Canning Your Drink — How to Budget?

You’ve got the idea. Maybe it’s a craft ginger beer, a cold brew, a fruit-infused water, or a signature juice blend. The big question is: what’s it actually going to cost to get it into a can and in front of customers?

Good news — it’s more accessible than you think.

Your biggest upfront cost is how to pay for can sealing machine. At Not Soda, our machines are designed for small businesses and entrepreneurs, not factory-scale operations. You’re not signing a lease or taking out a bank loan — it’s a once-off purchase that pays for itself quickly once you’re selling.

We supply clear PET cans — a major advantage over aluminium. No order placement nightmare. No custom tooling. Just order what you need, when you need it. A batch small enough to test at a market, or large enough to supply a small retailer — your call.

Foil lids seal each can cleanly and professionally. They’re low-cost per unit and give your product that premium, tamper-evident finish customers trust.

Once you factor in your can, lid, and product cost, most small-batch operators land somewhere between R5 and R9 per sealed unit depending on volume and what’s inside. Sell it for R25–R45 at a market or deli, and the margin speaks for itself.

• No commercial kitchen lease to start
• No training or certification
• No massive stock holding
• No industry connections

Just a product worth sealing, a machine, and the drive to sell it.

Starting a canned product business in South Africa is one of the lower-barrier food business ideas going right now. The trend is growing, the equipment is affordable, and the market is hungry for local, premium, sealed products.