How much cold coffee can a bag-in-box hold?
Bag-in-box packaging solutions are flexible, lightweight, and convenient for packaging various types of beverages. The wine industry, for example, has been leveraging the benefits of bag-in-box formats since the 1960s.
The basic concept, an internal bladder housed in a protective cardboard box, has remained largely unchanged, but the materials used for both elements have improved greatly. Today, coffee businesses can choose bag-in-box packaging not only for its convenience but also as a highly sustainable and hygienic cold brew delivery method.
Bag-in-box packaging solutions are also highly customisable. In an increasingly competitive beverage market, leveraging the large, square sides for eye-catching aesthetics, brand storytelling, and sustainability credentials can do wonders for retail performance. Moreover, they come in multiple sizes, helping companies stratify their offerings and provide cold brew solutions for different requirements, from small personal volumes to larger, event-friendly formats.
We spoke to Arno Holschuh, CEO of Ground Control, to learn more about cold brew development and the market’s future.
How is cold brew made?
Brewed according to the traditional method, cold brew coffee is a simple product to make. Ground coffee is steeped in cold water for an extended period – about 18-24 hours – before it is filtered through filter paper or fabric. Depending on the ratio of water to coffee used, this typically produces a cold brew concentrate, which is then further diluted with added water.
In recent years, more efficient cold brew coffee makers have emerged. The Ground Control system is one such example.
“The Ground Control SM makes cold brew using a multi-stage extraction process,” says Arno.
“In the case of cold brew, the device adds water to the coffee grounds; this water and the coffee are mixed into a homogeneous slurry by an agitator, and then the resulting extraction is pulled off the coffee bed by a vacuum.
“The key thing is that we can start an extraction of every coffee granule with the agitator at the same time. The control of the extraction allows us to break the whole process up into multiple mini-extractions where each batch of cold brew is the result of multiple doses of fresh water.”
Modern commercial cold-brew coffee makers speed up cold brewing by increasing the rate at which water interacts with the coffee. In the traditional method, both ingredients are unmoving, necessitating a longer brewing time. Adding an element of recirculation or agitation dramatically cuts the time required – the Ground Control system can brew 3 litres in just 8 minutes.
Despite cold brew’s rapidly increasing popularity, the traditional brewing method still poses operational challenges for operators. A product that takes over 18 hours to prepare is not conducive to fast, efficient workflows. Ground Control and other systems like it help make cold brew easier to sell.
How cold brew trends are developing, and why
“Cold brew and cold coffee generally are clearly in the ascendency,” Arno says.
“I remember being at Blue Bottle in the early days when we realised that many customers preferred our New Orleans iced coffee to our lovingly-made cappuccinos. Then Stumptown figured out some key things about RTD canned beverages, and then La Colombe brought out the draught latte. Now, the incoming generation of coffee drinkers is captured. I live by a big university, and these days, it is highly unusual to see a student leave a café with a hot coffee.”
As Arno points out, cold brew is already widely established as a popular alternative to traditional coffee beverages. Since its inception in the early 2010s, leading specialty players have already brought new product innovation to the market to keep up with rapidly changing consumer trends and demands.
Bag-in-box cold brew, much like Stumptown’s RTD cans and bottles and La Colombe’s nitro coffees, is yet another natural packaging format evolution that helps coffee businesses appeal to an increasingly diverse audience.
Asked about the real push behind cold brew popularity, Arno says, “I think people drink cold brew because they like the way it tastes.”
“There is plenty of food science out there to tell you why this might be, but at the end of the day, a well-prepared cold brew is just immensely satisfying. Cold brew also makes an excellent base for all sorts of sweetened drinks. I don’t think the product needs to be cast about for reasons to exist anymore. Our customers love it, and that’s reason enough.
Bag-in-box cold brew solutions
As Arno recounts, cold brew packaging has been a nexus of innovation for over fifteen years. The earliest iterations focused on convenient, single-serve formats like glass bottles, aluminium cans, and cartons.
Bag-in-box cold brew goes a step further, targeting consumers looking for convenient, ready-to-drink coffee that is better suited for multiple servings, be it from their own refrigerators or for office spaces and social events.
Bag-in-box packaging comes in various sizes. The smaller 1.5-litre or 3-litre options house five to fifteen 200 ml cold brew servings. Such options are well-suited for personal consumption over several sittings. They are ideal for homes where a shopper can replace their daily hot coffee ritual with a simple pour from a bag-in-box cold brew that sits easily in a refrigerator.
Larger 10-litre or 20-litre versions dispense 50 or 100 servings, respectively. In these sizes, bag-in-box cold brew offers a convenient office coffee solution or event beverage catering option. Instead of purchasing multiple crates of single-serve cold brew aluminium cans or glass bottles, one bag-in-box product delivers the same, if not higher, quality cold brew in a far more sustainable manner.
Bag-in-box packaging is highly environmentally friendly. Thanks to its square structure, it packs neatly and efficiently, reducing the carbon footprint associated with transporting and storing it. Once consumed, the user needs to simply separate the compostable outer corrugated cardboard box and the internal, biodegradable, aseptic LDPE or PLA plastic bag and recycle them.
By adding bag-in-box cold brew to their product portfolio, coffee businesses not only offer their consumers highly-prized biodegradable packaging but also benefit from increased customisation options.
Bag-in-box packaging is almost totally customisable, and companies can leverage the larger product real estate with eye-catching aesthetics and brand messaging to better stand out on shelves and compete in the retail setting.
At Cold Brew Pak, we offer a wide range of bag-in-box packaging choices, all of which are completely biodegradable and come with a wide range of customisation options. Every product we offer, from small 1.5-litre boxes to the largest 20-litre formats, is safe, aseptic, environmentally friendly, and ready for complete personalisation.
To source your own line of bag-in-box cold brew, visit our website or contact us directly.
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Bag-in-box
Photos provided by Waiākea
