Making the case for reusable Coffee Pouches.
We’ve been on this journey for some time now, and we’ve talked to lots of people about what we make, what they use, and what we all wish existed.
There’s none more passionate than coffee lovers. From espresso ninjas, to aeropress junkies and pour-over punks Aotearoa has it covered. With passion come opinions, and with caffeinated opinions comes even more passion. There’s no exception when it comes to coffee packaging. There’s foil bags, metal tins, glass jars, laminated paper bags, recyclable plastic, commercially compostable bio plastic and now… zero waste reusable paper pouches.
So nearly always the first question we get asked is “Does it keep the coffee fresh?”. Closely followed by “Are they airtight?” To which we answer “Yeah, Nah”. After they re-gain consciousness, we’re able to explain that fresh and airtight aren’t mutually exclusive terms. It’s perfectly possible to have fresh coffee in a not-so-airtight container, and stale coffee in an airtight container.
How is that? I hear you ask.
Coffee essentially begins to age from the date it’s roasted. From that moment on the quality of the coffee able to be extracted, increases over a few days, peaks and then exponentially decreases. During this time the factors that contribute to protecting your coffee beans are keeping them in a cool, dry, dark and sealed environment. However, no amount of coolness, dryness, darkness or airtightness will prevent the beans from ageing. Don’t believe us? Talk to any roaster and they’ll tell you, the way to improve the quality of the coffee you drink at home is to buy freshly roasted coffee in small amounts more often. What you’d estimate to consume within one or two weeks.
So while our SammyBags seal well, they aren’t airtight. Just to recap, all packaging has strengths and weaknesses. So what might be airtight, isn’t necessarily sustainable and what might be convenient may not be reusable.
Ultimately, it’s about weighting the factors concerning coffee & packaging in a way you value. With this in mind, give some consideration to the advantages SammyBags Coffee Pouches offer, and what direction you’re heading in as an individual.
Advantages of SammyBags Reusable Coffee Pouches
- Our coffee pouches are designed with the KeepCup model in mind. Customers purchase, own and care for their bags. We have 250g, 500g or 1kg bags to choose from.
- They’re awesome for people who place a high value on zero waste and reusable options.
- They’re convenient because they fold down flat when empty, which is perfect for slipping into your pocket, bag or for cyclists when heading for a top-up back to the roastery.
- They’re well made, durable and long lasting. We’re so confident we’ll replace any defective pouch in the case of fasteners or stitching failing. Check out Our Guarantee here.
- They’re stylish and unique. The fabric will soften over time and age naturally.
- The more you use them, the more the roastery you support, saves on single-use packaging and the more waste is prevented from going to landfill.
- You’re supporting a small, local, independent business committed to creating products that help move habits towards environmentally friendly outcomes.
- We think they’re a genuine example of sustainable packaging.
If you’d like to share your thoughts regarding reusable coffee pouches please use the contact form here.
Ngā mihi,
David, Sammy & Pieta – The SammyBags Team.