For example, McCormick Place and show organizer, PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, worked with Dow, the official sustainability partner and the official sponsor of show floor recycling at PACK EXPO International (PEI), to minimize the environmental impact of the event and divert as much waste as possible from landfills.

One of the strongest components of all PACK EXPO exhibitions is roster of educational sessions, and this year was no exception. There were myriad sustainability-related educational presentations at the show, which tackled topics such as sustainable technology and materials innovations, the use of recycled content and renewable materials, transformation of waste, circularity, refill/reuse options, life cycle assessment, sustainable package design, reduction in emissions, extended producer responsibility, and data collection.

In the Plastics Sustainability Through Collaboration session, Patrick Krieger, vice president, sustainability at the Plastics Industry Association (PIA), discussed how the packaging industry is evolving to develop solutions that are more circular and sustainable and how the plastic packaging value chain is coming together to promote innovative products and programs that address industry needs. Krieger said that with regard to sustainability, the plastics industry is focusing on three main areas:

• Promoting a circular plastics economy
• Eliminating plastic in the environment
• Using resources responsibly.

One of the PIA’s newest programs is Operation Clean Sweep, which promotes zero plastic loss, that is, making sure no resin is lost during manufacturing.

In the Sustainability Central pavilion, Amazon – which stated it has reduced packaging per shipment by 41% since 2015 – presented the Elevating Packaging for E-Commerce to Boost Customer Experience session. Amazon executives discussed how to enhance the customer experience while protecting products and minimizing packaging waste. “Shoppers want less packaging, they want it to be recyclable, and they are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging,” said Kirsten Freiheit, head of North America partner engagement, sustainable packaging at Amazon. She shared that although shoppers want reduced packaging, e-commerce packaging needs more protection.

Heather Smith, senior business development manager, sustainable packaging at Amazon informed attendees how companies can improve customer satisfaction with packaging design, so “you can build excitement with the ‘unboxing experience’.” She added that branded packaging enhances customer experience.

The Paper & Packaging Board, which was exhibiting in the Sustainability Central pavilion, highlighted its new campaign to help promote carton recycling. P&PB executives, noting that 89% of consumers prefer paper-based shipping materials, explained that food and beverage cartons are made primarily out of responsibly-sourced paperboard, a renewable, plant-based material, and contain some of the highest quality fiber available in the recycling industry. P&PB’s new program wants companies to add the recycling logo to their carton packages to remind consumers to recycle their cartons. Carton recycling is available to more than 62% of US households and that number is growing every day. Recycled cartons become paper towels, tissues, office and writing paper, and sustainable building materials to name just few of the many products.

There were also a number of sessions dealing with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) or Packaging Producer Responsibility. EPR is a public policy mechanism that requires packaging producers (generally product brand owners) to help fund the recovery of their packaging. How funding is set, what the program goals are and who manages the system differs across the various states that have passed legislation. In 2025, many packaging policies relating to EPR will take effect. For example, California’s EPR law includes specific source reduction requirements for plastic packaging. Several other states are also now considering source reduction requirements though legislation: Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Washington.

• Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: vanessa@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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The coffee industry is not without its challenges, such as the presence of ochratoxin, a harmful mycotoxin that can contaminate coffee beans. This underscores the need for advanced solutions like optical sorting machines, as highlighted by Johanna Majer, product manager for the coffee portfolio at
Bühler AG, a German technology company. As she explained, Bühler pays great attention to shaping its optical sorting technologies, meticulously testing local solutions before allowing their mass use for the benefit of coffee processors and consumers worldwide.

“We are offering better transparency, including accurate data sets to allow processors to monitor the performance of their process and empower their decision-making. From tracking the percentage rejected to receiving detailed defect breakdowns, processors can enjoy peace of mind and keep uptime high,” Majer said.

Using the best optical sorting machines is the way to top quality in the coffee industry, stated Michela Pelliconi, head of sales, optical sorting at Cimbria, a Denmark-based manufacturer in the processing, handling and storage of grain and seeds and other industrial products. “Cimbria’s high-end optical sorters bring unmatched quality and reliability to coffee processing operations, she commented, adding that “we have achieved this thanks to close collaboration with coffee processing companies and coffee roasters from all over the world that have reciprocated our studies and commitment to their needs with satisfaction and gratitude for over 50 years.”

Pelliconi shared that the best sorter combines the ideal inspection systems and mechanics with the best software-based processing. Cimbria’s advanced and intuitive optical sorting technology revolutionises how coffee beans are selected and classified. This allows companies to achieve higher levels of efficiency in their sorting processes, resulting in maximum quality, improved productivity, reduced waste and increased profitability.

Satake USA, the North American division of Japan-based grain processing machinery manufacturer, Satake Corporation, has also been working on streamlining its product offering in the optical sorting machinery segment. “We have different types of optical sorters for coffee beans – green and roasted –
suitable for different customer requirements,” explained Pam Enriquez, marketing services manager with Satake.

Satake offers a range that could meet the requirements of customers dealing with product flows of different sizes. “Our smallest sorter is portable and cost-effective and can be used in laboratory or medium-sized production lines. We also have sorters for higher capacities with special features to minimise losses of good coffee beans and produce clean products,” Enriquez said.

Sticks and stones

Bühler’s Majer said that the optical sorting machinery has become a must-have solution for customers striving for higher quality standards. “This includes the defect trend of quaker beans, a classification of immature coffee bean with lower sugar concentration,” she said, adding that quakers do not caramelise during the roasting process and can be unpleasant to taste.

“Our new technology, installed at a first customer site, has very promising signs of effectively reducing
quakers, and we will continue to test quakers to ensure processors receive the maximum yield from
their supply,” Majer said. “Alongside new challenges, there are also ‘fundamental’ defects, including
sticks, stones, and insect damage. These same-colour contaminants provide a challenge that we are
constantly solving at higher levels of efficiency.”

“The introduction of the MerlinAi engine, now implemented in our SORTEX J and H SpectraVision
series, is an example of innovating coffee with higher levels of defect removal, helping both producing and importing countries to ensure coffee of the highest market quality,” Majer stated.

“In a world tending to the ‘cheap’, operators in the coffee sector are among those who stand out for
excellence in processing and quality. Now, coffee is appreciated all over the world more than ever, and
the focus on high-quality coffee is increasing in many markets,” Pelliconi said, adding, “even where
the harvest has faced some challenges, the best technology is requested and used to optimise the
quality of the final output product. Customers around the world [request] our advanced optical sorting technologies.”

To allow customers to enjoy a cup of coffee of excellent quality, a series of crucial decisions have been made throughout the process “from field to cup”, Pelliconi said, adding that starting from the harvest of berries, there are many skills in play throughout this value chain.

The choice of the optical sorter is one of the most important ones because the natural product, which
in nature needs constant temperatures, influenced by natural events, transport and many other factors,
always presents itself in need of being purged from beans that would give a taste not optimal to that
great cup of coffee.

“Coffee is a natural product [that not only varies by origin] but also always evolving,” Pelliconi said. “If all the processing lines are now equipped with mechanical systems to prevent stones and foreign bodies from being found in the product ready for market, a check with high-end optical sorters is necessary to be sure to eliminating the hidden or hard to recognise unwanted foreign bodies such as coconut fragments,” she said.

Majer explained that alongside quality, this is also a sustainability topic, as it results in less waste and fewer beans progressing to the roasting stage before being identified. “With stricter regulations and supply price volatility, it is more important than ever to make every bean count!”

An Era of Artificial Intelligence

Satake introduced several innovations in the coffee field recently, particularly focused on enhancing sorting accuracy and efficiency, Enriquez said. “Our latest advancements include improvements in optical sorting technologies that utilise advanced sensors, higher-resolution cameras, and AI algorithms to more accurately detect and remove defects, foreign materials, and inconsistencies in coffee beans.”

Additionally, Satake integrated X-ray technology into its sorting systems to complement RGB and infrared capabilities, allowing the company to better identify subtle differences in bean quality that were previously challenging to detect. “The addition of X-ray helps us spot internal defects and foreign materials that may not be visible through traditional optical methods, ensuring a more thorough and precise sorting process,” said Enriquez. “This integration enhances both the safety and quality of the final product, offering greater confidence to our customers in the coffee industry,”

Looking ahead, Enriquez noted that Satake plans to further streamline its technologies by focusing on automation and remote monitoring capabilities. “This will allow customers to access real-time data and analytics, optimise machine performance, and reduce downtime through predictive maintenance. We’re also exploring the use of machine learning to continuously adapt and refine sorting parameters based on specific customer needs and regional bean characteristics, which will improve processing efficiency and overall product quality,” she explained.

However, the key trend in optical sorting in the coming years will be the use of AI and advanced automation, Enriquez said.

This opinion is shared by Cimbria, which recently introduced a highly advanced control system in its top-range optical sorters, empowered with brand-new AI software, BRAIN TM. “Cimbria combines many years of solid knowledge and expertise with high technology and artificial intelligence,” Pelliconi said. “The result is the ability to easily create the most complex recipes for the best optical sorting ever.”

The combination of human operation and machine learning makes the precision sorting of any variety of coffee beans with impressive results.

“With BRAIN, we have revolutionised the way our top-range optical sorter operates. Our many years of experience and in-depth knowledge of what makes the best possible sorting are key in creating the ideal recipes for optical sorting,” Pelliconi said, adding, “This simplifies the manual operation of the machine
because the right settings have already been adjusted for an optimised outcome through artificial intelligence.” A complex algorithm of the BRAIN software enables the SEA.IQ PLUS optical sorter to identify elements even more precisely and distinguish colour, shape, size, and defects quickly and easily, saving precious time and manual workload.

Still, optical sorting is one of the technologies where perfection is unlimited. All market players acknowledge their commitment to continuing to refine their solutions.

“How do we intend to further improve our technology? Simply as you do in anything to be able to succeed: a lot of study, a lot of commitment, perseverance, and a bit of passion,” Pelliconi said.

• Vladislav Vorotnikov is a Batumi, Georgia-based multimedia B2B freelance journalist writing about the tea and coffee industries since 2012.

The post Making Every Bean Count appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

“Currently, many manufacturers do not or not fully meet the requirements of the European Union’s Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which will take effect in 2030. They are now looking for solutions,” explained Christina Holm, product manager at Syntegon. “At the same time, aroma protection and quality remain crucial, especially for coffee. With the PMX 4001, we are helping our customers meet these requirements.” Visitors to Fachpack can see a 3D animation of the machine from 24 – 26 September in hall 1 at booth 1-257. Also on show: the mono-material VIS 10F coffee degassing valves made by Syntegon, which were recently certified by the cyclos-HTP institute as recyclable across Europe.

Sustainable partner for fully recyclable packaging

Sustainability was a key aspect in the development of the PMX 4001 right from the start: “We designed the PMX 4001 to process alternative packaging materials at high outputs – up to 65 bags per minute with a pack weight of 500 grams,” said Holm. This refers not only to the innovative sealing technology of the PMX 4001, but also to the gentle ultrasonic technology for the application of even recyclable degassing valves.

The choice of more environmentally friendly packaging materials depends on many factors, such as the product’s protection requirements or the packaging machines. This is why Syntegon offers manufacturers expert support in the form of packaging material testing, which includes both tests of the material properties in the in-house laboratory and practical tests on the machine. Additionally, Syntegon provides coffee manufacturers with aroma-protecting coffee degassing valves made from mono-material, which have been certified as “excellently recyclable” in accordance with an EU-wide standard. “Our machines and services enable coffee producers to create fully recyclable coffee packaging,” Christina Holm summarises.

High-quality coffee packaging with a small footprint

The quality of the coffee packaging is reflected not only in the material but also in the process. With its gentle product handling, integrated valve application, and gas flushing of the coffee to minimise residual oxygen, the PMX 4001 is perfectly tailored to the packaging of coffee – and ensures aroma protection and a long shelf life. The appearance of the packaging influences the purchasing decision, especially for a premium product like coffee. The machine takes this into account and achieves a high-quality product appearance with extremely precise sealing seams. At the same time, the PMX 4001 is the most compact machine in the series. Thanks to its low height and footprint of only 2.6 by 2.1 meters, it is also ideal for manufacturers with limited space.

Future-proof with condition monitoring and seamless solutions

Sustainability does not end with environmentally friendly materials. Many manufacturers are also optimising their production processes to make them more resource-efficient. This requires transparency of their production. The Industry 4.0 solution Synexio Empower, which is installed as standard in the PMX 4001, monitors all machine functions as well as energy and resource consumption in real time.

Syntegon also offers manufacturers turnkey coffee packaging machines and systems that cover all steps of the packaging process. This includes solutions for secondary packaging of coffee, such as the Elematic case packers, which are available as wrap-around, side or top loaders, as well as consulting and service offerings. “We provide coffee manufacturers with seamless solutions that enable them to package their products sustainably now and in the future,” said Holm.

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Customers will be able to pick up free Podback bags from baristas in all 133 Costa Coffee stores located within Tesco stores across the UK, and nine Costa Coffee stores in the Swindon area, then take back their full bags for recycling. In addition, Podback-branded recycling points have been installed in the participating Tesco stores to make it even easier to spot opportunities to recycle pods. The scheme accepts both plastic and aluminium pods from any Podback member brands, including Costa Coffee pods for Nespresso, Tassimo and NESCAFE Dolce Gusto machines. The list of locations that the drop-off points will be installed are also now on Podback’s website here.

The rollout of the new recycling points began in August, building on Costa Coffee’s existing in-house pod recycling scheme. Together, Podback and Costa Coffee will aim to collect more pods for recycling through specialist facilities, where the different materials they are made from can be separated to enable them to be recycled.

This trial marks the latest step in Costa Coffee’s efforts to provide recycling options for packaging items that can’t easily be recycled at home or kerbside. Back in 2018, the brand worked with Valpak, an environmental solutions and resource management company, to establish the UK’s National Cup Recycling Scheme, which helped fund cup recycling infrastructure across the country. The scheme, now supported by many of the UK’s other major coffee brands, highlights the importance of collaboration in advancing new recycling solutions. Now, Costa Coffee will become the first UK coffee chain to collaborate with Podback to introduce customer-facing pod recycling points.

Rick Hindley, executive director of Podback, said: “This trial gives Podback customers the opportunity to drop off their used pods at local Costa Coffee stores, a response to customer feedback telling us people want a choice of ways to recycle that fit with their daily lives. We are excited to be working with Costa Coffee and Tesco to make this a reality in more than 140 locations across the country. We are sure Podback customers will welcome the new service, and hope that it is the first step to rolling out more drop-off locations throughout the UK.”

Liz Higgins, head of sustainability at Costa Coffee, said: “We are always looking for new ways to make it easier for our customers to recycle our packaging. Through this trial with Podback, in-store drop-off points will offer coffee pod users the chance to conveniently recycle their pods with us – whether they are Costa branded or not. The new front-of-house recycling units will be supported by increased messaging in store, which we hope will act as a reminder to customers when visiting our participating stores. The trial will allow us to gather valuable customer feedback and insights, which we will use to enhance our future recycling solutions for pods, cups, and other packaging materials.”

Catherine David, director behaviour change and business programmes WRAP, said: “The trial with Costa Coffee is a fantastic way to normalise and simplify recycling coffee pods. Due to their multiple component materials, these pods must be sent to a specialist recycling facility. Now, customers can easily drop them off in any participating Costa Coffee store. Making recycling simple is key to success, and capturing trickier items like pods at scale is an important step forward.”

Through the Podback scheme, used aluminium and plastic pods are recycled in the UK. Aluminium pods are recycled in Cheshire and used in the manufacture of beverage cans and car components. Plastic pods are recycled in Yorkshire and used in the manufacture of a range of items, including packaging crates and building products. The used coffee grounds are processed by anaerobic digestion facilities, producing renewable energy (biogas) and soil improver.

The locations of all drop off points will also be added to the Recycle Now Recycling Locator (managed by WRAP) – the UK’s only postcode-based search tool for people to find out what they can recycle at home, or at nearby locations.

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The study, FMCG flexible packaging: accelerating the move from plastic to paper, based on research conducted by PureProfile this past March with 100 UK packaging experts responsible for packaging R&D, technology, design and sustainability for FMCG brands reveals that the majority (92%) plan to stop using plastic in their consumer packaging altogether. The report, which launched at the Rethinking Materials Innovation and Investment Summit in London earlier this year, shows that paper and paperboard are the replacement materials of choice, followed by new polymers, bioplastics, and multi-materials.

According to the research, the shift to paper packaging comes ahead of improving the energy efficiency of operations, biodiversity and reducing the carbon footprint of logistics and reducing water use and waste. Reducing or abolishing plastic use altogether ranked last.

Most respondents said that there is a significant threat to their business if the environmental performance of the packaging used is not improved, with two thirds describing it as high and 31% said it was ‘average’. About 3% said the threat was low. Nearly three quarters (70%) of respondents said that their business faced the risk of reputational damage if they did not improve the environmental performance of their packaging, 67% said they could miss ESG and sustainability targets, and 60% said they would see a drop in market share to competitors.

The research highlighted the risks FMCG brands businesses face if they do not move away from plastic to sustainable materials in their consumer packaging, ranked in order of importance:

The majority (87%) of respondents want the switch to alternative materials to replace conventional plastics to take place faster. However, despite the commitment to move away from plastic, the timeframe for transition is still considerable, with 27% of packaging experts expecting this to happen by 2027, 35% by 2028 and 28% by 2029. Just under one third (30%) described the move to new packaging materials in their business as too slow, 58% labelled it as ‘moderate’ and only 11% said it was fast.

The study finds that currently, the main barriers to using more environmentally friendly options are the higher cost of alternative packaging, which was cited by 53% of respondents, the availability of alternative materials (50%) and ensuring the functionality and product protection remains the same (46%).

When asked what key drivers would help the FMCG sector speed up new material development and implementation, the research showed that 70% of respondents believed that more ambitious recycling targets were key, 62% wanted to see increased investment in new materials, and 54% said greater collaboration to accelerate R&D was needed. Half said that an industry-wide commitment to move away from conventional plastic was necessary, while a further 47% cited tighter environmental regulation through taxation of materials with poor environmental performance was important.

Commenting on the results, Dr John Williams, chief technical officer at Aquapak, said, “It is really encouraging to see that moving to sustainable packaging materials such as paper is the top priority for FMCG brands and a board-level decision when it comes to improving their environmental credentials and mitigating reputational and financial risks of not doing so. Abolishing the wrong sort of plastic use is important and is a long-term target, the change must be balanced as they assess alternative materials and wait for greater clarity around targets and regulation.”

To download the report, click here.

• Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: vanessa@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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Packaging changes may involve adopting materials that are recyclable, compostable, and source-reduced/lightweight, based on renewable sources, and/or made with recycled content. There also are efforts to reduce the use of plastics, especially single-use plastics and plastics that aren’t likely to be recycled.

Compostable packaging is expected to be one of the fastest-growing formats, according to the Packaging Compass report and infographic, produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, and AMERIPEN. Compostable packaging has made significant inroads for tea and coffee products that rely on pods or capsules and has diverted millions of spent units from landfills. Some roasters offer compostable pods or capsules, including Nespresso and two Canada-based firms, Club Coffee and Neighbourhood Coffee Company.

Image: Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee

A new pod option, expected to be certified as backyard compostable, is being developed by Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP). The K-Rounds plastic- and aluminium-free, pressed-coffee pod will be available in different sizes and marked with a code that the Keurig Alta brewer automatically reads to determine the pressure and extraction profile needed for the coffee beverage being brewed. A proprietary, plant-based coating preserves the coffee’s flavour and aroma and the puck-like shape of the pod. The product is moving through beta testing to determine what shelf life is needed and to balance barrier properties between the K-Round pod and its secondary packaging, which will be recyclable.

Moving to multi-serving products, some plastic-based packaging is being replaced by paper-based options. For example, Club Coffee packages ground and whole bean coffee in canisters formed from flat paperboard/foil laminate blanks, even though it necessitated installing new equipment on two lines, one for smaller canisters holding less than 450 grams (15.9 ounces) and one for larger sizes.

Made of renewable fiber from sustainably managed forests, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the canisters are classified as “widely recyclable” by the How2Recycle labelling programme. This means the canister is acceptable in at least 60 percent of curbside recycling programmes in the US and Canada. Canisters also feature a one-way degassing valve, easy-peel membrane, and induction-sealed base. A patented, built-in, hinged reclose feature preserves freshness at least as well as steel cans with plastic snap-on lids.

According to Club Coffee, the paperboard canister releases 91 percent less carbon into the atmosphere per year compared to steel cans. It also reduces the use of plastic by 50 percent compared to bags, and by 43 percent compared to injection-molded plastic cans. In addition, transport emissions are 90 percent lower than with traditional metal or plastic cans since the paperboard canisters are shipped flat and erected on-site. The canister package has been well-received by consumers and won in the Product Innovation Category in the 2023 Reuters Responsible Business Awards.

Another Canada-based firm, Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee, relies on the same in-house canister-forming technology and has achieved similar results. Offered in sizes from 10 to 48 ounces, the paperboard-based canister reduces inbound shipping to three trucks versus 56 trucks for pre-formed cans. It also cuts plastic use by at least 50 percent, compared to the bag format it replaces. The company is expanding its use of the format and expects equipment being installed at its operation in Fort Worth, Texas, to be running before the end of 2024. “Our new packaging solution is a win for the planet, for our customers and their consumers,” said Kim Cunningham, chief commercial officer at Mother Parkers. “It offers a recyclable packaging option with less plastic, without sacrificing any of the freshness, consistency, or quality that Mother Parkers-produced coffee is known for. For retailers with private-label coffee programmes, it’s a way to show innovation, gain share, and drive shelf and transportation efficiencies, all while supporting their sustainability objectives.”

Refill/reuse is the sustainability tactic chosen by Nestlé UK & Ireland, which now offers a resealable refill pouch for Nescafé Gold Blend and Nescafé Original instant coffees. Once emptied, pouches can be dropped off at more than 5,000 stores across the UK and are accepted by curbside recycling programmes in Ireland. Compared to existing 200-gram glass jars, the refill pouch costs less and is 97 percent lighter. It also contains roughly 60 percent less plastic than the glass jar’s lid. Prominent, front-panel graphics encourage consumers to “Refill your jar and recycle me.”

Someday, it might be possible to make biodegradable coffee packaging from coffee grounds. Research by Srinivas Janaswamy, an associate professor at South Dakota State University, indicates the lignocellulosic fibers in coffee grounds can be extracted and processed to produce films that biodegrade within 45 days in soil, possess high tensile strength, and offer barrier properties to ultraviolet radiation and oxygen.

• Tom Egan serves as the vice president of Industry Services for PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. He joined the PMMI staff in 2003 following more than 20 years in the packaging industry during which he was also an active PMMI member. Egan’s previous work experience includes tenures at Eaton Corporation, and as vp, marketing & sales, for Hoppmann Corp. He has an MBA from Baldwin-Wallace College, and a BEE in Electrical Engineering from Villanova University. The latest sustainability solutions will be on display at PACK EXPO International (3 – 6 November 2024, Chicago, Illinois).

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trücup coffee, a low-acid coffee company based in Seattle, is launching its best-selling roast in single-serve recyclable pods.

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The capsule body, developed by Greiner Packaging, preserves the freshness of the coffee and is compatible with conventional coffee capsule machines. This solution offers consumers a more sustainable option without compromising on quality or convenience.

“We are committed to pushing the boundaries of sustainable packaging solutions. Our collaboration with Constantia Flexibles on the home compostable coffee capsule embodies our shared vision for a greener future. This innovative product not only meets the high expectations of eco-conscious consumers but also sets a new standard in the industry. We are proud to contribute to a solution that balances convenience and environmental responsibility”, stated Taner Ertan, global business development manager at Greiner Packaging.

Constantia Flexibles’ capsule lidding, EcoPressoLid, boasts several notable characteristics. It offers a high barrier to oxygen, excellent sealing for compostable coffee capsules, and exceptional coffee brewing performance. Furthermore, it is compatible with commonly used capsule filling and sealing machines on the market.

The EcoPressoLid is paper-based, and can be used to seal both the top and bottom of the capsules. Capsule body and lid received the “OK Compost Home” certification from TÜV Austria together as a system.

Peter Wallach, SVP head of business segment processed meat & beverages at Constantia Flexibles, stated, “The EcoPressoLid capsule liner is a significant step towards more sustainable coffee consumption. We are especially proud of our partnership with Greiner Packaging, as it allows us to offer a complete, TÜV Austria certified solution to our customers.”

This partnership between Greiner Packaging and Constantia Flexibles showcases the power of innovation and collaboration in driving sustainability forward. By combining their expertise, the two companies have developed a compostable coffee capsule solution that aligns with consumer preferences.

This joint effort marks a significant milestone in sustainable packaging, paving the way for future advancements in eco-friendly product development.

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Making its Pack Expo International debut, Sustainability Central will explore packaging sustainability and what it means to brands. This show floor destination will include expert speakers and a look at actionable, sustainable solutions in manufacturing, materials, recovery, logistics, analytics, and design. With over 20 educational sessions at Sustainability Central, attendees can gain critical insights on various vital topics from experts at Amazon, Conagra, Clorox, Dow, Nestle, the Consumer Brands Association, Conagra, and other major industry players.

Additionally, Sustainability Central will feature displays from Virginia Tech, the University of Florida, Clemson University, PMMI Business Intelligence, and AMERIPEN among others, sharing their latest planet-friendly innovations, research, and best practices.

For attendees looking to see sustainability-enhancing solutions in action, show producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, is expanding resources to help the expected 45,000 attendees efficiently navigate the show’s 2,500 suppliers stretched over 1.3 million net square feet of exhibition space.

• For advanced online planning, attendees can use the Sustainability Solutions Finder, a professionally vetted and searchable tool, to locate exhibitors with environmentally friendly products and machinery. The tool goes live in late July, and a kiosk will also be located in Sustainability Central.
• On-site, attendees can look for the Pack Expo Green icon to identify sustainable materials and machinery suppliers and educational sessions focused on sustainability. A complete list of current Pack Expo Green exhibitors can be found in the online exhibitor directory.

“We’ve intentionally partnered with companies, exhibitors, and vendors to integrate sustainability into every component of Pack Expo International, including educational programming, show features, and how we do business as the largest packaging and processing event this year,” said Laura Thompson, PMMI’s vice president of Trade Shows.

In addition to the new and expanded education and show navigation resources, attendees can expect the return of familiar features and initiatives to support their eco-conscious efforts:

• Sustainability focused educational sessions also will take place at the Innovation Stage, Processing Innovation Stage, and Industry Speaks.
• The Reusable Packaging Pavilion will feature Reusable Packaging Association member companies demonstrating sustainable packaging solutions to help reduce waste, cut costs, and gain supply chain efficiency. Attendees can explore reusable transport packaging products and services and see innovative reuse solutions.
• Sponsored by WestRock, The Showcase of Packaging Innovations®, located within the Containers and Materials Pavilion, will display award-winning packaging from around the world.

Additionally, PMMI is working with Dow, the Official Sustainability Partner and the Official Sponsor of Show Floor Recycling at PACK EXPO International, to minimise the environmental impact of the event to divert as much waste as possible from landfills. PMMI is also proud to host PACK EXPO International 2024 at McCormick Place, which has been recognised by independent third-party organizations such as LEED, APEX, Green Seal, and the US Environmental Protection Agency for its innovative strategies to reduce its carbon footprint.

Learn more about PACK EXPO International’s Sustainability Commitment here. Register for the show at packexpointernational.com.

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Klatch Coffee is a family-owned micro-roaster that has been producing coffee for over thirty years, roasting to its “Peak of Flavour” standards. Its Crazy Goat Blend is now part of Bruvi’s coffee offering.

Klatch is the latest partner in Bruvi’s Brand Partner’s Program, which aims to bring America’s best specialty coffee brands to a single-serve brewing platform for the very first time. Previous partners include LAMILL Coffee, Joyride, and Equator Coffee.

Specialty coffee brands are partnering with Bruvi because it offers technology and extraction not previously available on a single-serve platform, plus innovative degradable pods – making it suitable for craft brands and roasters like Klatch.

Klatch has partnered with Steeped Coffee and Cometeer in the past, but this is the first time it is offering its coffee in a single-serve brewer capsule format.

About Klatch Crazy Goat Blend

A robust medium-dark roasted blend with flavour notes of dark chocolate, toffee, and hints of spice in aroma and cup, from origins Central America, South America and Indonesia. It is the blend of choice for cold brew in Klatch Coffee cafes, and the Crazy Goat Blend B-Pods are available at US$24 for a box of 20 pods exclusively on Bruvi.com.

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Scott Ford, co-founder and CEO of Westrock Coffee, raised an RTD can produced by Westrock Coffee to officially toast the grand opening of the company’s ready-to-drink facility in Conway, Arkansas. From left, he is pictured with Will Ford, group president of operations; Joe T Ford, co-founder and chairman; and Arkansas Gov Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

“The opening of the Conway facility marks a critical milestone for Westrock Coffee,” said Scott Ford. “In line with our commitment as a world leader in beverage innovation, today we launch the largest integrated beverage facility of its kind. This uniquely positions us as a leading force in beverage production across any channel and beverage format. Moreover, this facility extends our commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing for our customers, farmer partners, and the communities we serve.”

Westrock Coffee’s Conway facility is built on the latest production capabilities, robotics and end-to-end automation for seamless manufacturing from green coffee receiving through roast and grind, extraction, and all the way through to bottling and packaging. This comprehensive approach, coupled with a unique future-ready fully integrated design, allows Westrock Coffee to quickly scale to meet growing industry demands while upholding the high quality standards.

Additionally, a new 530,000-square-foot warehousing and distribution center, located just two miles away, ensures efficient product distribution, reduces transportation times, and maintains a smooth and transparent flow of materials and finished goods.

“The Ford family’s commitment to Arkansas is legendary, and today’s opening is just the latest in the long string of investments and jobs they’ve created for our state,” said Governor Sanders. “Westrock Coffee is quickly becoming one of Arkansas’ fastest-growing companies – a testament to the business savvy and hard work of the people behind it.”

Westrock Coffee offers a comprehensive range of services, from coffee bean sourcing to final product distribution, demonstrating its commitment to quality and providing customers with a complete set of solutions. An onsite Research and Development lab models full-scale operations, ensuring a seamless transition from concept to commercial production.

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Amcor, a Zurich, Switzerland-based packaging solutions company conducted a study on European consumers’ preferences and the factors shaping their coffee purchasing decisions. Their research reveals that European coffee consumers prioritise taste, aroma, brand, and price when selecting coffee.

Approximately, 70% of respondents consider brand trust to be ‘very important’ in their purchasing decisions. Additionally, packaging size and convenience are essential factors. Country-specific preferences indicate that UK respondents are particularly sensitive to the ‘premium aspect’ of coffee packaging, with 52% rating this criterion as ‘very important’.

The research also finds that convenience, robustness, and packaging material are key considerations in assessing the premium quality of coffee packaging.

“These insights underscore the positive correlation between packaging and fostering brand trust,” stated Giorgio Dini, coffee marketing manager at Amcor. “Well-designed packaging can align with consumer preferences and significantly influence their purchasing decisions.”

Nearly 70% of the shoppers polled have, at least sometimes, based their coffee choices solely on packaging. The research found that packaging proves to be particularly important for Gen Zers and millennials (18–34-year-olds).

Convenience is vital, as 50% of respondents see it as a key feature, and 33% said that they would not repurchase a pack if it was not easy to use. The research finds that when it comes to packaging functionality, “consumers rate ‘easy to open and reclose’ as second most appealing, after ‘preserves coffee aroma’.”

Sustainable packaging is important to European coffee consumers, with 44% of respondents affirming its positive influence on repurchasing decisions. This is top of mind with the two leading demographic groups – Gen Z and millennials – with 46% prioritising social and environmental factors.

According to the study, one in five consumers indicated they would forgo purchasing a coffee brand perceived as unsustainable, and 35% said they would be deterred by overpackaging. The research also revealed that consumers prioritise ‘less plastic’ and ‘recyclable’ claims in coffee packaging. Notably, 73% of UK respondents rated ‘recyclability’ as the most important claim.

The primary research conducted by Amcor, surveyed 1,655 grocery shoppers across the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Consumers questioned have purchased coffee products in the last six months.

• Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: vanessa@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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A new study by Aquapak, ‘FMCG flexible packaging: accelerating the move from plastic to paper’, reveals that 92% of FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) companies plan to stop using plastic in their consumer packaging altogether. The report, launched on 14 May at the Rethinking Materials Innovation and Investment Summit in London, shows that paper and paperboard are the replacement materials of choice, followed by new polymers, bioplastics, and multi-materials.

However, the study, which is based on research with 100 UK packaging experts responsible for packaging R&D, technology, design and sustainability for FMCG brands, finds that despite the commitment to move away from plastic, the timeframe for transition is still sizable, with 27% of packaging experts expecting this to happen by 2027, 35% by 2028, and 28% by 2029. Just under one third (30%) of respondents described the move to new packaging materials in their business as too slow, 58% described it as ‘moderate’ and only 11% said it was fast. The majority (87%) want the switch to alternative materials to replace conventional plastics to take place more quickly.

According to the study, currently, the main barriers to using more environmentally friendly options are the higher cost of alternative packaging, which was cited by 53% of respondents, the availability of alternative materials (50%) and ensuring the functionality and product protection remains the same (46%).

When asked about the key drivers that would help the FMCG sector speed up new material development and implementation, the research showed that 70% of respondents believed that more ambitious recycling targets were key, while 62% wanted to see increased investment in new materials, and 54% said greater collaboration to accelerate R&D was needed. Respondents do believe that switching to more sustainable packaging solutions is important, with half saying that an industry-wide commitment to move away from conventional plastic was necessary, while a further 47% cited tighter environmental regulation through taxation of materials with poor environmental performance was important.

“Our study shows that the FMCG sector is highly cognisant of the need to move away from conventional plastics to more environmentally friendly materials which offer better end-of-life outcomes, be it improved recyclability or biodegradation to make life easier for their customers and other stakeholders,” said Dr John Williams, chief technical officer at Birmingham, England-based Aquapak, which develops and manufactures a range of adaptive polymer-based material technologies. “There is undoubtedly some confusion in the market by the number of ‘new’ materials which all offer some potential, but all too often exaggerate the properties and availability of the material, causing delays in the use of genuine solutions by using valuable time in the packaging development process. It is important that there is an acceleration in the use of materials which are available at scale, offer the required functionality, run down existing conversion lines, and have a viable end-of-life solution to the consumer. These solutions are available now and, in the market, but only in low numbers.

Dr Williams added that Aquapak’s research also suggests that the sector needs to be bolder in its commitment to new packaging materials. While 37% say they are more focused on switching to innovative, environmentally friendly materials, 25% are developing existing materials, and 38% are placing equal importance on both. “Is this really embracing innovation and change or sitting on the fence until regulation forces the industry’s hand?” he asked. “New materials already exist and can facilitate the move from plastic to solutions which are functional, provide the product protection needed but do not harm the environment when they come to the end of their useful life.”

The research for the study was conducted by PureProfile with 100 packaging experts working for FMCG brands in the UK, in March 2024. To download the report, visit aquapakpolymers.com/fmcg-report-download.

• Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: vanessa@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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“Alps Coffee is a traditional family-run roasting company. The history of the roastery dates to 1890, when my great-grandfather, the merchant, Josef Schreyögg, established a specialty shop with colonial goods and coffees from all over the world. In the 1980s the company increasingly specialised in coffee production and the export business,” commented Stefan Schreyögg.

“Today, our roasting company produces a wide range of high-quality coffee. Our fine blends are gently roasted in a single-origin slow roasting process: from delicious espresso blends, special compositions for fully automatic machines and filter coffees to practical pods, our range offers products to suit every taste and every method of preparation. Numerous certifications in organic, fair-trade and food safety make us a modern roastery with a respectful approach to our environment,” Schreyögg noted.

Recently, Alps Coffee has achieved significant business growth by leveraging its international experience and competence in coffee roasting, with an intensification of global distribution channels.

When it was looking to expand its production plant, the company needed technology that would guarantee the quality and consistency of its product, while also delivering improvements in terms of energy efficiency. The company decided in favour of a direct partnership with IMA Petroncini.

“When it came to upgrading the roasting technologies, IMA Petroncini’ TMR technology captured our attention for its high-quality manufacture, great flexibility, and reliability to succeed unlimited roasting profiles” commented Stefan Schreyögg.

Alps Coffee partnered with IMA Petroncini to expand the company’s production with a complete, modern, and high-capacity coffee roasting plant. The solution Alps Coffee required was a high-technological drum roasting machine combined with a green and roasted coffee plant able to process a large volume of production.

“IMA Petroncini is a very successful and reliable partner, a company that combines its long experience in the sector with its vision focused on innovation and sustainability: the perfect partner for us. We required a modern roasting plant with a large capacity, and its solid company know-how and expert consultancy in plant engineering convinced us to launch the new project with IMA.”

“After multiple tests on Petroncini TMR lab roaster at the IMA Coffee Lab, we decided to validate the partnership at 360° with the purchase of the largest drum roaster with energy-saving system present on the market – the TMR 720 – combined with a complete coffee processing plant,” said Stefan Schreyögg.

Michelangelo Parro, sales area manager at IMA Coffee Hub and head of product management at IMA Petroncini, added, “We provided a tailor-made, 360-degree solution for every aspect of the project, simplifying both development and management. The mutual collaboration was a natural consequence of the ideals we share with our client: the sustainability and ecological principles that belong to Alps Coffee are at the core of IMA’s developments.”

TMR roasters guarantee superior quality roasting, reliability, and high energy-efficiency performances. Furthermore, this machine allows companies to drastically reduce CO emissions into the atmosphere, guaranteeing emission parameters far below the limits set by European regulations. This is possible due to the use of a single burner which also acts as a thermal afterburner, combined with the roasting control system – Orchestra – able to auto-tune the heat and airflow parameters to roast high-quality coffee with limited energy consumption.

“Since Alps Coffee focuses on a sustainable coffee production chain, we profoundly believe technology is an important added value for the coffee production, especially when it has a respectful approach to the environment,” highlighted Stefan Schreyögg.

TechTaste, The Coffee Interviews, is an initiative which aims to pinpoint the benefits behind the relationship IMA establishes with its customers in the coffee industry, exploring the reasons behind the successes achieved together. Watch the Interview with Stefan Schreyögg, owner of Alps Coffee, and Michelangelo Parro, sales area manager at IMA Coffee Hub and head of product management at IMA Petroncini, here.

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Through sourcing regenerative food-grade materials to understanding the capabilities of recycling and recovery facilities across the chain, the company is committed to its journey to compostability. From conception to planning, sourcing and procurement, the company acknowledges that there is ongoing industry challenges to develop more biodegradable materials for tea.

“Since we opened our doors in 2008, we’ve been rooted in eco-friendly decisions,” said Sarah Segal, chief executive officer and chief brand officer, DavidsTea. “Tea is naturally compostable, and it’s our goal to leave nothing behind. That’s why it’s important to us to find innovative solutions and test new materials, but without compromising on our high standards for quality and freshness—that’s where the new compostable packaging for our Garden to Cup teas comes in. We’re continuously working towards the development of regenerative packaging options and look forward to expanding it to more of our collection in the future,” she added.

Visit DavidsTea’s Sustainability page for continued updates on their efforts.

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At approximately 550 pounds each, a total of 22,000 pounds of plastic recently made the journey to Revolution, a special plastics recycler in Arkansas.

The bags — which feature a propriety technology that both makes them both highly effective but also not recyclable through traditional means — will be broken down into pellets and transformed into new plastic products.

Revolution accepted and can use all the bales that GrainPro shipped to its facility. By contrast, data shows that currently, only about 5% of plastics put into recycling bins in the United States are actually turned into new things.

Additionally, to maximise the environmental outcome, GrainPro allowed competing hermetic bags to be included in the collection effort, while covering the costs of shipping all the bales.

Getting involved

If you aren’t yet involved but pick up coffee from Continental Terminals in New Jersey or Alameda, CA, you can simply fill out this form and bring your empty bags with you.

If you receive deliveries from CTI, you can have the bags collected from your site during delivery — just fill out the same form.

If you don’t work with those warehouses, you still have the option to mail in the bags with the same form.

The company is currently working to expand this programme into Europe this year, with help from InterAmerican Coffee Europe and other NKG companies. Additionally, it also hopes to establish “hubs” across the United States, to create more options for dropping off bags or bales. Organisations interested in becoming hubs are encouraged to get in touch.

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More about Starbucks improved single-use cold cups:

• Designed by Starbucks, these cups are made with up to 20% less plastic so begin to support Starbucks commitment to cut its carbon, water and waste footprints in half by 2030.
• The redesigned cold cup adds to Starbucks’ packaging innovations to increase their sustainability over the years, including the hot cup with 30% recycled material, straw-less lids, and the recycled material sleeve.
• Customers will begin seeing the cups this month in select stores across the US and Canada, with a full rollout completed over the course of the next year.

Despite the Starbuck’s efforts, the cup is still single-use plastic, so the most sustainable cup is the one you already have at home. The company has seen encouraging results since it became the first national retail coffeehouse to accept reusable cups across all channels in January. As the company continues to drive consumer behaviour change on reusables, it has seen nearly 400,000 Starbucks Rewards members bring in their personal cup, 150,000 first-time personal cup users, and 20% of baristas using a personal cup for their shift beverage since January.

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In the specialty coffee industry, the quality of a cup of coffee is determined by the quality of the beans, with a single defective bean capable of ruining an entire roast. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) defines primary and secondary defective beans, including broken beans, beans with insect or fungal damage, black beans, and those contaminated with foreign matter. Manual sorting is incredibly time consuming and inefficient. Sorting by colour can often overlook smaller defects. The CS One solves these common problems by deploying AI to ensure accuracy and reduce time and labour while eliminating all SCA-classified defective beans. Coffee roasters will have far more freedom for tasks that require a human touch, like crafting exquisite blends and attending to customer needs.

The usually hours-long task of sorting green beans is now boiled down into two easy steps: filling the bean hopper with green coffee beans, then initiating the sorting process via the touch panel. Upon activation, green coffee beans drop through a passageway, passing through the AI-powered cameras with a 4K high resolution lens and a shutter speed of 1/16000 second, identifying good and defective beans based on the selected process method. Compressed air removes unwanted beans into a separate receptacle. This fully automates the burdensome process of green coffee bean sorting — leaving roasters more time to do other important tasks.

avercasso created a machine that blends seamlessly into any type of coffee shop, coming in 3 carefully colours — Bronze Gold, Champagne Gold, and Rose Gold. avercasso now also allows customers to choose a customised color for the machine.u

For those interested in the avercasso CS One, find more information here: sca2024.smallworldlabs.com/ai-sorting-aver-com-avercasso.

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US-based Just Ice Tea is the brainchild of Honest Tea co-founder, Seth Goldman, and celebrity Chef, Spike Mendelsohn, along with Honest Tea co-founder, Barry Nalebuff. The brand was rolled out a few months after Coca-Cola’s May 2022 announcement that it would discontinue Honest Tea later that year. In just one year the brand has become the fastest-growing brand of ready-to-drink tea in the natural channel and received recognition for its commitment to organic, fair-trade, and OU Kosher-certified bottled teas.

The new 12-ounce cans will be available in three varieties: Lemon Tea, Raspberry Tea, and Dragon Green Tea- a play on the popular Honest Tea flavour, Green Dragon Tea. The portable and recyclable aluminium cans will help make the drink accessible to on-the-go consumers. The new flavours are Chef-crafted with organic green or black tea sourced from Cha de Magoma, Mozambique- one of the world’s largest and remote organic tea gardens. Each can is sweetened with agave and is 40 calories per can.

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The core packaging design features bold red, stark black, and sharp lines that the California, US-based company has used much in its branding previously. Central to the new design is the addition of sun rays emanating from the centre, symbolising “Equator’s sense of optimism and forward momentum,” according to the company.

“We wanted our new packaging to not only reflect our brand’s heritage but also convey our vision for the future,” said Shelby Colley, head of marketing at Equator Coffees. “The introduction of sun rays signifies our commitment to growth, innovation, and embracing what lies ahead as we enter our third decade and beyond.”

In addition to the visual updates, Equator Coffees has introduced a new colour system and label structure to provide customers with more information about each coffee variety. Inspired by the structure of a ledger, the redesigned labels utilise colour to differentiate between blends, single origins, espressos, decafs, and selections from the Chef’s Collection. Roast profiles and detailed variety and processing method information have also been added, catering to both seasoned coffee enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

The redesign was done in partnership with designer, Swasti Mittal, who helped shape the new packaging to align with the brand’s future direction.

“We are thrilled to have partnered with Swasti on this journey,” added Colley. “Her creativity and attention to detail were instrumental in bringing our vision to life, and we couldn’t be happier with the result.”

Equator Coffees’ new packaging design is now available across its product range.

For more information about Equator Coffees and its new packaging design, visit equatorcoffees.com.

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