Processing Multipliers
Every processing station in Starsand Island increases the sell value of your raw ingredients by a different amount. Understanding these multipliers is essential for maximizing profit, especially in the mid and late game when you are selling large volumes of processed goods to the Merchant Ship.
The multiplier represents how much the total sell value of the output exceeds the combined sell value of all input ingredients. A 2.0x multiplier, for example, means the finished product sells for twice as much as the raw materials would have sold for individually. The higher the multiplier, the more profit you earn per batch.
Multiplier Overview
The table below lists each processing station alongside its observed value multiplier range. These ranges reflect differences in input ingredients; some crops yield higher ratios than others.
Processing Station | Multiplier Range | Value Increase | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
1.85x – 2.78x | 85% – 178% | Vegetables (highest profit per batch) | |
1.41x – 1.52x | 41% – 52% | Fruits + Sugar | |
Cooking (Campfire / Gas Stove) | 1.10x – 1.50x | 10% – 50% | Multi-ingredient recipes |
1.10x | ~10% | Fruit drinks and smoothies | |
1.03x – 1.06x | 3% – 6% | Vinegar, oils, sauces, fermented goods |
Pickle Jar
The Pickle Jar offers the highest processing multiplier in the game, ranging from 1.85x to 2.78x depending on the vegetable used. Each batch requires two vegetables and one Salt, and takes roughly 15 in-game hours to complete. Because of the long processing time, scaling up with multiple Pickle Jars is the standard approach for late-game income.
Pickling low-value vegetables produces the highest relative gains. A vegetable that sells for 30 coins raw might yield a pickled product worth 60 to 80 coins, nearly tripling your return. High-value vegetables still benefit, but the percentage gain tends to sit closer to the lower end of the range.
For maximum profit, stockpile pickled goods throughout the week and sell them to the Merchant Ship, which pays 200% of normal vendor prices. This effectively doubles the already-multiplied value.
Jam Maker
The Jam Maker processes fruits and Sugar into jams with a multiplier between 1.41x and 1.52x. Individual jams sell for around 500 coins or more, making bulk jam production one of the most consistent money-making strategies in the game. With 10 or more Jam Makers running in parallel, daily income can exceed 100,000 coins.
The Jam Maker processes faster than the Pickle Jar, which partially compensates for its lower per-batch multiplier. When choosing between the two, consider that the Jam Maker is better suited for fruits, while the Pickle Jar handles vegetables. Running both station types together is the optimal strategy.
Cooking
Dishes prepared at the Campfire or Gas Stove carry a variable multiplier of 1.10x to 1.50x. The exact ratio depends on the recipe and how many ingredients it requires. Simple one or two-ingredient recipes sit near the lower end, while complex multi-ingredient dishes approach the 1.50x ceiling.
Cooking is often worth doing for the stamina and health buffs alone, but the value boost also makes it a decent way to squeeze extra coins out of ingredients that cannot be pickled or jammed. Check the Cooking Recipes page for a full list of dishes and their ingredients.
Juicer
The Juicer provides a modest 1.10x multiplier on ingredient value. Its main advantage is speed: the Juicer processes batches faster than any other station, making it practical for quick turnover. High-value fruit inputs like Star Plum can produce drinks worth over 1,000 coins each, so the absolute profit per unit can still be meaningful even at a lower multiplier.
Juicer products are also useful for their exploration and fishing buffs, so many players run the Juicer for personal use rather than pure profit.
Brewing Barrel
The Brewing Barrel has the lowest value multiplier at 1.03x to 1.06x. It converts crops into intermediate cooking ingredients like Vinegar, oils, and sauces. Processing takes 2 to 4 in-game hours per batch.
Because the multiplier is so low, the Brewing Barrel is not a strong profit tool on its own. Its real value lies in producing ingredients for higher-tier cooked dishes. If you plan to sell Brewing Barrel outputs directly, the return barely covers the effort. Use it as a stepping stone in a multi-stage processing chain instead.
Stacking with the Merchant Ship
The Merchant Ship at Starsand Port buys goods at 200% of normal vendor prices, refreshing its stock each Monday. This bonus stacks with processing multipliers. For example, a pickled vegetable with a 2.0x processing multiplier sold to the Merchant Ship effectively yields 4.0x the raw ingredient value (2.0x from pickling, then doubled by the ship).
The best late-game money strategy is to run a large number of Pickle Jars and Jam Makers throughout the week, stockpile everything in storage chests near the port, and sell the entire batch when the Merchant Ship arrives. See How to Make Money Fast for a detailed walkthrough of this approach.
Tips
Never sell raw crops. Even the lowest-multiplier station (Brewing Barrel at 1.03x) adds value. Always process before selling.
Prioritize Pickle Jars for vegetables. The 1.85x to 2.78x range is by far the best return in the game.
Scale horizontally. Since each station processes one batch at a time, building 10 to 20+ stations is the only way to increase throughput.
Match crops to stations. Vegetables go in the Pickle Jar, fruits go in the Jam Maker. Do not waste high-value fruit on a low-multiplier station.
Sell to the Merchant Ship. The 200% price bonus on top of processing multipliers is the single biggest profit lever in the late game.
Use the Brewing Barrel for cooking ingredients, not direct sales. Its 3 to 6% markup is too small to justify selling outputs directly.