If you've been considering moving from packaging your coffee by hand to automating the process, you're in the right place!

We've seen many businesses transformed by the gains that result from automating their packaging process. There have been big changes in labor costs and production.But how do you know which coffee packaging equipment fits your particular situation?

Your packaging is what keeps your coffee fresh for longer, meaning it has a direct impact on the taste of those beans you’re selling. It’s also what you have to work with every single day. And it’s what your customer will picture when they hear your name. Packaging is a very important part of a product which is why custom printed packaging has become so popular for manufacturers all over the world.

So that means you really want to get it right. Of course, there isn’t one right type of packaging –it all depends on things such as the scale of your business, your filling processes, and what you customers are like.

1. Types of coffee packaging bags

As you look at store shelves in the coffee section, you will likely see 4 main types of coffee packaging bags, shown below:

FLAT BOTTOM BAG

The flat bottom coffee bag is one of the most popular packaging formats in the coffee industry. It features a prominent shelf presence and is able to stand unassisted for maximum impact. Often the top of the bag is folded over or completely down into a brick shape and sealed.

QUAD SEAL BAG

A quad seal bag is also very popular in the coffee industry. This bag has crisp side seals, can stand unassisted, and is attention-grabbing for its modular look. This coffee packaging bag type holds its shape very well and can support heavier fills of coffee. The quad seal bag usually is more costly than other bag styles.

PILLOW BAG

The most economical and simplistic bag type, the pillow bag is often used for fractional, single-serve coffee packaging formats. This bag style lays flat for display purposes. The pillow bag is by far the least costly to produce.

DOYPACK

With a flat top and a rounded, oval-shaped bottom, the Doypack or stand-up pouch differentiates itself from more typical coffee package types. It gives the consumer an impression of a premium, small-batch product. Often fitted with zippers, this coffee packaging bag type is beloved by consumers for its convenience. This bag style usually costs more than other more simple bag types.

While stand-up pouches can be created on form fill seal machines, they are much better looking when purchased premade, and then filled and sealed on an automatic pouch packing machine.

2. Coffee freshness factors

Will your product be distributed to stores, cafes, businesses, or shipped to end-users nation- or worldwide? If so, your coffee will need to stay fresh until the very end. To accomplish this, Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) options can be used.

The most popular modified atmosphere packaging system is ONE-WAY DEGASSING VALVES, which allow the natural build-up of carbon dioxide in freshly roasted coffee an escape route while not letting COFFEE FRESHNESS KILLERS like oxygen, moisture, or light inside the bag.

Other modified atmosphere packaging options include nitrogen gas flushing, which displaces oxygen in the coffee bag before filling, and use of high-barrier packaging materials. You can choose to use one type of MAP in your coffee bean packaging design or many, depending upon your needs. For most modern coffee packaging applications, all of the above are recommended.

3. Coffee packaging process

Will you be hand-filling your coffee bags or are you considering automating with COFFEE PACKAGING EQUIPMENT? If you plan to hand-fill your coffee bags, The Perfect Daily Grind recommends you choose a bag style that has a wide enough top opening to accommodate your scoop or filling apparatus. The Doypack may not be ideal in this situation as it only has two corners at its top opening, limiting the amount of room available for a filling tool. Compare this with the quad seal or flat bottom bag, which usually have four corners at their top openings and much more room to accommodate filling tools.

Also note that hand-packing, while it may have a lower cost to entry, seriously limits your throughput, accuracy, and ability to ramp up production on a moment's notice. If you already use - or are considering purchasing - automated COFFEE BAGGING EQUIPMENT, your bag options are almost unlimited.

Most modern coffee packing machines can easily accommodate multiple bag styles and sizes. Fill weights are no longer a worry as automated filling solutions can operate at a high level of accuracy. Your throughput can increase by leaps and bounds and if you suddenly receive a large order, scaling your production up is no biggie.

4. Style

Every company needs to distinguish itself from its competitors – and one of the easiest ways to do that is through your packaging. There are so many ways to create unique bags that will draw attention. Attractive artwork is one way to establish your style. Another is to use different varnishes, metallic or neon colors, an integrated zipper and valve, shaped pouches, and even distinctive measurements. You could also focus on consumer friendliness, for instance by using laser perforation to make opening the bag easier. Be creative, because the possibilities are endless.

GAOGE will provide you with professional and efficient coffee packaging machines. We will customize different machines for you according to different types of bags. Our purpose is to satisfy every customer. To be able to cooperate happily.