Coffee packaging

The taste of coffee is uniquely aromatic. To transport all the aromas of this invigorating wonder bean from the roastery to your home, special packaging has been developed. Below, we present the most common types of packaging and explain their advantages and disadvantages.

Why is packaging so important?

The roasting process allows raw coffee to develop its aromas: acids are broken down, sugars are caramelized, and in the so-called Maillard reaction, the coffee gets its brown color as well as up to 1,000 different aromatic compounds.

Many of these aromatic compounds are volatile. Exposure to oxygen negatively impacts the flavor: When stored in the open air, coffee beans lose up to 60% of their aroma after 4–6 weeks. Ground coffee is even more sensitive.

Moisture also significantly impairs the taste. From a musty aroma to mold growth, it can ruin coffee in a short time.

Freshly roasted beans release gas, meaning they emit roasting gases after roasting. If packaged airtight, this can cause the bag to swell or burst.

The first packaging

Coffee beans are usually not roasted in their country of origin and, during their long sea voyage, don't yet contain any roasted aromas that they could lose. Traditionally, the first packaging of the raw coffee takes place in Jute or linen sacks. The sack sizes vary between 40 and 65 kg depending on the country. The moist raw coffee beans are well ventilated in the sacks, preventing mold growth.

A few coffees, especially Jamaican coffee, are shipped in wooden barrels.

Coffee from large plantations, sold to corporations, is often transported in bulk in ventilated shipping containers. Learn more about coffee transport.

Valve packaging

The most common is the Aroma-protective packaging with degassing valve. An airtight bag is ideal for freshly roasted espresso beans. The beans are packaged in a protective atmosphere in a bag made of film laminate or similar airtight material and fitted with a one-way valve. This allows roasting gases such as carbon dioxide to escape without oxygen entering the packaging.

The trend is towards paper.

Conventional foil packaging often contains aluminum, the processing of which requires a lot of energy and pollutes the environment.

A sustainable alternative is innovative aroma-protective packaging made of paper, which contains only a thin barrier layer of recyclable PE, sometimes also made from recycled material.

Vacuum packaging

Ground filter coffee is typically sold in vacuum packaging. After degassing, the ground beans are sealed in a foil tube. The air is mechanically removed, making the packaging rigid, space-saving, and minimizing contact with oxygen.

Foil packaging with protective gas

Here, the coffee beans are also sealed in a foil tube. The air is removed mechanically and replaced with a protective gas that does not react with the coffee. A valve is often omitted, as it is saved for cost reasons.

Packaging in cans

For the household, the Packaging in tins is particularly practical. The coffee is usually also sealed in a foil pouch. Tins offer a good storage option for beans or ground coffee.

It is important that the can is airtight and of an appropriate size: Cans that are too large either contain too much coffee, which stays in the can for too long, or too much air.

For the catering industry, there are containers that can be directly connected to a compatible coffee machine or grinder. These containers are vacuum-sealed or filled with protective gas and protect the beans from oxygen and moisture. They are often sold under the name "grinder attachment".

Packaging in capsules

Capsule coffee machines have become increasingly popular, especially in recent years. Many different capsule systems now exist, each packaging the coffee in its own unique way. Learn more about capsule coffee machines and their advantages and disadvantages here.