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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Warehousing automation plays a critical role in the success of tea and coffee producers’ operations, according to the 2023 Packaging and Automation in the Warehouses of the Future report produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. Warehouse operations for many consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies are still highly manual and often operate from outdated buildings with unsuitable layouts, causing bottlenecks in their operations, according to the report findings.

The main drivers of automating warehouse operations are labour and skills shortages, but this lack of skilled workers also can act as a roadblock since tea and coffee makers often are challenged to find the right people to operate new technology. According to the PMMI report, 90 percent of CPG firms reported labour shortages were impacting their performance, with 60 percent of companies saying they were extremely impactful in their operations. According to the research, for some companies interviewed, it is a choice between automating the line or stopping production. More companies are turning to automation as a solution, in part because the goalposts for return on investment (ROI) have moved, with the cost of automation decreasing while labour costs continue to skyrocket.

In the context of tea and coffee producers, the report suggests that automation can help improve supply chain efficiency and reduce time to market. Automation also can also help tea and coffee producers reduce the risk of errors in their operations, leading to significant cost savings.

CPG companies are beginning to realise that a piecemeal approach to automation can be effective. A commitment to full automation may not be necessary. End-of-line processes are ripe for automation due to the operational bottlenecks that can occur in this area. The research indicates that e-commerce is impacting the processes of nearly half of the CPG companies interviewed and there is a clear movement toward more responsive direct-to-consumer models disrupting highly manual warehousing formats.

Warehouse automation

Two of the most automated processes within the warehouse are associated with logistics – warehouse management and inventory control. This may be because both functions tend to have a lower cost of implementation and a more appealing ROI compared with investment in automation machinery. Palletising/depalletising and secondary packaging are the other processes with the highest levels of automation in the warehouse, while the remaining processes are dominated by manual labour (over 60 percent of CPG firms report these functions are either fully or mostly manual in their warehouses).

Currently, automation technology with the highest level of usage is conveyors (61 percent). This is quite possibly because of the wide range of applications conveyors serve and their relative simplicity compared to other technologies. Automated labelling and wrapping/sealing are also common, but over two in five (40 percent) of CPG manufacturers have yet to implement this equipment. Another area of opportunity for tea and coffee producers is in mobile robots, with just 16 percent of respondents using them in their warehouses.

Many CPG manufacturers (35 percent) still are reluctant to increase their spending on automation. Reasons behind this range from the physical suitability of their existing warehouse facilities for automation to concerns relating to long ROIs and high upfront costs. Some of the reasons differ between smaller and larger companies, and their approaches can vary depending on the levels of ROI they can achieve from automation. High levels of inflation pushing up consumer spending on food and drink and nondurable products, coupled with skills and labour shortages, appear to be driving investment in warehouse automation technology.

Another technology being considered by CPG companies is the use of cobots (robots designed to work with humans in a shared workspace), particularly for processes currently performed completely manually, such as repacking, loading, palletising, etc. Any increase in shipping singular units or shipping more mixed pallets is expected to make robots and cobots more appealing to CPG firms due to the time-consuming manual tasks generated by increased flexibility.

With so many advantages to be gained by implementing automation in warehousing operations, coffee and tea producers should examine all the options available.

• 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. His previous work experience includes tenures at Eaton Corp. and as VP, marketing & sales, for Hoppmann Corporation. He has an MBA from Baldwin-Wallace College, and a BEE in Electrical Engineering from Villanova University. For more information on PMMI’s PACK EXPO East 2024 (18-20 March, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), visit: packexpoeast.com

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The ANSI/PMMI B155.1-2023 standard has undergone a meticulous revision, guided by a panel of industry experts convened by standard developer, PMMI, to address evolving safety concerns, technological advancements, and changing operational landscapes. The development committee includes new contributors providing deep insights from machine builders, consumer packaged goods companies, and technology suppliers.

“By introducing these comprehensive updates, the ANSI/PMMI B155.1-2023 standard sets a new benchmark for safety in the packaging and processing machinery industry,” said Tom Egan, vice president, industry services, PMMI. “This revised standard reaffirms the commitment of PMMI to the safety and well-being of industry professionals, ensuring that technological advancements go hand-in-hand with the highest levels of safety.”’

“Safety is critical to all operators. With an evolving work landscape, having industry standards that are rigorously evaluated on a consistent basis allows us to stay vigilant in mitigating risk,” commented John Uber, head of product compliance for PMMI member company, Mettler Toledo.

The standard guides packaging and processing machinery suppliers and users through a formal, documented risk assessment process designed to ensure that reasonably foreseeable hazards are identified, and corresponding risks are reduced to an acceptable level.

A few key highlights of the standard’s updates include:

• Refined Responsibilities: The revised text explicitly outlines the responsibilities of machinery suppliers, users, modifiers, purchasers of used machinery, and other stakeholders, fostering a safer working environment through increased accountability. The update addresses machinery-as-a-service, or MaaS, including equipment loaned or provided by a third party and located in a user facility, as well as mobile platforms, robots used for logistics, cleaning, and more.
• Introduction of Co-Packer / Co-Manufacturer Concepts: The new edition introduces the concept of co-packers and co-manufacturers, delineating their associated responsibilities within the framework of safety regulations.
• Updated Legacy Machinery Requirements: The responsibilities for existing (legacy) machinery have been updated and clarified to ensure that older equipment is brought in line with the latest safety standards in a practical, cost-effective, and appropriate way.
• Clarified Scope: The scope of the standard has been clarified to provide a more precise understanding of its applicability, reducing ambiguity, and allowing for improved implementation.
• Remote / Tele-Operation Enhancements: With the advancement of remote operations, the standard now offers improved information and guidelines for safely operating machinery through remote means.
• Reorganised Clauses 4 and 5: The standard now features a restructured layout for enhanced clarity and ease of reference, streamlining the reading experience for professionals in the field.
• Whole Body Access Requirements: The standard now includes comprehensive requirements for situations where whole body access is applicable, safeguarding operators from potential hazards.

The first version of this standard was approved by the PMMI membership on 27 September 1972. It was approved by ANSI on 6 August 1973. The standard has been reviewed and revised with subsequent approvals by the ANSI Board of Standards Review in 1979, 1986, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2011, and 2016.

The ANSI/PMMI B155.1-2023 standard will be available for purchase through the ANSI webstore.

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