Coffee is a unique and special food product. Despite its hardy appearance, especially when found in grains, it is perhaps the most delicate and easily perishable of all foodstuffs.
The defining characteristic, which distinguishes its qualities, from the most to the least valuable, and makes it such a delicious and sought-after product, is undoubtedly its aroma. This is also the reason why coffee requires that special attention be paid to its packaging, from the choice of materials, to packaging and preservation strategies, among which the vacuum technique stands out.The aroma is the most precious quality of coffee, and it should be preserved because it denotes its quality, allows us to distinguish its origin, processing, roasting, and other qualities that make coffee a truly cult food, appreciated and sold all over the world. Let us therefore discover the world of coffee packaging and its characteristics.
Coffee pouches
First and foremost, coffee pouches should be made from plastic materials with a high degree of aroma barrier, while at the same time being suitable for creating vacuum pouches.
Specifically, the materials used by CelVil for coffee packaging are laminated films, so as to combine the properties of each to achieve the best performance in protection and barrier effect. The different plastic films, PET, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyamide are thus combined with aluminum films or paper in these ways:
Coffee bags
Once the ideal packaging material is defined to ensure the optimal barrier effect for flavors, coffee bags are produced in different designs and formats, where the most common however are some that have been gradually selected for both practical and aesthetic reasons.
– The flowpack bag
– the vertical envelope with back
There is also the solution of packaging in metal cans with aluminum foil, which, however, is more expensive to produce as well as less practical for transportation and storage.
The most efficient solution in any case are coffee bags made of plastic and laminated materials, which due to the joining of materials achieves the best performance in terms of barrier effect, but also in terms of aesthetic performance, strength and optimization of production costs, transportation etc.
The formats? Generally, standard sizes are considered to start at 125 g, proceeding in multiples up to 1, 3 or 5 kilograms.
| Pet+ alu + Pe |
| Ca-pe |
| Pet + pet met + pe |
| Pa +pe |
| Pa+alu+Pe |
| Pet + Pe |
If 125 gr and 250 gr are the most common on supermarket shelves because they are intended for the end consumer, up to 500 gr and 1 kg which are the most common for “stock” or gift packs, while the larger sizes are intended for wholesale or for hospitality establishments in the HORECA sector.
The coffee packs thus produced are ideal for the application of vacuum when necessary, as well as lending themselves excellently to the application of accessories and devices to support product protection and preservation. An additional feature typical of this packaging type, and therefore suitable for coffee packaging, is also the total possibility of customization. Designs and formats, as anticipated, can be made ad hoc and customized through flexographic printing, the fastest and highest-performing technique for creating a tailored graphic design for package surfaces.
Vacuum packaging for coffee
Coffee packaging generally involves the application of two techniques, reflecting the specific needs of the two main forms in which coffee is available on the market: bean or ground.
Each mode makes use of specific technologies that allow special processing or accessories to be applied to the package to make it ideal for preserving the particular type of product.
In any case, vacuum packing is a guarantee of quality and intact aroma, so it is a step that should be given the necessary attention.
The vacuum technique involves the subtraction of oxygen, an element that more than any other causes the premature spoilage of foodstuffs in general and in particular the alteration of their organoleptic characteristics. It is precisely to ensure total insulation from external agents, and thus the “seal” of the vacuum, that the materials selected must be particularly technological and high-performance, so that they can be sealed impeccably and effectively preserve their contents even for a long time, and in any case until consumption.
Ground coffee: the right packaging
Ground coffee bags must have an exceptional barrier effect, because not only is coffee in this state extremely sensitive to moisture, but also its aroma is delicate and volatile, so this type of coffee bag must prevent its dispersion.
This type of coffee prefers to be packaged in a protective atmosphere and with the vacuum technique, which the materials of which the packaging is composed must be able to maintain: not only the protection of the aroma and its preservation inside the package, therefore, but above all the total isolation from external agents, a prerogative of vacuum packaging, is the most effective technique to ensure a good and long preservation of ground coffee.
The best bags for coffee beans
Coffee bean bags, on the other hand, typically have a micro-perforation, which allows the escape of the gases that the coffee beans, roasted and not yet ground, emit during storage. The release of these substances on the outside of the package prevents its swelling and stagnation on the inside, which would compromise its quality.
Another stratagem, however, is the application of a membrane valve, known as a degassing valve, which allows the product to breathe, yes, but only at the outlet, and thus protects the contents from the infiltration of external agents such as oxygen and moisture.
Customized coffee packaging
Customizing coffee packaging means telling the story of brand identity through every visual and functional detail of the package. In addition to aroma protection, which remains the top priority, a tailored design allows you to enhance product quality, attract consumers and stand out in the market. High-definition flexographic printing allows for original graphics, tactile textures and special effects such as embossing or metallic details, offering endless creative possibilities. The shape of the pouch can also be adapted to the customer’s needs: from the zippered resealable doypack format to the single-dose sachet or solutions with a degassing valve. For those who want premium packaging, you can opt for materials with matte, glossy or soft touch finishes, or incorporate paper or cardboard elements for a more natural effect. Well-designed packaging, in addition to preserving coffee optimally, becomes a powerful communication and marketing tool.
Personalized coffee envelopes
Be it accessories, rather than customized formats or custom-designed packages, laminated plastics are ideal for pandering to special requests and meeting special needs : it is possible in just a few steps to create customized coffee bags, not only in print but also in shape, with the application of simple design stratagems, secondary packaging with paper sleeves, rather than the choice of materials in special colors, or even customizing the packages with original prints, hot stamping and embossing effects.
In any case, creativity has free rein, and we at Celvil are at your service to realize your projects, accompanying you with timely advice in choosing the most suitable, high-performance and, last but not least, efficient and economical materials to achieve your goals.
