E-commerce, which sprang up amid the pandemic, has been booming. Online shopping has brought many benefits to people. Roasters have had to take this shift seriously. You need to choose the right packaging for your on-demand coffee business. This means that the coffee reaches the customer in perfect condition.
People have not given up the quest for fine coffee. According to statistics, coffee is set to grow at a compound rate of 4.53%. This is why roasters should pay extra attention to the functionality of their packaging. After all, roasted coffee starts to lose its quality as soon as it leaves the roastery.
The conclusion is to choose the right multi-layer flexible packaging. This increases the chances that the coffee will remain in top condition. Read on to find out how multi-layer coffee packaging can prevent coffee beans from being damaged during transport.
Why is it important to protect coffee during transport?
Shopping online makes coffee travel through more locations. This is because you may need to transfer the delivery of the coffee to a third-party service provider. They are responsible for delivering it to the consumer. This means that you cannot control the stability of the transport. The focus can only be on how it is packaged.
Statistically, at least a third of express parcels are returned because of damage. The chances of this increase when it comes to bad weather and road conditions.
Returning goods means disrupting the normal course of operations. You need to dispose of the returned products. Additional orders are also allocated from other parcels. This will ultimately be reflected in increased financial costs for you.
What Are The Harsh Conditions Encountered When Shipping Coffee?
Shipping is a repetitive task. Therefore you cannot guarantee the attitude of the transporters towards the parcels. Rough handling and bumps in the road are prime considerations. This can lead to damage to the coffee beans. The consumer may receive a bag of coffee grounds and crumbs.
A better scenario is damage to the information on the packaging. For example, patterns and text are scuffed. But for customers who are looking for high quality, this is a sign of low quality. They may associate it directly with the quality of the coffee.
You should therefore ensure that the coffee is properly protected. The outer packaging is the first impression. Good packaging helps to maintain brand consistency.
Ways To Protect Your Coffee On The Way?
The Right Size
Size is essential to protect the packaging.
Avoid packaging that is too small causing the coffee to be crushed. Customers may also damage the inner coffee bag when opening it. This means they will need to find a new container to store the coffee.
Avoid oversized packaging, which may not be compatible with letterboxes. This is especially true for e-commerce parcels. Large packages may be prevented from being left at the door. This can lead to theft.
It is therefore vital to choose the right size package. Ideally, a package should be chosen that can accommodate the required volume of coffee. It should also allow for top space.
Add A Cushion To Protect
A package size that is slightly larger than the volume of coffee is ideal. This allows for top space.
The top space is the air-filled gap above the coffee beans. You can add a small cushion to protect the coffee. The cushion is the air pocket filled with air. This also provides space for the coffee beans to degas. The small cushion creates a carbon-rich environment. This prevents the coffee from losing its freshness too quickly.
One-way Degassing Valve
If the coffee is to be packed immediately after roasting, a bag with a degassing valve is an essential option. Otherwise, the gas cannot escape. The bag may expand or burst.
These one-way vents allow the coffee beans to slowly release carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases. They also prevent oxygen from entering the packaging and causing oxidation and spoilage. They prevent changes to the flavor and quality of the coffee.
Multi-layer Flexible Packaging
Lightweight flexible bags offer better value for money and functionality.
This type of multi-layer packaging does not take up as much space as rigid packaging. This improves space efficiency during transport. Reduced manufacturing and transport costs.
The stand-up pouch is an excellent representative of the flexible pouch. It protects the coffee through its stable structure. At the same time, it can be easily stacked in larger boxes. On the shelf, the stand-up pouch is the first to stand out. Because of the better display effect.
Press-in-close Zipper
The addition of a resealable option helps to keep the coffee fresh during transport.
The press-in zip style is suitable for this complex environment. One of the interlocking pieces snaps into place. This prevents the zip from opening. The consumer can see at a glance whether the coffee has been accidentally opened.
And the zipped packaging can be used many times. The seal of the zip does not weaken as the number of times increases. This underlines your commitment to sustainability. It also balances the consumer’s requirements for convenience and freshness.
The packaging material is an important factor that must be considered.
Multi-layer coffee packaging is suitable for long-distance transport. It has different layers. That is different materials. This creates a complex and robust structure.
For example, materials such as kraft paper and PLA are combined. Coffee packaging is both functional and fully compostable. The best of both worlds!
Scratch-resistant Inks
We use sustainable inks and glues. This is reflected in the perfect quality of the graphics that remain perfect after an impact. Friendly to the environment. Also scratch-resistant, water-resistant, etc.
Doing The Final Packing
This is the final step in ensuring that your coffee is in good condition.
It is best to make sure that the coffee does not move around during transport. You can wrap the packaging a little tighter. Make sure it is easy to stack. For example, pack the coffee bags into large boxes or crates.
Also, fill the gaps in the boxes with cushioning. You can choose to use recyclable cardboard strips or biodegradable packing peanuts.
In the past, packing peanuts were often made from expanded polystyrene foam, which made them harmful to the environment. Now you can choose biodegradable peanuts. They are natural and non-toxic. They are made from wheat and corn starch, among other things. This means they can be easily composted. As long as they are dissolved in water.
However, it is worth noting that biodegradable packing peanuts are heavier than peanuts made from polystyrene. This option is therefore more costly.
Choosing Sustainable Coffee Packaging
Packaging your coffee correctly is essential to protect your product. This involves choosing the correct packaging size, shape, material, etc. We offer compostable zip ties and air valves. Not only that, they are extremely robust.
We use sustainable printing methods, such as UV printing. The resulting coffee packaging is scratch-resistant and sustainable.
What’s more, you can’t just think about wrapping coffee layer after layer. You also need to make the packaging look good. This helps the consumer to provide a good impression of your brand.
xiaoyupack has many years of experience in providing sustainable multi-layer coffee bags for roasters. We have better advice for e-commerce packages. If you need to know more, please contact us today.
