Recent Innovations Has Coffee Packaging Perking Up

Many would agree that coffee truly is “the best part of waking up”.

Earlier this month Folger’s announced their new Folgers Perfect Measures Coffee Tabs product. Each tablet is a compressed serving of one tablespoon of coffee, making it easier for consumers to brew their cup of joe with the correct amount of grounds to allow for consistent brewing from day to day. According to Kelton Global national survey, 74% of people say they need to start their day with a cup of coffee, but nearly 20% feel it’s difficult to accurately measure the right amount of coffee needed for brewing.

While the packaging for this innovative new product isn’t any different than the packaging for regular coffee beans, it does point out that the coffee industry has increasingly been introducing more innovation and interest to the store shelves in recent years. For years the classic metal coffee can or vacuum-sealed bag were the only ways that you purchased coffee beans from the store.

Now you can find coffee sold in a number of formats – from pre-brewed coffee in a single serve carton with a spout, to teabags, to easy-to-grip canisters, to the newly ubiquitous k-cup design.

Take a look at recent innovations we’ve seen when it comes to packaging in the coffee category:

  1. Starbucks VIA Instant Packets make brewing a single-cup on the go a piece of cake.
  2. Green Mountain Coffee led the way to the biggest and most popular change in the category with Keurig K-Cups.
  3. Dunkin’ Donuts Box O’ Joe is an easy way to bring hot coffee in bulk, no percolator or large dispenser needed.
  4. Coffee industry leaders Maxwell House and Folgers have both introduced easy-to-store square “canisters” with easy-to-hold large gripping areas.
  5. Due to the popularity of iced coffee, coffee can now be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store as well in large cardboard cartons and single-serve drinkable Tetra Pak cartons.
  6. Large gusseted pouches, such as this stand-up pouch by Dunkin’ Donuts, provide consumers with bulk ground packaging options that will reduce in size as they use the product.
  7. Folgers introduced this sleek, easy-to-hold shaped canister for their instant coffee crystals to differentiate from their regular bean product.
  8. Another single-serve option for those who want to take the guesswork out of measuring out beans – Folgers coffee bags.
  9. While we’ve seen a few brands introduce flavor shots for coffee in this on-the-go squeezable container, Maxwell House has come out with an iced coffee concentrate the consumer can add to water or milk.
  10. In Korea you can find a brewed can of Maxwell House in a soda-pop style can.