“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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While innovation and new/upgraded technology are always key themes, similar to most exhibitions of late, the main theme was sustainable innovation, with exhibitors touting their sustainable/eco-friendly machinery and initiatives.

For example, Cimbria’s new SEA.IQ Optical Sorter is designed to recognise all defects and imperfections. It features cameras with integrated RGB, NIR and SWIR or UV working multifrequency to match multiple data collected during thousands of scans per second.

Goglio introduced a coffee capsule equipped with a degassing valve. This design makes it possible to immediately package fresh coffee without having to wait for the degassing process, which reduces storage times and preserves the aroma of the coffee. The capsule is also available in a 100% compostable version to meet the regulations being discussed in Italy and Europe, and is already certified as industrially compostable.

Mikafi, a Swiss startup, launched its electric tabletop roasting machine at Host Milan. The founders believe that in a world where sustainability, personalisation, and quality experiences are becoming more important, coffee roasting must be ‘rethought’. Designed for the HoReCa market, and in partnership with Thermoplan, the MikafiOne is a fully automated roasting system that uses AI and IoT that offers pre-programmed roast profiles – so non-baristas or inexperienced roasters can use it – as well as customisable roast profiles. “Anyone can roast the coffee, you do not need a roast master and it frees up the barista, said co-founder and CPO, Claudio Vögtli. He shared that the MikafiOne roasts 1 kilo of coffee, which enables businesses to offer a special roast daily in addition to their standard coffee assortment.

Caffe Vergnano was highlighting its ‘Women in Coffee’, which is the company’s women-focused sustainability initiative developed by CEO Carolina Vergnano. Launched in 2018 in collaboration with the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), the initiative is aimed at supporting women working in small coffee plantations. The initial project in 2019 focused on the Dominican Republic, followed by Honduras beginning in 2020. This year’s project is a further evolution of the Honduras initiative, which will provide equipment for the library (that was built between 2021 and 2022) and a cafeteria. Proceeds from the Women in Coffee items – all pink – that are sold online and in WIC Cafés around the world, contribute to the project. For more information or to purchase items, visit caffevergnano.com.

After being decimated during the pandemic as stay-at-home orders were implemented globally, the office coffee service (OCS) industry is making a comeback this year. At Host Milan, OCS machine manufacturers exhibited a range of products that are stylish, fully automated, offer high quality beverages, and, most importantly, are durable, easy to use and easy to maintain. Bravilor Bonamat, Rancillo and Bunn were just a few of the companies that showcased the latest in OCS technology.

The 44th edition of Host Milan will be held at fieramilano from 17 to 21 October 2025.

• 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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Jim Pittas, president & CEO, PMMI (The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies), said “Pack Expo Las Vegas (‘PELV’) was the largest since its inception” with more than 32,000 attendees and over 2,300 exhibitors spanning more than one million square feet of exhibit space. PMMI executives said the show had reached maximum capacity despite continued interest from companies wanting to exhibit as the new West Hall was occupied with a different exhibition.

Pack Expo – whether in Las Vegas or Chicago – is the premier trade show in the United States annually to observe the latest packaging and processing solutions in action, with suppliers showcasing diverse innovations for more than 40 vertical markets. According to PMMI, industry growth remains steady at 3.4 percent with the total size of the market in the U.S. reaching $10.2 billion.

Sustainability and automation were the major themes of PELV. A new Sustainability Central area served as an interactive resource to learn about design, materials, manufacturing, recovery, logistics, and data. At the accompanying Sustainability Stage, presenters spoke on a range of packaging sustainability topics, advising attendees how to make their brands more environmentally friendly. The Pack Expo Green Program – which identifies exhibiting companies that provide sustainable solutions via new materials, technology, or strategies such as sustainable processes and machines, renewable and biodegradable packaging, source reduction and lightweighting, recyclable and recycled-content materials, or innovations that reduce carbon footprint – returned to PELV.

At a media briefing on the opening day of Pack Expo Las Vegas, Pierre Pienaar, president of the World Packaging Organisation, which facilitates solutions to global challenges in all areas of packaging, said that the packaging industry is “at a crossroads where the future of packaging is in our hands. “Decisions need to be made that will alter the course and map the path for future generations.” He believes that the reduction of food waste can be achieved through the better use of packaging and awareness.

Pienaar noted that the material types that we use “have and will change the landscape, having a direct impact on sustainability.” He added that the technology that we design and implement, will “map the course of energy reduction that we will follow over the next 10-20 years.” Furthermore, the “innovation of new ideas in packaging will make the difference in creating a successful and sustainable circular economy. We need to empower consumers with the ability to lead their lives in a more environmentally positive way.”

In an exclusive conversation with T&CTJ, Jorge Izquierdo, vice president of market development, PMMI, said that labour and manufacturing challenges have fuelled innovation because many technologies – primarily in automation – have been adapting to close gaps in availability and skills. Additionally, the area of remote access continues to gain strength. “Remote access is not new,” he explained, “it’s been around but companies didn’t take advantage of it because of cyber security concerns. Covid forced them to look. Covid was a catalyser and once companies started using it, they realised they can utilise remote access technologies in multiple areas.”

Izquierdo noted that there are still supply chain challenges, but they are not as bad as in 2021 and 2022. “A lot of orders in 2023 are from 2022 but they were delayed because of supply chain issues that have finally been resolved (such as the delays with electronic components),” he explained, noting that wait times have improved significantly but they will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024.

“E-commerce exploded during Covid. We’re finding significant demand for packaging and fulfillment machinery at the warehouse level because of companies doing to direct to consumer,” said Izquierdo. “When sending direct to consumer, there is a mix of different products so the box will have different varieties in it and they will need to be packed into smaller boxes. This is happening at the warehouse, not the manufacturing plant so now warehouses need case sealing equipment, labelling equipment, etc. All this requires different types of equipment in warehouse.”

Pack Expo Las Vegas offered 100+ educational sessions organised into five different areas (Innovation Stage, Processing Innovation Stage, The Forum, etc). Topics ranged from robotics, automation, AI, and sustainability, to advances in food and beverage processing, digitalisation, cybersecurity, integration of cobots into manufacturing, to the benefits, ROI, and points of consideration for companies switching to reusables.

One sustainability session, ‘Sustainability — What Does it Mean in Packaging Materials?’, focused on the trends and developments specific to food packaging. The presenter, Gregg Poffenbarger, business unit director, materials at the Multivac Group, noted how methane gas is 80 times worse for the environment than CO2. He then listed several holistic approaches to mitigating waste that included reducing plastic content in favour of paperboard and formable papers as well as smaller packages. “With smaller packages, there is portion control so there is less food waste and less packaging water going into landfills.”

PELV also raised $30,000 for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, an organisation dedicated to helping the nation’s first responders, military heroes, injured veterans, homeless veterans, and their families. For over 20 years, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has honoured the late FDNY (Fire Department of New York) firefighter Stephen Siller’s legacy by supporting the heroes who continue to risk life and limb in the line of duty.

“With our show opening on 9/11, we could not think of a better way to honour the lives lost during that tragedy than to support an organization like Tunnel to Towers that keeps the legacy of those heroes alive by providing support to the first responders, military heroes, and veterans who are with us today,” said Pittas. “We’re grateful to all who donated and showed their support.”

Pack Expo International will take place 3-6 November 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. — Vanessa L Facenda

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Flexibility, speed and a clean design concept
SYNKRO implements the latest technologies to deliver the following key benefits: high-speed performance, space-efficient design, unprecedented flexibility in handling all types of capsules, whatever they are made of.

Starting with the design, this machine is compact and offers easy access to operators for maintenance or cleaning operations. In particular, the pull-out dosing unit is quick to clean whenever necessary. The machine’s footprint is relatively small for the high processing speeds that are reached, ranging from 800 to 1200 ppm.

In terms of flexibility, there are many aspects which make SYNKRO probably the most versatile, high-speed capsule filling and sealing machine available today. Principally due to the magnetic shuttles operating independently of one another, SYNKRO will adapt to all needs. Bulk-fed, on trays or in stacks, whatever the material or size of the capsule, anything is possible.

The most significant aspect of the machine’s versatility depends on the different dwell times that are achieved at the different operating stations. This enables the customer to set perfect parameters according to the production scenario, adjusting each single operation and optimising the final product quality. For example, the sealing system parameters – time and pressure – can be changed according to the material to be sealed. Moreover, SYNKRO can be fitted with a variety of different sealing systems, allowing customers to select the most appropriate solution based on materials used and the product they are processing.

Automation and accurate processing
Cutting-edge automation technologies combined with the clean design of SYNKRO allow for non-stop production. Both semi- and fully automatic reel-feeding are possible. Pre-arranged to connect to loading systems via AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot), the machine also features an automatic reel-splicing system.

SYNKRO also features an innovative dosing unit that implements pre-compression to compact the coffee during capsule filling for a homogeneous product; this guarantees consistent dosing throughout each batch. Accurate weight is an easy target to respect thanks also to the on-line weighing system which checks each capsule and feeds data back to the dosing unit if automatic adjustments are required. Additionally, the dosing unit’s off-set design minimises the distance between capsules for important savings on packaging material.

Exploit superior potential
SYNKRO has been developed to boost the capsule filling and sealing potential of companies looking to reach higher targets and exploit the variety of demands today’s market makes of coffee capsule producers. Independent magnetic shuttle transfer, synchronised processing which can be adjusted time after time, automation systems and innovative mechanisms to ensure reliably consistent quality, and a clean, modular design concept are all factors that make SYNKRO the superior solution.

SYNKRO will be on display at IMA Coffee’s booth at Interpack, Hall 17 in Düsseldorf, Germany 4-10 May.

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The 2021 State of the Industry US Packaging Machinery reports that packaging machinery production total shipments in the United States increased 14.7% between 2015 and 2020, with a packaging order backlog increase of 22.3%. According to PMMI, the seven areas currently impacting the packaging machinery market range from technology to sustainability to e-commerce, and include:

Automation and Robotics

To achieve higher efficiency and productivity, more packaging machinery companies are embracing automation in their packaging lines and leveraging smart manufacturing – such as machine vision – to do so. The robotics sector is also a rapidly growing one within the packaging machinery market, with the evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, and expanding IoT environment. In this age of Covid, ‘cobots’, or collaborative robots are designed to be safer for humans to work in close proximity. (The cover story in our upcoming November 2021 issue discusses the expansion of automation and robotics within the packaging machinery market.)

IIOT and Wireless Connectivity

The Industrial internet of things (IIoT) continues to impact the product lifecycle in the packaging industry including design, operation, maintenance, and supply chain. Per the report, the progress of conventional wireless network in smart manufacturing had lagged due to its inability to maintain stable connections and latencies, but innovations that perform better than other wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are emerging.

Cybersecurity

Ransomware attacks on major F&B and retail companies such as Cadbury and Target, and JBS, the world’s largest meat processor, highlight the vulnerability of the critical infrastructure of manufacturers across the industrial supply chain to increasing levels of cyber-attacks. (The ransomware story in our October 2021 issue – Ransomware is Rampant: Is Your F&B Business Safe? – offers details measures companies can take to protect themselves against cyber-attacks.)

Sustainability and Flexible Packaging

Many food brands have invested in packaging innovations and have implemented sustainability initiatives in their production and packaging lines due to consumer demand. However, the PMMI report points out that machine modifications or adjustments are often needed to achieve sustainable packaging goals. The challenges CPGs face when moving to more sustainable packaging provide opportunities for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to explore applications with customers:

• Secondary packaging machines such as conveyors must be able to handle material reduction strategies, including lightweight corrugated.
• Machines need to run different style boxes to accommodate sustainability strategies, such as using the right size box. Case packers with a smaller footprint can help achieve sustainability goals through reduction in energy usage.
• A more efficient process of unpacking the contents of a pallet and repacking them into different sizes or variety packs is needed, with a focus on reducing material usage.

Furthermore, the flexible packaging industry is innovating to meet sustainable and recyclable packaging demands by creating compostable or sustainable components such as films and pouch closures.

Sustainability is a key area of coverage within T&CTJ, including sustainable packaging. Sustainable packaging and technology articles this year alone can be found in the February issue, Sustainable Packaging Remains a Top Priority for Consumers and Brands Alike; the April issue, Digitalisation: The Missing Piece in the Sustainability Puzzle; and in the June issue, How Sustainability Trends are Impacting Single Serve [Packaging].

Material Innovations

Many food and beverage brands – especially coffee and tea brands – are increasingly using recyclable board-based packaging, compostable packaging, and 100% recycled paper packaging. Some companies have even pledged long-term research commitment in packaging material innovation. (The article in our September 2021 issue – Compostable Packaging for Coffee & Tea: How Viable is It? – discusses the pros and cons of compostable packaging.)

Waste Reduction Legislation

In June 2020, US representatives introduced the Plastic Waste Reduction and Recycling Act. If passed, the act will guide the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish a plastic waste reduction and recycling program to improve the global competitiveness of the US recycling industry. The act further aims to reduce plastic waste and encourage research into and technologies for recycling infrastructure.

E-Commerce

And, of course, e-commerce has become an increasingly important factor in the industry (across many industries!). For example, sales of coffee and tea products purchased online surged during the pandemic and remain strong. Package design must maximize packing space, and there is a trend for e-commerce packaging to use more pouches and easily packable trays, and less glass.

The report notes that the shift in purchasing habits will continue to drive demand for packaging machinery as e-commerce requires increased touchpoints to reach the customer, increased packaging, and supply chain challenges.

• 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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ACMA, which in 2019 celebrates 95 years in the business, is a Coesia company that specialises in the design, construction and marketing of machines and systems for the packaging of consumer packaged goods, with significant experience in the tea sector. In this context, ACMA’s know-how not only encompasses the specific area of packaging technologies but extends right along the supply chain, taking in the various phases connected with the production and consumption of the beverage: from the cultivation of the tea plant to the process of drying and producing the product, and through to subsequent marketing and consumption phase, which differs according to the reference market.

Knowledge, Sustainability and Innovation

During the event, the world of tea and the time-honoured culture with which it is associated were represented within the Knowledge section. In a dedicated area, guests were able to enjoy an exhibition of innumerable types of tea and objects connected with the consumption of this beverage in various countries, from Japan to England, and from China and India to Morocco. A highly sensory experience based on sounds and smells as well as aesthetics.

Meanwhile, the materials used in the packaging of tea were the focal point of the sustainability section, which involved specialist suppliers. Companies that took part in the event included Terranova and Glatfelter, both involved in the manufacturing and processing of filter papers; Interfil and Zwirnerei, which specialise in the production of tea bag threads; Polypack, which produces tags and envelopes; Cartotecnica Naldi, whose core business is the manufacturing of cardboard boxes and Rockwell Automation, which supplies systems for controlling and optimising the consumption of machines.

ACMA proposes solutions that work with sustainable materials in order to guarantee the utmost attention to environmental protection.

As well as external suppliers, lots of attention was also focused on the technology partnerships with some Coesia companies. These were explored in the Innovation section. Collaboration with the other group companies is complementary and strategic for the development of customised and complex projects.

Tea Days was attended by Atlantic Zeiser, which displayed its latest applications in inline and offline digital printing, designed for track and trace solutions. Flexlink, a company specialised in the creation of product handling systems, exhibited an application based on collaborative robots – cobots – for the palletisation of boxes of tea and two types of conveyor belts. Emmeci, specialised in the creation of boxes for “premium” sectors, presented solutions to enrich our current range of secondary tea packaging products.

ACMA’s tea portfolio

In the exhibition area customers were able to see the different models that make up ACMA’s portfolio of solutions dedicated to tea. The first machine on display was the TM 320, designed to pack single chamber tea bags and presented in the comprehensive over-wrapping configuration, thus representing a complete solution. The TE 500 F stood out for its top-level performance (it can reach 500 ppm) with heat-sealed double chamber tea bags, displayed in “complete line” mode for the secondary packaging of the bags in pouches. Finally, there was also the TD 300, a mid-speed machine (300 ppm) for the creation of double chamber tea bags, produced without the use of metal staples or glue.

This underlines the important influence that ACMA has had in the development and integration of technology over the last 95 years. Technological innovation that is always in step with the times and the needs of the market.

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Stronghold Square is a web-based roast profile sharing platform, where users of Stronghold roasting machines upload and share their roasting profiles, and can download profiles of other users to use on their own roasting machine.

The profiles give detailed profile graphs and heat source control steps, and users can post comments or share the profile on social media.

Square is a place where roasting know-hows and information about coffee is gathered together and shared among the community. It is designed to give users an extended experience with mobile and PC beyond the tablet built into the roasting machine.

“Stronghold smart roasters have been a true game-changer in South Korea, constantly delivering solutions for customers to break through challenges of running independent coffee shops,” said Jason Woo, CEO of Stronghold Technology. He added: “Square is a profile sharing platform developed to construct an environment where everyone can roast easily. We believe that the Square will provide roasting solutions and infrastructure to users in various ways by sharing profiles, roasting tips, and know-hows among users all over the world.”

Stronghold Square is available free-of-charge to anyone, however, only those with Stronghold roasting machines S7 PRO or S9 can upload, download and share profiles. Further details may be found here.

Stronghold Technology will be exhibiting at SCA Expo 11-14 April. Visit them at booth 379.

About Stronghold Technology

Stronghold Technology is the developer, manufacturer, and retailer of the world’s first smart coffee roasters, the S Series. Its mission is to break through business mediocrities by developing technologies to ignite every customer’s potential. With integration of unprecedented fully-electric hardware and smart technology, Stronghold is making new waves in the roasting industry. Stronghold roasting machines have been the WCRC(World Coffee Roasting Championship) official sample roaster for five consecutive years since 2015 and have been selected as the official roaster of 2017 KCRC(Korea Coffee Roasting Championship). Learn more at http://www.stronghold-technology.com/

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“We outgrew our last space in Boulder’s Gunbarrel neighbourhood in less than three years, both in terms of production and office space, as well as raw materials storage,” says Maria Uspenski, founder and CEO of The Tea Spot and author of Cancer Hates Tea. “The final impetus to move now was the addition of a big, beautiful piece of automated machinery from Japan’s Fuso International, which will be used by The Tea Spot to develop and co-pack custom pyramid tea sachets.”

Uspenski notes, “We had originally planned to locate the new machine at an industry partner’s facility in Colorado, but in the end, and given the timing of our significant growth in 2018, we chose to upgrade our space to accommodate our needs and the new tea sachet machine, as well.”

At any given time, The Tea Spot stores approximately 45,000 pounds of raw tea and herbals, sourced from tea gardens around the world, and another 10,000 pounds of finished/packaged tea products. The company has 20 full-time employees, four seasonal employees, and one remote part-time employee in China. The production and fulfillment team handcrafts tea in small batches, sources raw materials from around the world, coordinates shipping and receiving to and from its facility, and manages inventory and accounting. The Tea Spot’s teas are supplied to a variety of businesses, including restaurants, hotels, spas and retailers.

In addition to creating its own teas and Steepware tools that are available online, The Tea Spot develops private label and co-branded teas and tea wares for businesses and brands. Overall, the company’s core purpose is to promote wellness by empowering people to make tea a part of every day.

“This past year has been an exercise in managing growth and planning for the future,” said Uspenski. “We’ve experienced higher than anticipated growth in our e-commerce retail channel, which is very high-touch in terms of production, fulfillment and customer service. And we’ve had a year of substantial investment for the future in our wholesale and private label/custom channel. As a result, The Tea Spot today is a very different company than it was one year ago. With additional staff, resources and the new HQ, we’re now set-up to handle a larger business volume.”

The Tea Spot, Inc is a leading producer of handcrafted loose-leaf teas. Its vision to modernize the loose-leaf tea experience has held steadfast since the for-profit philanthropic company was founded by Maria Uspenski in 2004, a cancer survivor drawn to the health benefits of leaf tea during her recovery. The company’s model of social entrepreneurship incorporates its mission to foster health and wellness through loose leaf tea with its 10% Pledge. Ten percent of every sale made is donated in-kind to cancer and community wellness programs.

To learn more about The Tea Spot, visit https://theteaspot.com.

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Life wouldn’t exist without water. It is an essential part of every living organism. The developed world is under an illusion that water, as we know it, will continually flow. This is simply not the case, water is a finite resource. The water that we have here today is the same liquid that existed millions of years ago. Although 70 percent of the earth’s surface consists of water, only one percent of this water is consumable. We add chlorine to our pipes to disinfect, fluoride for health, and salt to remove the hardness – each of these minerals compromise the environment and the overall quality of our cup of water.

Water’s footprint is vital to the long-term sustainability of this essential resource. Thus, scrutinizing the environmental impact of the methods used to modify the water to reach the desired standard is critical.

“Every water has a different taste profile,” said Cindi Bigelow, president and CEO, Bigelow Tea, Fairfield, Connecticut. “You want the one that tastes the most neutral, with a lower mineral content.” This is particularly true for herbals and milder tea flavours. “When drinking chamomile, you want the subtlety of the taste, that sweet honey- like flavour to come through.”

The Gold Standard

On the quest for a perfect cup, we must pay close attention to its core ingredient – water. “Coffee is up to 98 percent water, if you miss with the water you will have difficulty crafting a consistently good coffee or tea that is appealing, aromatic, and tastes good,” said Keith Black, managing partner, Waterwise, Alcoa, Tennessee. The industry standard for water is to strive for a neutral flavour so that the taste and aroma of the beverage will come forward.

“It’s a conversation that has been going on for hundreds of years,” said Daniela Cubelic, tea master, Silk Road Teas, Victoria, British Columbia. “There were essays written centuries ago about tea and water quality.” She shared that one of the ancient ideas recommended using water from the region where the particular tea was grown. This would be a naturally harmonious relationship as the leaves would be unfurled by the same water that grew them. This method is both economically and environmentally unsustainable.

Naturally occurring, alkaline water is challenging to find. This leaves the industry with two choices: bringing in bottled water from external resources or modifying their own tap water. Bottled water, which from a quality control standpoint makes logical sense, has an extensive carbon footprint. “We arrived at a moment, we need to confront what is going on with all the bottled water,” said Cubelic. “It’s time to move the discussion in a different direction. I don’t think it’s a good practice to recommend bottled water anymore.”

This leaves companies looking at the water in their own backyard and the method needed to achieve the desired standard of water quality. “Stronger tasting teas can handle a higher mineral content in the water, however, delicate flavours such as green or white require a very mild water,” said Cubelic. The aim is to use a water that is as close to flavourless as possible so that it brings forth the flavour of what you’re brewing.

“Before we get into the scientific measures, run the water and taste it,” recommended Paul Stack, Marco Beverage Systems, Dublin, Ireland. “Does it smell good, taste bad? Trust your palate.”

Bigelow recommends using fresh, cold water when brewing a cup. “It is the bubbles and the aeration in the cold water that will help unfurl the leaves.”

When using tap water, we are at the mercy of the environment and how it alters the flavour of the water. Seasonal factors, such as salt on the road in the winter, can impact the amount of minerals in the water. “From a taste view point, you want to be looking for a neutral pH 7,” said Stack. “As the hardness increases, there will be a more pronounced effect on the nuanced flavour. Softer water allows for the flavours to be highlighted not battled.”

What is in the Water

To truly understand what is in the water, Black recommends that at minimum investing in a quality TDS (total dissolved solvents) meter. This meter will gauge the overall solvent levels in the water and help to determine the best solution for filtration. However, this is only part of the picture. An extremely low TDS level could impact both the flavour and the extraction process, potentially resulting in an over extracted brew. The target TDS from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is 150 ppm, with an acceptable range of 75-250 mg/l. Tea is not far off, with the recommended range of 50-150 ppm, with the ideal amount remaining at 150ppm.

Tap water is often within this range. However, there are other undesirable attributes that will have a negative impact on the flavour. This includes chlorine, ammonia and iron, all which will negatively affect the taste of the brew. “At bare minimum you want a carbon blocker to remove the taste and odours, and a proportion of the particle matter,” said Stack

Hard water can be particularly devastating on both the beverage and the machinery, as it causes limescale deposits and other residues that can cause failure of the element or boiler. “Acidic water is an enemy of machinery,” said Stack. “Anything below a pH of 7 can be extremely aggressive to stainless steel boilers and equipment, potentially resulting in corrosions on the tank, leaks and overall equipment failures.” Hardness may also have a pronounced effect on the nuanced flavour of the beverages. “Our conversation is always twofold. We talk to people about the machine and the effect that water has on the beverage, and the beverage and the effect of water on the machine,” said Stack.

As far as taste goes, chemist Christopher Hendon, University of Bath, cautioned that not all hard water is necessarily bad. According to his study, “The Role of Dissolved Cations in Coffee Extraction,” published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, magnesium in water sticks to eugenol providing the brew with a woodsier taste. These higher magnesium ion levels also aid with the extraction of the coffee. Water that is too soft will decrease the overall flavour extraction. “A certain level of hardness in water is desired so that it can act as a catalyst for coffee extraction,” said Stack.

Filtration systems can help alleviate these concerns by removing the elements that compromise the beverage. However, Black advised that determining the water level should not be based on a strict formula. “The idea of the right level of mineral content will vary according to what you are brewing,” said Black. “This includes the type of beans, size of the ground, and the temperature that you are brewing.”

Integrating a filtration solution aids with quality control and consistency. It is important to review these solutions through a sustainability lens prior to implementing. This includes looking at how the waste water is disposed and what elements this water is adding back into the environment. California, for example, has halted the installation of salt-based softeners in all new construction, to limit the negative impact of the salt water brine.

Reverse osmosis has been the gold standard for filtration methods. Black cautioned that this method, if not optimized, can be both wasteful and detrimental to the environment as the heavily mineralized waste water enters the sewage system. Ideally, the water should be measured and manually adjusted to meet the specific brewing needs of the beverage. This will help minimize the negative impact, while also ensuring that the adjustments are made in response to the specific needs of the water.

An emerging form of filtration technology is Membrane Capacitive Deionization. This process uses electrical currents to remove the impurities in the water. With this technology, an operator can dial in the amount of TDS or mineral content that remains in the water. “It’s interruptive technology which is going to change the way that water is processed in North America,” said Black.

Quality water is essential to achieve the perfect cup but the methods to get to this water needs to be heavily considered. “It’s a fine balance,” shared Cubelic. “The industry wants quality water to bring out the flavour, but we also need to look at the environmental impact of the filtration methods chosen.” She noted that over the last six to eight years, the overall awareness on the impact of water for beverages has dramatically increased. “However, we need to continue to propel the industry further to not only look at the desired water but the most sustainable method to achieve this goal.”

Anne-Marie Hardie is a freelance writer, professor and speaker based in Barrie, Ontario. She may be reached at: annemariehardie1@gmail.com

The post Striving to Balance Quality Water with Minimal Environmental Impact appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

The global packaging machinery market has a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8%. This translates to a value of $42.2 billion by 2021, up from $36.8 billion in 2016, per PMMI’s (the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies) The Global Trends Impacting the Market for Packaging Machinery report. Beverages is the second largest sector at 30% — behind the food segment at 40% (all other industries account for the additional 30%). Packaging is also an industry that is always evolving, with its role changing with the times.

Packaging’s primary role, first and foremost, is functional — it must protect the product inside from inception to end user (that is, from factory to consumer), and in the case of consumables, packaging must also ensure freshness. But packaging plays a prominent role in a brand’s viability and success, perhaps more so today than ever before. Packaging is a product’s first line of defense on the shelf – or online – against a sea of competitors. Packaging is a brand’s initial, crucial strategy to advertise a product to a consumer. A product’s packaging is the first thing a consumer sees so it must be eye catching enough to entice the consumer for those precious few seconds they’re walking down the aisle, even less if they’re searching online, to give a product more than just a cursory glance.

Packaging must convey the right message to consumers. During the “Great Recession,” a well-known national beverage brand (not coffee or tea) in the United States spent millions of dollars redesigning their longstanding, easily recognized packaging to look more minimalist only to have it fail miserably. Consumers didn’t like the redesign, nor did they understand what message the brand was trying to communicate with the new packaging. The unfortunate result? The brand had to return to a slightly updated version of their original packaging.

Beverage brands are now attempting to connect with consumers in new ways as the story, “Packaging Gets Personal,” in our October issue details. Coffee and tea brands can take a cue from carbonated soft drinks and spirits brands like Coca-Cola (its “Share a Coke” campaign called consumers by their names) and Johnnie Walker (the limited edition “Jane Walker” specifically targeted women), which are aiming to resonate with consumers on deeper levels.

Consumers, most especially millennials and Generation Z, are fickle. As such, brands need to connect and resonate with consumers on new levels, getting personal is just one strategy. Today, many brands are using packaging to tell a story.

“The codes on the packaging enable you to see where the product is sourced, which shows credibility, but now brands are not just using packaging to sell a product, they are telling a story and selling an experience,” Jorge Izquierdo, vice president, market development, PMMI, told me during Pack Expo International, which took place in Chicago, Illinois, 14-17 October. He said the “track and trace” strategy started in the pharmaceutical industry but moved to food and beverages because of food safety. “Brands are moving beyond the safety aspect with ‘track and trace’ to the idea of selling a story to truly understand what the brand/company is about, both of which are highly important to younger consumers,” Izquierdo explained.

Given how important transparency and traceability, as well as sustainability, are with coffee and tea consumers, it will be interesting to see how packaging in these industries will evolve over the next few years.

The post The Power of Packaging appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Thirst may be the first reason a consumer reaches for a beverage, but it’s the packaging that may seal the deal at the point of purchase. Increasingly, beverage manufacturers are looking to captivate customers with packaging that offers some form of personal resonance.

Whether referencing a lifestyle choice, a fond memory or an important goal, a beverage label that can connect with consumers on a deeper level has the power to stick. Consider packaging that aims to motivate workouts, sparks memories of a favourite vacation or reinforces the value of a healthy lifestyle — prompting engagement in the product experience before the consumer even twists off a cap, pulls a tab or pops a lid.

Given the growth of the market, it’s no wonder manufacturers are in a race to capture the hearts, minds and loyalty of consumers. Currently worth USD $30.1 billion, the beverage packaging industry in the United States is expected to experience 4.5 percent growth in the next decade, according to the 2018 Beverage Trends in Packaging and Processing Operations by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. In today’s competitive landscape for beverage products, more brands may take bolder steps to amplify the essence of what’s inside on the outside — particularly utilizing the power of print effects. Today’s consumers will likely not reach for a drink when they simply feel thirsty, but instead when they feel understood.

Tugging at the Heartstrings

Choosing a career path, moving to a new city or buying a home — these are all decisions highly dictated by emotion. But what about beverages? Can a person have an emotional reaction to a drink on a store shelf, and can this connection really influence their decision to purchase the product?

The answer may be “yes” as consumers continue to choose beverage products that feel familiar or strike a certain chord of nostalgia. Consider the “Share a Coke” campaign from the Coca-Cola Company, which created a way to literally attract consumers by calling their names. For Coca-Cola, which had long established its foothold in the carbonated beverage sector, this campaign strengthened customer loyalty and created buzz around the brand.

Creating this kind of label variety was no small feat, even for such a major brand, but advancements in printing technologies made the campaign possible. According to an article on Label & Narrow Web’s website, to run labels that pulled from a list of about 250 names, Coca-Cola tapped a domestic label and packaging converter company, which coordinated with printers equipped with HP Indigo digital printing technology to get the job done. With this technology, the varied labels could be done on short runs and still reflect high-quality printing.

On an international scale, South Africa-based magazine Packaging & Print Media reported that Coca-Cola repeated this collaboration with converters and partner printers to create thousands of names in multiple languages. Some international printers utilized flexographic printing as opposed to digital printing, so careful colour matching was done in order to achieve the same “Coke Red” shade across different types of printers.

Some brands have found a way to speak to customers less directly, but still with intimacy or a level of personalization that can be hard to beat. Whiskey brands Jack Daniels and Johnnie Walker are actively pursuing different segments of the market and looking to expand their reach with a range of tailored products. Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack whiskey aims to reach a segment of the market that associates fine whiskey with a premium sipping experience.

According to PMMI’s report, unique packaging is what premium brands use to differentiate themselves from value brands, so mid-tier brands are now using packaging to emulate the look of top-shelf brands. With its Gentleman Jack edition that features a metalized label resembling a stamped silver plate, Jack Daniels is attempting to appeal to consumers who value finer, more original details over a traditional paper label. Some craft spirits are taking premium package printing a step further by turning to technologies that use tinted glass and other tactile labels, allowing for a more sophisticated, expensive look.

Johnnie Walker recently created “Jane Walker,” a special-edition iteration of their Black Label product, to appeal to the female demographic typically not considered a whiskey-drinking group. To substantiate the message, Johnnie Walker is donating proceeds of each bottle of the Jane Walker Edition sold to organizations supporting women’s progress.

Packaging for the Health- and Eco-Conscious

Personalization may not be the only key to sales. With an equally large demand for products that support healthy, active and clean lifestyles, more beverage manufacturers are producing drinks that come in smaller cans or bottles with fewer calories. The dainty servings not only meet demands for lower-calorie, lower-sugar products, but also reinforce the idea of portion control in a departure from decades of oversized servings.

In this era of clean labelling, consumers are also looking for natural and additive-free drinks, however, this type of beverage comes with its share of challenges for manufacturers and processers. Many of the more organic or natural beverages, like juices, are non-homogenous and become separated when standing still on the shelf. To avoid possible negative reactions from customers, brands are using shrink wraps to hide the inner contents of a bottle.

The push for clean labelling has also spurred some changes along the production line, with manufacturers having to add agitation equipment or adapt filling machinery to handle the different behaviours of more natural beverages.

For the athletes shopping in the beverage aisle, the extra aid that sports drinks promise can offer a massive appeal. Some brands have introduced a way to target different types of athletes, taking customization to a new level. Gatorade, for example, developed a product line that provides multiple drinks to be consumed at specific stages in a workout. If this product line speaks to a particular athlete’s established routine, Gatorade may have just increased a customer’s purchase from only one drink to three — right at the point of sale.

On top of nutrition, brands can also gain selling power in sustainability. By offering an eco-friendly product that can claim it creates less waste, a brand is able to connect with growing consumer concern for the environment. One way that manufacturers are addressing this shift is by using digital printing, which in general is considered more cost-effective and environmentally friendly for the short runs that occur with label variation. Digital printers, like the HP Indigo technology used for the “Share a Coke” campaign, have been recognized for their eco-friendly benefits of reducing energy and supplies in each round of printing.

Some beverage manufacturers are also going green by utilizing eco-friendly materials like vegetable oil-based inks or water-based inks, which can be used in conjunction with digital printing technologies. These inks not only dry quickly and deliver a high-quality print, but also minimize the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are usually heavily present in traditional solvent-based inks. UV inks offer similar benefits in that they “cure” at rapid rates and release minimal VOCs, and they also allow for high-quality digital direct printing on glass or PET bottles.

Advances in Printing Propel Brands

The beverage variety that we see on the shelves today can be tied to the growth of technologies that enhance the flexibility of lines, speeding and simplifying changeover between different product runs. With increasing consumer demand for a wide selection of beverages, manufacturers require the ability to swap labels out and change production over many more times than they likely had to in the past. Changeovers that used to happen only once a day or week now may happen three times in one shift in order to generate the masses of personalized or targeted products customers crave.

To achieve this rapid changeover, many manufacturers have turned to digital printing, which allows for labels to be diverse and to be prepared and quickly applied. With this technology, generating a graphic for a label is a more efficient process and can be done in a more immediate timeframe, reducing costly downtime. The speed of this equipment also coincides with the need for products to be delivered to the store in as fresh of a state as possible. Packagers can generate digitally printed labels closer to the time of production; ensuring consumers receive beverages that did not spend months in storage before shipment.

The prevalence of digital printing systems is a result of the technology becoming more accessible every day. At a price point that doesn’t break the bank, the adoption of digital printing is an easier choice to swallow. Now that the technology can be used for shorter runs of products like 30,000 units, it is arguably becoming a more difficult decision to stick with traditional printing technology.

Beyond digital printing, technologies that create larger and bolder imagery are taking hold. Shrink sleeve technology is being used more on cans and bottles, according to PMMI’s report. For example, a craft brewer might place a shrink sleeve over an entire six-pack. This style of package printing facilitates easier packaging line changeover and is helpful for companies that produce a variety of beverage types or flavours in the same can shape.

Yet, some brands prefer paperboard over shrink sleeves, because paperboard can retain its imagery and shape after being opened, whereas shrink sleeves become ripped, distorted and likely discarded at the first use. In many cases, the brand may choose paperboard as the outer packaging in the hopes that a consumer will keep the container in the refrigerator or on the counter. Regardless of the choice in material, either option provides a brand the added benefit of more images, more information and the chance to tell a greater story about the product.

‘Niche’ is the Key to Market Growth

The importance of differentiation in the beverage industry is perhaps best witnessed in the bottled water market, where, arguably, the same liquid is being portrayed as an entirely different product depending on the customer toward whom it is being marketed. Brands design packaging and labelling elements to match their target demographic, and these elements become differentiators that can justify a product’s shelf space.

For example, Evian and Fiji waters present themselves as clean, natural waters that are sourced from exotic locales around the globe. Their use of clear bottles that reveal an inside label showing striking landscapes along with declarations of purity help communicate this message. Meanwhile, waters like Core, Essentia and Smartwater sell themselves as waters that boost physical and cognitive health and ‘go the extra mile.’ Then there are brands like Vitaminwater and La Croix, which are still considered ‘waters’ despite adding flavours and/or carbonation to their products to appeal to those seeking something just a little different from regular water.

Convenience and Innovation

But the trend for finding a niche falls across all beverage sectors, where companies clamor to be different and stand out during selection. Sometimes that niche can be found by offering reliable convenience, such as a Capri-Sun pouch with a straw, or sports drinks with flip-top caps. Other times, it can stem from an original packaging innovation, such as beer giant Coors’ Coors Light label featuring thermo inks that react to temperature changes. This label conveys information that the beer has reached the perfect chilled temperature and is ready to drink, and it also offers an interactive feature that is simply fun for the customer.

This type of ‘cool’ can graphic is a more recent development, as metal packaging graphics have traditionally improved at slower rates than paper labels. Improvements like thermo inks, light-responsive, glossy, matte and tactile inks are all a result of better coating technologies, PMMI’s report states. Overhauls in can printing quality and capabilities have also occurred over the last five years, with dots per inch (DPI) increasing from 120 to 130 and high-definition separation work, platemaking and printmaking all improving.

Still, while utilizing emerging technologies and finding the right niche is crucial to operations, manufacturers must also focus on staying relevant. Claiming ownership over a unique space in the market is only sustainable for as long as the brand is willing to adapt and adjust to consumer concerns and lifestyles. Beverage brands that hone in on their product’s differentiator but can continuously transform its appearance are likely to quench customer demands for decades to come.

Tom Egan is vice president, industry services, PMMI (The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies). PMMI represents more than 800 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials as well as providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry.

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The world market for packaging machinery value is expected to reach USD $42.2 billion by 2021, according to PMMI’s Global Trends Impacting the Market for Packaging Machinery 2018 report. Pack Expo International will address the trends and challenges driving the food and beverage, pharmaceutical and medical device, cosmetics and personal care, industrial and household chemical, and other packaged goods industries. Attendees include manufacturers, managers, engineers, production supervisors, purchasers, brand managers, package designers, product development professionals and supply chain and logistics professionals from more than 40 vertical markets and companies of all sizes.

Over 2,500 exhibitors and 50,000 attendees from more than 125 countries will converge at Pack Expo International, where beverage industry professionals and packaging designers can find the latest innovations in beverage package printing.

Highlights at this year’s show include:

• The PACKage Printing Pavilion (South Building): Making its debut at Pack Expo International 2018, the PACKage Printing Pavilion is the industry’s main stage for digital’s advantages for short-run, on-demand, cost-effective variable data and personalized packaging.

• The Containers and Materials Pavilion (Upper North Building): This year’s Containers and Materials Pavilion will address the latest innovations in paperboard, glass, metal and plastic. Flexible and resalable packaging options will also be on display as well as innovative containers and sustainable choices. The Pavilion will also feature the Showcase of Packaging Innovations, sponsored by The Dow Chemical Company, where visitors can view the award-nominated packages.

• The Reusable Packaging Pavilion (Upper Lakeside Center): As demand rises for sustainable packaging solutions, the Reusable Packaging Pavilion, sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA), is a hotspot for reusable products, services and solutions for increasing sustainability across the supply chain. The RPA’s Reusable Packaging Center within the pavilion will offer free presentations on case studies and best practices for incorporating reusables.

• The Forum at Pack Expo: Take advantage of free, unique, interactive presentations throughout Pack Expo International. The Forum will feature 20-minute open sessions on the latest industry trends by the OpX Leadership Network, Institute of Packaging Professionals, Contract Packagers Association and PMMI Business Intelligence, followed by small group discussions and Q&A sessions.

• Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network (PPWLN): Launched in 2016, PPWLN serves to recruit, retain and advance women in processing and packaging. The PPWLN breakfast is on Tuesday, 16 October at 7:30am. The meeting will include presentations and discussions allowing peers to exchange ideas and experiences.

• The Innovation Stage: In addition to the packaging and processing technologies that will be on display on the show floor, Pack Expo International will be giving attendees access to free educational programming at The Innovation Stage. During the show, free 30-minute seminars presenting breakthrough technologies and techniques will be scheduled and will focus on a wide range of industry specific solutions. Located in the North Building, Booths N-4560, N-4570 and N-4580.

• Industry-specific Lounges: Pack Expo International attendees can network with peers, gain specialized insights and rest their feet at the show’s three industry-specific lounges. Networking receptions for Snack, Confectionery and Beverage Industry Lounges will take place in their respective locations on Tuesday, 16 October, from 3:30-5:00pm. The Beverage Cooler Lounge (N-4575) will serve as a networking hub for beverage industry professionals and ISBT subject matter experts. Hosted by The International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT) and sponsored by Bevcorp, LLC (S-3874).

• PACK gives BACK: Sponsored by Rockwell Automation, PMMI’s regular benefit returns to Pack Expo International with a networking event in support of Pack Expo Scholarships, a scholarship program for US and Canadian students majoring in packaging and processing. Guests can enjoy beer, wine, light appetizers and a performance by renowned stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalo. Tickets to the fundraiser are USD $75. The fundraiser on Monday, 15 October, kicks off with a networking reception at 4:30pm followed by the comedy performance at 5:30pm. For more information and to get tickets, visit www.packexpointernational.com/pack-gives-back.

To learn more or to register, visit packexpointernational.com. For information on PMMI, visit pmmi.org.

The post Pack Expo International 2018 Offers Beverage Solutions appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

When you think of Colombia and its beverages, the first one that pops to mind is most likely coffee. Colombia was one of the first coffee-producing countries to introduce the mass market to the wonders of Arabica. However, there is another beverage story hidden amid the West Andes mountain, that of Colombian tea.

Although still largely unknown, Colombia is not new to the tea market. In fact, the family-owned company Agricolahimalaya has been producing tea for close to 60 years. But today, they are garnering attention with their new brand Bitaco, which is awakening the world to the wonders of specialty Colombian tea. Named after the region where it is produced, Bitaco Tea was established in 2013, responding to the industry’s increased interest in orthodox tea production.

“One thing that most people don’t know is that our journey into the tea industry began in the sixties with hand plucked loose-leaf tea, so in a way we are returning to our roots,” said Santiago Gonzalez, international sales representative, Agricolahimalaya. A third-generation family-owned business, the company shifted to CTC (crush, tear, curl) production in the 1970s under the brand name Hindu in response to the industrial tea boom.

Over the years, Hindu evolved into a large retail brand responding to the mass tea consumption needs of 11 different countries including Paraguay, Panama, Bolivia, and the USA. In Colombia, Hindu comprises 45 percent of the existing tea market. However, the cost to produce Colombian CTC tea was approximately four times higher than other CTC-producing regions, such as Kenya and India. This was in part due to the higher employee standards including health and education benefits. “We had invested a lot in the region but our production costs for CTC were high and we were unable to compete in the current market,” said Gonzalez. The company knew that if it wanted to remain competitive and profitable something would have to change. The natural solution was to bring in CTC tea from regions where the production cost was substantially lower.

However, Agricolahimalaya was deeply invested in the Bitaco community and wanted to continue to employ their loyal tea pluckers. “Instead of closing our tea gardens, we decided to create a specialty tea program which would keep people working in the region,” said Gonzalez.

The transition was partially inspired by Nigel Melican, managing director of Teacraft Ltd in Bedford, England, who had visited the plantation several times over the last 30 years and assisted with the initial launch of Bitaco. “Nigel suggested that we had the right environment to do more than produce CTC from our camellia sinensis plants,” said Gonzalez. “Our hope was to offer a specialty tea line unlike any other in the world.”

The company also continued with the Hindu brand but increased their profit margins by importing most of the CTC teas for the blend. Much of the tea-garden production was shifted to orthodox tea and their new brand, Bitaco.

An Environment Designed for Tea

Positioned approximately 6000 feet above sea level, in the middle of the cloud forest, the tea garden is strategically nestled within the geographic region of Chocó known for its biodiversity and rainfall. The holding company, Agricolahimalaya’s property consists of 210 hectares, which includes 100 hectares of the protected rainforest, Bitaco Regional Forest Reserve.

The camellia sinensis plants are planted in 20 lots, each one separated by strips of forests. These natural barriers have substantially aided with irrigation and reduced pest cross contamination. However, an extremely dry summer in 2016 motivated the company to invest in a back-up plan. “We have been blessed in never having to use drip water, but as the climate continues to shift, we knew that it was time that we developed an irrigation program,” said Gonzalez. The system includes three water reservoirs that collect the rain fall overflow in the region. “We’ve never had to use them, but we have them ready in case a drought occurs.”

Embracing a New Mind Set

The first year after the transition to orthodox tea was far from an easy one. “It required a complete shift in thinking, the pests were difficult to fully control with organic methods,” said Gonzalez. “Then we stepped back and realized that the insects also have to eat something, and that our separated tea fields will help protect the plants from an extensive invasion.”

The conversion to orthodox specialty tea was extensive including building new infrastructure, plucker education, and fully committing to organic production methods. Through conventional harvesting, Agricolahimalaya plucked 500 tonnes of green leaf per year. The conversion to hand plucking solely two leaves and a bud reduced the amount to about 90 tonnes in the first year of production.

Bitaco prided itself in setting a high plucking standard for all their teas. However, Gonzalez shared that it was difficult to change the habits of pluckers who had been using the sheer harvesting method for more than 20 years. “The key was getting the tea pluckers to shift their focus from quantity to quality,” said Gonzalez. “Our field managers were continually sharing these new values at every opportunity that was available, morning meetings, in the fields, whenever they had a chance to remind them that Bitaco was now in a business that was centred on quality.”

Wanting to truly improve their overall quality of tea, Bitaco brought in Sri Lanka field trainer Mookan Arumugam Murugiah, a trainer who was highly recommended by Melican. For two months, Murugiah immersed himself in the tea gardens working side by side with Bitaco’s employees. It was here that he demonstrated not only plucking techniques, but plant management strategies that would improve the overall quality of the tea. “Mookan was instrumental in raising the quality of Bitaco Tea,” said Gonzalez. “He had worked on tea fields for more than 35 years, and we felt privileged to have been one of the last projects he worked on. He made an incredible impact.”

New Facility Geared for Future Growth

In 2016, Bitaco built their top of the line ISO 200 certified factory. Designed with future production levels in mind, this modern factory is equipped with machinery from both India and Japan. “The team went to Ambootia to learn about the equipment and how to create high quality teas,” said Gonzalez. “We’ve made a substantial investment to ensure that we can consistently produce the highest quality teas.” Today, Bitaco produces three grades of green tea, wiry, needle and loose, and six grades of black tea. A selection of their teas are blended with regional ingredients including cacao, coffee and exotic fruits, including guava, starfruit, lulo and mango. “We are trying to create everything with the concept of Colombia in mind and highlight our pride in our culture,” said Gonzalez.

The specialty teas are exported as private label products in both North America and Europe. “We have formed great partnerships across the globe with partners who believe and value our products,” said Gonzalez. The brand Bitaco is reserved for Colombia and the surrounding regions where they sell both loose-leaf tea and pyramid sachets in Chile, Panama, Guatemala and Colombia.

Governed by the philosophy of ‘never be comfortable where you are,’ Bitaco continues to push themselves to the next level. “We are continually improving our processes and thinking about what we want to offer for tomorrow,” said Gonzalez. Over the next eight years, Bitaco will expand to 100 hectares, with plans to plant five new hectares each year.

However, specialty tea is only a part of this company’s story. Agricolahimalaya is heavily invested in their community supporting several social and environmental projects. The driving force behind their sustainability efforts is owner and CEO of the Agricola Himalaya Foundation, Maria Carlota Llano. “Maria is an empowered and passionate woman and is committed to the social and environmental development of the region,” said Gonzalez.

Youth and education remain at the forefront, including providing free childcare at the Bitaco day care facility, a scholarship fund, donating resources and equipment, and providing the funding to run English and environmental classes. “We are extremely invested in the education of our youth, including 16 annual scholarships and funding a specialized program at the high school level for those students who have expressed interest in agriculture,” said Gonzalez.

On the environmental side, the foundation is focused on restoring and revitalizing the Bitaco region. This includes a native tree nursery which offers free trees to community members focused on reforestation and the restoration of the local river, which is being done in partnership, with German NGO Misereor. “Sustainability at Agricolahimalaya is not just brochure material, it’s an integral part of who we are,” said Gonzalez.

When asked about the future, Gonzalez shared that they were extremely optimistic with several different ideas on how to evolve moving forward. For now, their goal is to simply increase awareness of the Bitaco brand and Colombia tea at a national and international level.

Anne-Marie Hardie is a freelance writer, professor and speaker based in Barrie, Ontario. She may be reached at: annemariehardie1@gmail.com.

The post Awakening the World to Colombian Orthodox Tea appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Tea bags have been in existence for over a century offering consumers a convenient alternative to enjoy their favourite cup of tea. However, in the last decade, the industry has seen a dramatic shift in the solutions from the nylon pyramid sachet which responded to the premium market to sustainable materials. Today, consumers are taking a deeper look at what is in their tea packaging and demanding manufacturers respond to their need for a plastic free, biodegradable alternative. These concerns have resulted in a dramatic shift in the industry, with manufacturers actively looking for the right solution for their target market.

Sustainable solutions are not new for the tea industry. In fact, companies have been providing ecological alternatives for over a decade. Manufacturers are looking at the sustainability of the materials, the ease in manufacturing and how the product infuses the tea, including that the material is taste neutral.

“If you are selling specialty teas, you have to be concerned that your packaging accomplishes a couple of things,” said Ned Heagerty, president of Silk Road Teas, based in San Rafael, California. “One, the packaging [must] in no way interrupt the flavours, that is, the taste the tea maker has created in the tea. You want the packaging to allow the maximum amount of flavour to make it to the cup. Secondly, you want the packaging, in this case, a sachet, to facilitate the leaves opening fully thus bringing the full extent of the aroma and taste to the consumer.” Silk Road Teas uses corn starch as the base ingredient for its tea bags.

Global paper supplier, Glatfelter CFBU, has invested heavily in creating sustainable paper options. Much of the Gernsbach, Germany-based company’s paper pulp comes from high quality abaca (manilla hemp) and other natural fibres, providing a sustainable basis for filter papers for their tea and coffee clients. A natural fibre derived from the leaf sheaf around the abaca plant, the plant thrives without the use of insecticides and pesticides, while also preventing damage from soil erosion. Glatfelter founded the Catanduanes Abaca Sustainability Initiative (CASI) and had partnered with the Rainforest Alliance (RA) to ensure that the abaca was sourced sustainably. This investment has improved the income of over 500 smallholder farmers as well as providing their clients with a sustainable renewable resource for RA-certified filter paper.

Ahlstrom Munksjö, based in Pont-Eveque, France also invested in sustainability over a decade ago. “For us it’s not a new story,” said Veronique van Zyl Delannoy, head of marketing, food pack and beverage. “We invested in the polylactic acid (PLA) trend over 10 years ago, when bioplastics was still fairly new in the market; the change was simply a no brainer.” Ahlstrom Munksjö’s initial sustainable fibre, Bioweb, offered specialty tea manufacturers an alternative to the standard nylon sachets. The new format was constructed from a transparent premium polylactic material, that was taste neutral, and could be manufactured on either ultrasonic or heat-sealing equipment.

UK-based Teapigs also placed sustainability as a top priority. From the beginning, its tea sachets were manufactured from biodegradable cornstarch. However, in 2017, wanting to be known as the greenest tea company out there, Teapigs converted all their polypropylene clear inner bags to the wood pulp film NatureFlex, produced by Futamura, Nagoya, Japan. This innovative biofilm, which is heat sealed, has been certified industrial and home compostable. In addition, Teapigs’ tags are printed with vegetable-based ink ensuring that they will decompose in an industrial compost. In May, Teapigs was awarded the Plastic Free Trust Mark from A Plastic Planet in recognition of its plastic-free products (see page 27).

Growing numbers of tea drinkers have recently become acutely aware of tea-bag packaging and are asking for change. “There has been a wave of interest from both the consumers and the press in plastic free, with many companies scrambling to become plastic free by 2020,” said Andy Byron, sales executive and trade marketing, Teapigs, Brentford, England.

When it comes to the plastic in tea bags, Kai Wulff, marketing director, Glatfelter, stressed, that is important for consumers to first understand that the amount of plastic traditionally used in tea bags is minimal. The main components of tea bags are comprised of natural fibres; the plastic, which has been brought up in the media, is simply used to thermally seal the tea bag. “All ingredients in filter paper adhere fully to all the food regulations and the final filter papers are completely safe for use and do not adulterate the tea liquor,” he explained.

However, alternate solutions do exist – in fact, Glatfelter invested in a biodegradable thermoplastic solution for heat sealable papers some years back, but the market was still not ready for it. “At the time, the concern about plastic and degradability of filter paper was still fairly minimal,” said Wulff.

Partially propelled by the TV documentary Blue Planet 2 in the UK, there has been an increased push for the reduction of plastic in the grocery aisles, including a plastic free aisle. At the same time, there has been a growing awareness of what was in fact in the tea bags, and a dramatic response from consumers requesting that manufacturers change their tea bags.

It was the residue in his home compost that alerted Wrexham, England-based gardener, Mike Armitage, that there was plastic in tea bags. After further research, he identified that this residue was a direct result from the plastic sealant in his PG Tips tea bags. Motivated to make a change, Armitage started a petition addressed to Unilever, which markets the PG Tips brand, to remove the plastic from its tea bags. The petition garnered over 200,000 signatures and has shifted how tea bags are being produced throughout the UK.

“It’s been a big wake up call, consumers are addicted to single use plastic and there is now a motivation for change,” said Byron.

Making the Sustainable Switch

Co-op Food, based in Manchester, England, in partnership with Ahlstrom and Typhoo, was one of the first major brands to convert its material to a sustainable alternative, opting to use Fibre+. Ahlstrom launched its sustainable packaging solution in March, responding to the need for a cost-effective biodegradable tea bag. “The material responds to the requirements of the plastic-free label,” said van Zyl Delannoy. “At the same time, it can be used on existing machinery without any change in appearance.”

For consumers, there is essentially no difference in their experience, aside from the affirmation that they are now opting for a plastic free product. Unilever’s PG Tips followed close behind announcing that all polypropylene-sealed tea bags on the market would be replaced with biodegradable, polylactic acid, derived from cornstarch, by the end of 2018.

For tea companies that are seeking a non-GMO alternative, One Earth, based in Naples, Florida, has recently released a polylactic filter paper comprised of sugar cane. “Consumers are seeking tea bags that are non-GMO and completely transparent so that they can see the tea,” said Erin Heryford, managing director, One Earth, adding that consumers also want gluten and allergen-free tea. One Earth’s rolls can be used to create tea bags in a variety of widths and shapes, including pyramids and the ability to seal the bag in the middle so that a logo/brand name can be easily embossed on it. The product will work on any new machinery, although Heryford recommends an ultrasonic heat sealer as the product currently doesn’t include a string or tag. “We are currently seeking a compostable string or tag alternative,” she said. “For now, our clients can have their logo directly embossed onto the bag.”

BAM Packing, Inc, a co-packer based in Los Alamitos, California, has recently developed a partnership with One Earth providing the sugar cane biodegradable alternative to their tea packaging clients. “Sugar cane filter paper is the new and upcoming thing,” said Donna Cook, president, BAM Packing. “It responds to so many packaging concerns including transparency, biodegradability and non-GMO.”

When planning the packaging for its teas, Silk Road Teas made two immediate decisions. “First, we put the highest grade of tea leaf we could into a sachet format. Traditionally, teas in tea bags and sachet packaging have been typified by lower grades of tea and blends,” said Heagerty. “Secondly, we believed that we could create local jobs by doing more packaging in-house. Toward that end, we have adults with disabilities packing our sachets into bags and tea boxes. We took a job that is usually automated and gave it back to workers creating job opportunities.”

The Need to Educate Consumers

To respond to the environmental concerns of consumers, manufacturers need to educate how to properly dispose of the polylactic bags. Home composts, such as the one that initially created the concern in the UK, will not be able to break these bags. PLA (polylactic acid) requires particular conditions, including temperature, oxygen level and microbes to fully biodegrade. These conditions can only be achieved at an industrial compost. To ensure that the bags are disposed of appropriately, consumers need to be advised of these parameters and how to dispose of the bags.

“Here in the UK, 78 percent [of consumers] cannot get their products to industrial compost, due to the lack of infrastructure,” shared Chris Law, sales and marketing manager, Union Papertech Ltd, Heywood, England. “The remaining 22 percent either send [their waste products] to an industrial compost or anaerobic digestion.” This has posed a challenge for Union Papertech, and the industry at large, as without the appropriate infrastructure available, the PLA tea bags will not decompose.

Law hopes that the infrastructure will catch up and respond to the industry’s need. But in the meantime, Union Papertech is actively seeking an alternate solution to provide to consumers, one, that ideally will biodegrade at a home compost.

Finding a material that maintains the same strength as polypropylene is a challenge,” said Law. “In tests, polypropylene will retain its seal for up to two hours when brewed in boiling water. PLA will last approximately ten seconds, which is not long enough to brew tea.” One of the key challenges is finding a viable alternative that can respond to the commercial capability. This includes the cost of the new material and cost to modify the existing machinery.

Union Papertech is working with A Plastic Planet to find ways to improve the infrastructure as well as to educate consumers on the terminology. Their goal is to find a product that will fully break down in a home compost. “Are we there yet? No.,” said Law. “But we think it will be in the short term. We will find the right solution.”

Van Zyl Delannoy said there is no question that consumer demand is driving where the materials are going. “There is an increased preference for premium teas, consumers want to know what is in it their tea. Overall, it has been a huge awakening for the consumers, so it should come as no surprise that the sustainability aspect has become a factor.”

Anne-Marie Hardie is a freelance writer, professor and speaker based Barrie, Ontario. She may be reached at: annemariehardie1@gmail.com.

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Each new product is designed to provide a ‘Miles Moment’ in the day from sleepy moments to wake up moments. The tea and fruit segments in each teabag or ‘tea kites’ as Miles calls them, will be larger than usual to improve the taste. The new pack design and new machinery will allow Miles to adapt the range with different blends including limited edition products and seasonal blends. The range currently has the following flavours:

• Super Green, Matcha & Turmeric
• Fennel, Orange & Hibiscus
• Green Tea & Chamomile
• Berry Berry
• Rooibos, Boabab & Chai
• Lavender, Limeflower & Rose
• Ginger & Lemongrass
• Liquorice, Peppermint & Spearmint
• English Breakfast

“This is an exciting new market for Miles, being a family business for generations it’s important as we adapt to current trends,” says John Halls, operations director at the Minehead, Somerset, England based company. “This new premium range will provide us with a relevant offering for the ever-growing green tea, herbal and fruit tea market.”

Miles Tea and Coffee is a family run business established in 1888. The West Somerset-based business creates quality tea, coffee and hot chocolate. Following a recent rebrand Miles are promoting the West Country by partnering with local communities, West Country businesses, and sponsorship. Miles products are available in Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys, the Co-op among several other stores. The new premium teas range in price from £3.99 to £4.75 per 37.5 grams.

For more information, visit: https://www.milesteaandcoffee.com/.

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The premium and ultra-premium beverage segments have experienced robust growth in recent years with none more so than in the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink (RTD) area. Because of increasing consumer demand, packaging for RTD beverages is expected to grow at about 40 percent or more over the 2018 to 2028 period, according to the 2018 Beverage Trends in Packaging and Processing Operations Report from PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

Demand is exceptionally high for teas made from actual tea leaves, with consumers believing this type of tea is more desirable than concentrate. From a processing and packaging standpoint, actual tea-leaf teas require new equipment and processes that some large beverage companies can’t accommodate due to space constraints. As a result, co-packers receive much of the new beverage tea production and are building not only new lines but entire new facilities to handle this volume. Smaller beverage companies face challenges in getting the materials and the production time they require at co-packers due to a lack of capacity or availability at North American companies. These companies seek overseas co-packers to fulfill their needs.

The growth of tea from tea leaves also mirrors the trend towards clean labelling seen in many other food and beverage segments. Consumers want healthy ingredients that they recognize on a label, versus additives and preservatives they can’t pronounce. This causes some difficulty for packagers, however, as many additives are specifically used to make beverage processing and packaging easier.

Removing these ingredients leaves production lines in need of adjustment with new equipment or different processes. For example, anti-foaming agents are often used to reduce foaming during the filling process or to help keep beverages homogeneous. Removing these agents may mean that filling machinery must be adapted to slow down filling time for each bottle, and new agitation equipment must be installed to minimize separation.

The increasing desire for natural and organic products has driven the increased use of glass bottles and cartons — two containers with a healthier and environmentally friendly image among most consumers. Consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of beverage packaging, especially in secondary plastic ring packaging, which is traditionally used to hold six- or twelve-packs of cans or bottles together. Currently, paperboard cartons often replace plastic ring packaging. Many respondents in PMMI’s report believe traditional plastic ring packaging will be phased out entirely in five to seven years and replaced with new photodegradable packaging.

Photodegradable HDPE plastic ring packaging is available and degrades in direct sunlight over a one- to two-month period. Smaller beverage makers of premium teas with beneficial ingredients, such as turmeric and ginger, and fermented products, like kombucha, are expected to be the early adopters of this new material. Large beverage manufacturers, on the other hand, are not expected to adopt this new material until the marketplace proves it will accept it and will likely wait two to three years before utilizing this technology.

Pack Expo International, which takes place 14-17 October in Chicago, Illinois, will offer RTD beverage packaging innovation, technology and education. To learn more or register, visit packexpointernational.com.

Sean Riley is senior director, media and industry communications at PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

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Founded in 1912, Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee has established itself as a leader in the coffee and tea industry. With over a century in operation, the business has gone through several iterations. However, there was perhaps no greater adventure than their journey into the world of single serve.

Mother Parkers single serve story began simply. In 2008, Paul Higgins Jr and Michael Higgins, co-chairmen and CEOs of the Mississauga, Ontario-based company, wanted to enter the rapidly growing segment of the coffee industry. Little did they know, their new format offering would evolve into a ground-breaking discovery and further define Mother Parkers as innovators.

The team’s mandate was clear: produce a sustainable, cost effective capsule that delivered exceptional quality. “In the beginning, there were only four of us,” shared Liberatore Trombetta, vice president, research and development. “We used every spare moment and space to brainstorm what Mother Parkers’ single serve solution would look like.” With a fixed launch date in mind and minimal resources, the most logical path was not to reinvent.

However, they would quickly discover that was simply not an option. Although not yet its own division, research and development had become an integral part of the company’s operation. In 2009, Mother Parkers, which had often turned towards the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario for insights, established a research and development relationship with them which included researching several aspects of the industry including packaging, roasting and eventually, single serve. Furthermore, the single serve team at Mother Parkers had recently hired University of Guelph PhD scientist, Yucheng Fu, who played an integral role of the development of the single serve prototype.

A Deep Dive into Filter Technology

Over a period of six months, the research team experimented with over 200 filters, which they adhered with an elastic to a 3D prototype capsule, but there wasn’t one that met their needs. Within 43 seconds (the average time for a Keurig brewer), it was hard to deliver a coffee that was comparable to a drip brewer. To address the quality issue, the team would need to develop a filter that could respond to the challenges of a single serve system.

“It required a paradigm shift regarding how you filter,” said Trombetta. “Our team experimented with several different materials, until we accidentally received inspiration from another field of use, diaper technology.” Unlike paper, the non-woven technology didn’t absorb. This meant that all the aspects of the liquid, including the lipids and acids, would get into the cup providing both body and brightness, and in turn, a better cup. This led to the development of the proprietary Flavor Max filter technology, which was inspired by the non-woven technology used in diapers. “When you start something from scratch, with absolutely nothing, there are no rules. At the end you have a product that is truly yours,” said Fred Schaeffer, president. “The sense of fulfillment at the end is a massive wow! It’s a once a career kind of thing.”

Word quickly spread about the single capsule that promised to deliver drip coffee quality. “When success came early then it was like hurry up and get it done, we pulled every able body into the project,” said Trombetta. “There was so much to do, it was kind of like trying to clean your home while you had a party going on.” To bring the capsule to fruition, the team needed to forge partnerships with suppliers, hire additional employees and create standard operating procedures for machinery that didn’t yet exist.

“The capsule needs to withstand the pressure due to the release of carbon dioxide; on the other hand, it needs to perform as a device to enable the brewing process. It is a complicated component,” said Loong-Tak Lim, PhD, associate professor, department of Food Science, University of Guelph. If the polymer is not optimal, the capsule can be impacted, even the puncturing point can impact the final product, as the nozzle needs to penetrate the capsule without creating any damage. “It is such a small item, but there are so many potential challenges,” said Lim. “One of the biggest challenges is ensuring the integrity of the seal, because if it is not done properly it can negate the benefits of the polymers.”

Working Against All Odds

Due to highly restrictive contracts for North American equipment suppliers to other single serve capsule manufacturers, Mother Parkers turned to Europe for its equipment partners, one of which was Sarong SpA, Reggiolo, Italy. Sarong was tasked with designing, producing and testing a new machine in less than five months. However, this wasn’t the only challenge that the company would be confronted with. In May 2012, two months into production, two major earthquakes hit the region. All 100 employees were safely evacuated, but the damage to both the building and Mother Parkers’ equipment was extensive.

“We started to reassemble the two Mother Parkers machines in mid-June,” said Alberto Bartoli, vice president, Sarong SpA. “At the time, the delivery deadline of early July seemed impossible.”

With the new building still under construction, the 40 office employees, worked in a large tent, equipped with both their computers and printers. While the mechanical assembly, was stationed in a nearby warehouse building. “We worked almost 24/7 to get the job done,” said Bartoli. “The lines were shipped on 10 July and the equipment was installed in Mississauga on the 21^st of the month.”

The Sarong mechanics and engineers travelled to Mississauga to assist with the final build and assembly, making any final modifications on-site, including hand delivering drawings to a local machine shop to make and modify parts. “It was an incredible feat to have the line running in August and a great example of cooperation between the two companies,” said Trombetta. This collaborative effort set the foundation for a strong working relationship between the two companies, culminating in Mother Parkers urging Sarong to open a Canadian office. The first Canadian Sarong office was housed in the Mother Parkers’ warehouse space. Sarong eventually expanded from the Mother Parkers’ warehouse to its own location where it services both Mother Parkers and additional clientele.

The Evolution into EcoCup

The first capsules came off the line in 2012, shortly after Sarong’s equipment installation. Mother Parkers wanted all the components of the single serve capsule to be manufactured at its own facility. The plant design is vertically integrated with all the manufacturing components done in house. Packaging is brought in on roll stock that is then formed on site. Between 2014 and 2015, the plant rapidly expanded in response to the high interest in EcoCup. “By making something in-house we improve our CO2 footprint,” said Trombetta. “Developing all our own equipment allowed us to build the right components, including the click feature.”

The click feature satisfied two recycling requirements: a clean stream for recycling with zero mixed materials and easy separation for the consumer. “One challenge with recycling capsules is that they consist of multiple polymers within a single capsule, including a unique polymer for the body and one for the barrier to protect against oxygen,” said Lim. “If the body is produced with one polymer alone it would greatly decrease the shelf life.” The EcoCup capsule is easily separated by the consumer, the polystyrene 6 capsule recycled, and the organic matter composted. However, recycling single serve is far from a simple process.

The Present: Recycling Challenges

As of January 2018, China, which purchases about two-thirds of North American recyclables, has set the requirement of a contamination level under 0.5 percent. “We’ve spoken with various government agencies and ministries, and they’ve advised us that any amount of contamination could make the product useless,” said Schaeffer. “They were thrilled to hear about the properties of our cup, and how it can easily be separated ensuring a clean product.”

Although the EcoCup addresses strict recycling standards, there are still road blocks preventing the capsules from being municipally recycled. “If they say coffee capsules are allowed in the blue box, the consumer isn’t going to understand which capsule can go into recycling and which cannot,” said Schaeffer. “We need to provide the right message to the consumer when it comes to recycling, with the main one being, make sure it’s clean.” Mother Parkers is deeply invested in achieving its sustainability goals. This includes continual discussions with governments, municipalities, and private companies to develop a solution that would keep single serve capsules out of the waste stream.

When asked about the future, Trombetta laughed, stating that they never get a break, as there is always another level to go. However, the recent news from China about the recycling restrictions has affirmed that Mother Parkers’ innovation needs to be without borders. “We need to be aware of what is going on in the world, and how can we best help them,” he said

When it comes to capsule growth, Mother Parkers is actively looking at other formats, including developing single serve espresso capsules to respond to this sector of the industry. From a research perspective, cold brew presents an intriguing challenge for Mother Parkers. “The process today is really suboptimal, it’s very manual, messy and labour intensive,” said Schaefer. “We are currently researching how to innovate this offering, we don’t want to just say we have a product too, but instead provide a solution to the entire system.”

Mother Parkers’ single serve division has helped redefine its entire business strategy.

It is the sense of innovation, and the deep responsibility to get all the details right, which was acquired during this journey, that continues to take the company to the next level.

Anne-Marie Hardie is a freelance writer, professor and speaker based in Barrie, Ontario. She may be reached at: annemariehardie1@gmail.com.

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With a total area of 1,566 hectares, of which 626 hectares are dedicated to coffee production, 167 hectares to other crops and 773 hectares to environmental preservation, Rio Verde farm is located in the municipality of Conceicao do Rio Verde in the region of Serra Mantiqueira.

All 32 Rio Verde farm coffee terroirs chosen for Premier Cru are above 1,000 metres above the sea level, reaching up to 1,330 metres. The selective harvest of only cherry coffees (ripe fruits) is made manually in small batches of 5,000 litres.

Each terroir is harvested separately and the logistics is all planned to take the coffees to the milling structure in a short time. In the facilities, the batches can be prepared using four preparation methods – Pulped Natural, Natural, Honey and Fully Washed – in different combinations with drying processes.

Currently in the final stages of construction and equipment assembly, Rio Verde farm coffee milling facilities will be launched in June. Made in stainless steel and designed for the preparation of high-quality small lots, the completely automated structure counts with Colombian technology, besides a 14,000-square-metre patio made of hardened polished concrete.

The project was developed in partnership between Ipanema’s industrial team, a group of Colombian engineers of JM Strada and Brazilian architects, combining the best technologies available in the market with the farm’s specific needs to ensure the coffees quality. The completely taylor-made equipment was manufactured in Colombia and Spain and imported to Brazil in 21 containers.

“A brand-new milling deserves a well architected structure. For this reason, we hired a group of prestigious Brazilian architects to turn the farm facilities into state-of-the-art constructions. They joined forces with Ipanema´s team during three years of work. Also, the production of unique and exclusive specialty coffees requires expertise, know-how, technology and a very innovative approach. We searched for the most high-tech machinery available in the global market and established partnerships to build a modern, efficient and automated milling plant capable of integrating dry and wet processes”, says the CEO Washington Rodrigues.

At the Specialty Coffee Association Exhibition (SCA Expo), visitors of the booth will have the opportunity to dive into Premier Cru project and experience several coffee profiles of the tuning lots, such as Wine, Sugarcane, Red Grapes, Citric Orange and Fruity. In addition, visitors can also take samples for further cupping. The focus of the exhibition is to share this  new approach to produce high score Specialty Coffees with consistency and guarantee of origin, as well as the wide range of possibilities this project can accomplish.

Premier Cru coffees will have yearly changing collections. Grano Segreto is the first, with coffees that will be harvested during the 2018/19 crop. Together with renowned international quality experts, Ipanema’s coffee specialist Marcio Silveira will calibrate all Premier Cru coffees, composing Black, Gold and Blue editions, according to the coffees score and taste complexity.

Ipanema Premier Cru website contains more information about the project concept, its pillars and products. After SCA Expo, a list with all 2017/18 tuning lots result of Premier Cru tests will be available, with complete information about each one of the coffee lots, identified with a QR code, and traceability from the plant to the bean.

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It’s been frequently stated that behind every cup of coffee, there is a story. And for, Counter Culture Coffee, the stories could easily fill an entire book case. The tale of Counter Culture Coffee began in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, when University of North Carolina business student Brett Smith went on a mission to find an opportunity that would put his newly acquired skills into action. “I had entered school with the thought of starting or taking over a small business, but I didn’t know what it would be,” said Smith.

It was the mid 1990s. Starbucks Coffee was making headlines in every major outlet, and Smith’s sister, who lived in Seattle, the birthplace of Starbucks, shared stories about the coffee wave. “I thought, maybe there was something there,” he said. Although not a coffee drinker – Smith’s sole exposure to the beverage was as a drink during exam periods – he was intrigued by its global reach and supply chain.

During his research, Smith came across a mail-order coffee company that piqued his interest. He arranged a lunch meeting with Fred Houk, an employee of the company who worked in operations, to discuss the possibility of buying out the company. “We talked for three hours,” shared Smith. “But instead of making an offer on the business, Fred and I thought, why don’t we just do this on our own?”

It was the perfect partnership merging Houk’s extensive coffee knowledge with Smith’s aptitude for business. Their goal was to create an exceptional coffee product for the wholesale market, beginning with the restaurant industry. To get there, Counter Culture Coffee invested in a 10kg Sasa Samiac roaster (from France) providing Houk with the necessary equipment to create their own specialized batch roasts while Smith researched the local restaurant market for potential buyers.

The first bag was sold to Pop’s Trattoria in Durham, NC, in 1995, three months after the idea of the company was born. “We were blessed to be in a market that had a strong culinary community,” said Smith. “The local chefs were committed to offering high quality food for their customers, this set a high bar for us as a company.” Working with chefs helped set the tone of Counter Culture Coffee, focused on quality, and supporting and cultivating a positive a relationship with its customers.

Training and education has become a vital part of these relationships, with Counter Culture Coffee demonstrating the methods that will produce a consistent, quality cup, each time. “It’s a special industry that is both creative and exciting,” said Smith. “And at the end of the day, we get to drink a wonderful product – it’s been an amazing thing to be a part of for the last 23 years.”

These two principles formed the foundation of Counter Culture, creating a culture of social, environmental and economical sustainability. “It has simply become who we are,” said Smith. This began with connecting with coffee producers directly to source the highest quality green coffee. “If you don’t break bread with the person, then you don’t understand each other needs,” said Smith. “It is only by working with suppliers that the product will continue to evolve.”

It is these relationships that enabled Counter Culture Coffee to explore processing methods and new varietals to develop the coffee that best responds to its business needs.

Blending Passion and Purpose

Today, Counter Culture has formed a green team whose sole focus is to develop these producer relationships. The on-site visits create a dialogue where they share challenges and help push each other to produce a better product. “It’s so important to understand what the farmers needs are and for them to understand what is going on in the world,” said Smith. “The specialty coffee market has and always will continue to evolve.”

Developing the farmer relationships remains a critical part of Counter Culture success. Although some farms have come and gone over the years, there are others that have evolved their business practices to meet the parameters of Counter Culture Coffee. “Some might have tried to sell us coffee, but it was rejected for not meeting our standards,” said Smith. “However, we worked with them, and they made the suggested changes, and now we have a quality product that we can bring to our market.”

It is these personal and business philosophies that helped to shape the business to where it is today. In fact, their first venture into environmental sustainability was born from Houk’s love for birds.

An avid bird watcher, Houk had attended a presentation on shade-grown coffee and how this method of coffee production was not only creating a higher quality product but replacing lost habitats for migrating birds. “Fred walked in one day, extremely passionate, sharing his findings from the presentation on shade-grown coffee,” said Smith. “It was something that we knew that we had to do – it brought Fred’s two loves together, while meeting our commitment to sustainability.”

Counter Culture Coffee created the Bird Friendly coffee line, Sanctuary, which was launched at the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA)Expo in New Orleans in 1997, making its mark as their first branded product, and one of the first roasters to sell shade-grown coffee.

As they entered the new millennium, Counter Culture Coffee noticed a wonderful transition in the coffee industry, the growth of independent coffee shops. It seemed only natural to extend their training, education, and products to this budding market. “It was in the early 2000s and consumers were starting to experiment with specialty coffee in a variety of venues, looking for different options to sample and developing their palate,” said Smith. “It was a wonderful movement to be a part of.”

When talking about roasting, Smith immediately returned to the vision statement. “We are on a relentless pursuit of coffee perfection,” he said. “This involves taking the roasters and modifying them to meet our needs, and adding equipment like an optical sorter, to further refine the roast.” Counter Culture was one of the first roasters in North America to use an optical sorter.

Counter Culture has a combination of roasters in all its facilities, including the first French roaster which is still used daily to produce small-batch roasts, Probats from the 1950s, and a Loring roaster, known for its consistent roasts and lower emissions. When choosing a roaster, Smith shared that the goal is to bring out the best in the coffee, including adjusting the machinery to create the roast profile that they are seeking.

The optical sorter helps identify defects that can’t be seen by the human eye. “It provides an additional opportunity to control the quality of cup, and yes, we may throw out a bit,” said Smith. “But it’s worth it to improve the cup quality and consistency of our product.” In addition to the optical sorter, Counter Culture continually cups the coffee, of course, to ensure that the coffee is “consistently awesome” from coast to coast.

Green Through and Through

Counter Culture Coffee has identified the importance of ensuring that its employees’ needs are met. This includes employing a full-time human resource manager, paying a living wage and going beyond traditional benefits to support both the health and financial wellness of their employees. “We also have our own green fund where employees apply for a grant to fund their own personal sustainability initiatives, from building a backyard garden to joining a health club,” said Smith. Their vision is to make Counter Culture simply a great place for people to work. “Philosophically, it is simply the right thing to do,” shared Smith. “But also, the stronger the team, the more excited they are to participate as part of the company.”

On, 10 March 2003, Counter Culture Coffee decided it was time to place their verbal philosophies on paper, signed by Brett Smith and co-owner Peter Giuliano (who left the company in 2012 to join the SCAA), and Daryn Berlin, one of the first employees of the company who is now the new market development director. Since that time, Counter Culture has continued to work within their principles and further formalize it.

“We try to always live and work through the lens of sustainability,” said Smith. “It is not just a piece of paper to us, it is a real commitment to social, environmental and economical sustainability.” Sustainability is deeply entrenched throughout the organization, with a continued focus on environmental, economic and social initiatives. From their daily operations to overall agronomy practices, all decisions are analysed through the lens of sustainability.

This includes creating the position of Counter Culture Sustainability Coordinator in 2015. However, the reality, Smith explained, is that sustainability is a focus for all employees. The sustainability coordinator, Meredith Taylor, helps to ensure that the company is on track, including monitoring the progress on its environmental waste goals to achieve its 2024 reduction objective. The annual transparency report communicates the company’s actions to the public.

Fiercely Independent

From the very beginning, the goal for Counter Culture Coffee has been to produce high quality products while being a great partner with its suppliers and customers. This includes making the decision to adopt an extremely specialized approach towards its products, focusing only on coffee. “We want to do an extraordinary job with our product,’ said Smith. “It’s about not finding as many products as you can sell but finding the products that you can excel with.” Today, Counter Culture Coffee can be experienced in a variety of locations including restaurants, independent coffee shops and online.

The 12 training centres across North America offer classes, workshops and hands-on training, providing tools and techniques that will enhance the coffee experience. In addition to the pre-registered classes, the education centres are open to the public, every Friday at 10am for a weekly cupping session.

When asked about the recent mergers and acquisitions that have been occurring in the industry, Smith shared that although there have been individuals who have expressed interest in Counter Culture Coffee, they are currently not looking at being acquired.

“We feel very confident that we are heading towards our goals, and if we can continue to get there without outside investment, then we will,” said Smith. “Staying independent just feels really good for us, right now.” Although, Smith recognizes the value of outside investment, Counter Culture feels both excited and inspired by the fact that they can continue to challenge themselves, internally, and work together to achieve their goals.

When asked about the future, Smith immediately returns to that three-hour lunch with Houk, who left the company in 2001. “Fred was the original coffee guy, he helped to fine-tune us to where we are today,” said Smith. “It’s amazing that the early principles that we set for ourselves all those years ago continue to drive Counter Culture Coffee, and it’s exciting to see how the company will continue to grow and evolve in the upcoming years.”

Anne-Marie Hardie is a freelance writer, professor and speaker based in Barrie, Ontario. She may be reached at: annemariehardie1@gmail.com.

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