Breaking New Ground with Coffee Packaging Design

International Coffee Day, which falls on September 29, is a day for all coffee lovers to celebrate their preferred cup of brew whether it’s homemade or from their favorite café.

In addition to commemorating the proverbial cup of joe, International Coffee Day also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness for fair trade coffee. This movement engages in transparency and respect for international coffee trading markets by supporting sustainable coffee growing practices and safer labor conditions.

Crown continues to work with coffee roasters, such as La Colombe, to design innovative packaging solutions that extend the shelf life of coffee and bring new modes of retail-ready packaging to consumers. La Colombe, a member of the Fair Trade Organization, recently worked with Crown to develop the MiniVault can. As a pre-portioned single-use can, the MiniVault combines Crown’s 150ml (5.1-ounce) slim style beverage can with a custom 360 End® and is packed full of La Colombe’s premium Corsica coffee. The beverage can boosts convenience by containing exactly 1.3 ounces of ground coffee, perfect for brewing a single pot, while also extending shelf life up to 5 times.

The two companies also worked together to develop the InnoValve™ can for La Colombe’s Draft Latte, which won the 2017 World Beverage Award for Best Coffee at drinktec 2017. The 10-ounce sleek style can features a proprietary one-way valve in the bottom of the can that allows the gas to be injected into the drink when the consumer opens it. This innovation creates the textured foam that gives the Draft Latte its distinct taste and beverage experience. Now consumers everywhere can access La Colombe coffee, specifically those that may be unable to visit one of their cafés.

In addition to maintaining the taste and freshness of La Colombe's Corsica coffee, metal cans have unrivaled sustainability characteristics, making them increasingly popular as brand owners and consumers alike seek packaging that is both user-friendly and environmentally-friendly.