Considering the structural design of your custom cold brew coffee packaging
Cold-brew coffee continues to grow rapidly. From its comparatively recent beginnings in the early 2010s, it has already grown to a $3.1 billion global market and is expected to exceed $16 billion by 2032.
Custom cold brew coffee packaging is a key tool that coffee businesses can leverage to grab a share of this developing space. Modern shoppers respond well to elegant brand aesthetics, compelling storytelling, and explicit use of sustainable packaging materials.
Cold-brew coffee is highly dynamic and can be packaged in multiple different ways, depending on the manufacturer’s goals, the consumer’s need state, and the beverage’s performance.
Custom cold brew coffee cans, flexible pouches, and bag-in-box packaging are all examples of innovative, environmentally friendly and highly customisable options.
Why are so many businesses investing cold brew development?
As mentioned, cold brew is a keenly developing segment of the global coffee market. With a forecasted 22.67% CAGR over the next five years, its performance is outstripping that of other cornerstone coffee trends like specialty coffee, non-dairy plant-based milk alternatives, and espresso capsules.
Part of the allure of cold brew coffee is its alignment with the increasing consumer preference for cold coffee options. The shift is so significant that even the largest multinational coffee shop chains are reporting clear data supporting the pivot to cold options, providing a reassuring sign of the market’s demand.
In 2024, CNBC reported that spending on cold coffee – iced coffee, cold brew, and frozen coffee beverages – represents 20% of the $88 billion out-of-home coffee market in the United States. Starbucks, Dunkin’ and Dutch Bros have all indicated that they now sell more cold drinks than hot ones.
The same report explained that younger shoppers are driving the change. Unlike older generations, who express less desire for variety, Gen Zers and Millenials want options, something that cold coffee beverages offer in spades.
It’s not just the largest businesses seeing this shift. In a recent press release from cold brew specialist Chameleon Cold Brewers, Andy Fathollahi, CEO of SYSTM Foods – Chameleon’s parent company – said, “We recognised the growing demand for variety and ease of convenience in the RTD coffee segment without compromising on quality or flavour.”
“Our new canned cold brew line provides our loyal customers with another delicious, no-prep option to enjoy their daily coffee ritual on the go, at any time.”
The release goes on to note how Chameleon’s new products tap into key trends: “Handcrafted with 100% organic beans, Chameleon’s new ready-to-enjoy canned cold brew line features four distinct flavours, with sweetened and unsweetened options. Each delivers unparalleled convenience by offering sustainably sourced coffee in a shelf-stable format, providing optionality for retailers and consumers alike.”
By producing convenient, high-quality and ethically sourced cold brew RTDs, Chameleon offers multi-trend compatibility. Their new products are cold and convenient, use organic beans, and come in a variety of flavour types.
Chameleon’s example is one being echoed across the modern coffee industry, and producing excellent results.
What are the best options for custom cold brew coffee packaging?
For supermarkets, convenience, or direct-to-consumer retail, there are multiple cold brew packaging options active in the market. Brands are spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing custom cold-brew coffee packaging, and many choose different packaging formats to stratify their portfolios, like Chameleon:
“The upcoming line complements Chameleon’s existing portfolio of award-winning products, including a variety of organic ready-to-drink 10 oz. cold brews and 32 oz. multi-serve concentrate cold brews, each handcrafted to match every mood.”
For their ready-to-drink products, Chameleon uses aluminium cans for custom cold brew coffee packaging. Aluminium cans are a popular choice for good reason. They are 100% recyclable, convenient and portable, come in a range of size options and offer a complete protective barrier against light and oxygen, both of which can cause cold brew to degrade over time.
Moreover, thanks to modern laser etching technology, aluminium cans are almost completely customisable, and they are a 360-degree billboard for brands to capture consumer attention on increasingly competitive and busy shop shelves.
Chameleon also offers products in glass bottles, another common method for custom cold brew coffee packaging. Compared to aluminium, however, glass is heavier, which increases the transport carbon footprint, and it is less customisable.
A newer custom cold brew packaging option catching on is the bag-in-box flexible solution. Chameleon offers a 1-gallon bag-in-box cold brew concentrate for multi-serve consumer needs and easy dispensing.
Bag-in-box packaging holds several key advantages over other larger custom cold brew coffee packaging options. Firstly, the entire unit is recyclable. Comprised of an outer kraft paper and corrugated cardboard box and an internal aseptic, plant-based plastic bag inner, the end-user needs only separate the two elements after use and recycle them separately for comprehensive processing.
Bag-in-box packaging solutions are also more efficient to transport. They are lighter than glass bottles of similar size and pack more easily and orderly thanks to their square shape. This saves space both in the logistics and storage settings.
Thanks to their large square sides and cardboard materials, bag-in-box packaging is highly customisable. Just like aluminium cans, brands can leverage the extra product of real estate to get key company stories, designs, and aesthetics into the consumer’s eye line and convert more customers.
At Cold Brew Pak, we offer custom cold brew coffee packaging for coffee businesses looking to improve their product design, source more sustainable options, and stratify their offering to capitalise further on cold brew trends.
For smaller format solutions, fully customisable and recyclable aluminium cans are a great option, alongside 187 ml or 375 ml flexible cold brew coffee pouches.
For larger needs, like social gatherings, office coffee solutions, or multiple servings at home, bag-in-box cold brew is the most sustainable, environmentally friendly and customisable choice.
Visit our website or contact us directly to get started on designing your own custom cold brew coffee packaging solution.
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Custom cold brew coffee packaging
Images provided by Chameleon Cold Brew
