such as hazelnut spread to a nut-free cheese spread, requires the full sanitation step in your food safety plan under FSMA (21 CFR Part 117) or SFCR.
Hummus Pack builds the SDH-R spread filling machine in Calgary, Alberta, with delivery 8–12 weeks from order confirmation. Each machine includes a 12-month warranty, and support comes from our service centres in Alberta, New Jersey and California. We supply food producers across the USA, Canada, the UK, the EU, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
Related machines & guides
Explore the pages most relevant to this application.
Why producers buy from Hummus Pack
Ready to Quote Your Spread Filling Machine?
Get a personalized SDH-R configuration and price for your product, cup sizes, and production volume.