The Science Behind Specialty Coffee Packaging

Whether you are a coffee aficionado or just need a cup of joe to get your eyes open in the morning, you know it’s going to be good when you get that first whiff from the coffee bag. If the coffee is packaged well, those first aroma molecules are going to be heavenly. Packaged poorly, and you may not smell much at all. Packaging coffee is a science, and it’s an important one if you are a specialty coffee roaster hoping to hit the market running.

Here’s a bit of that science: coffee beans are roasted to create that full-bodied, deep flavor you love about your favorite gourmet coffee. However, due to the process of roasting, some of those new great flavor molecules aren’t very stable and evaporate fairly easily. This causes them to lose their flavor quickly, which makes quality packaging essential.

To keep those gorgeous aromas and flavors safely inside the ground or whole bean coffee, you’ll need a good barrier in the form of a coffee packaging bag. Laminated films are a great option. These films are made of layers, all of which serve different purposes. Some are meant to provide structure and strength to the package, while others are there to provide a barrier for those delicious molecules.

Not only does a good coffee pouch keep the coffee flavor in, but it also keeps unwanted factors out. Oxygen is the enemy of fresh specialty coffee beans. Oxidation can cause loss of quality and flavor to the beans, and even lead to rancidity – not really the word you want associated with your brand.

Remember those chemical reactions during the roasting process we talked about? It turns out that CO2 is released from the roasted beans, and continues to be released for quite some time. If there’s no way for this gas to be released, the coffee bag will inflate. Popped bags are not unheard of in this scenario. And that’s why a degassing valve is a very important feature when choosing a coffee packaging option.

Let’s break this down. When choosing the right packaging for your specialty coffee, there are a few key features essential for maintaining the high quality product your customers expect. At Polymerall, we have them all:

• high barrier film lamination containing a metallized layer of aluminum foil or polyester
• seal strength through proprietary LDPE formulations that guarantee hermetic seals on pre-formed bags and rollstock film applications
• one-way degassing valves which provide the appropriate gas exchange and prevent the coffee to oxidate.

We are highly experienced in delivering specialized, custom coffee packaging solutions. We can bring your product’s esthetic to the next level with our ability to deliver complex designs, digital printing and special features such as resealable options and specialized finishes.

Do you want to find out more about what Polymerall can do for your coffee brand? Look for us at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Boston!