Are cold brew coffee cans sustainable?
Cold brew coffee cans are a popular choice among coffee companies seeking to capitalise on the exponential growth in convenient, ready-to-drink coffee formats – but are they sustainable?
Sustainability is top-of-mind for the coffee industry, and its consumers alike, and modern businesses need to clearly signal to modern shoppers that they appreciate the importance of an environmentally friendly approach across their entire operation. Sustainable packaging is a great way to make a sound first impression.
Aluminium is one of the best materials for packaging due to its infinite recyclability – it can be melted down and reformed without degrading its quality. Recycling aluminium uses 95% less energy than producing new aluminium from raw materials, significantly reducing packaging’s carbon footprint. Cans made with a high proportion of recycled aluminium are exceptionally eco-friendly.
We spoke to John Cantu, head of marketing at Press Coffee in Phoenix, Arizona, to learn more about choosing cold-brew coffee cans for RTD coffee products.
Why is aluminium a sustainable option for cold brew coffee cans?
Cold brew coffee is growing at a rapid clip, expected to continue at 22.67% CAGR through to 2032. As a result, brands like Press are betting on success in the segment.
“All of our cold brew products have increased in popularity over the last couple of years, and we are betting on the trend to continue,” says Jason.
“Because of the demand, we will be expanding our canned cold brew offering to include single origins and special releases. Cans allow us to keep the price point down and the convenience high for our customers. They also allow for larger branding impact on the shelf.”
When manufacturing and retailing cold brew coffee, aluminium cans are a popular choice in the coffee industry. In a practical sense, they are robust, pack neatly and efficiently, and offer extended shelf life – all qualities that appeal to the demanding requirements of FMCG retailers like supermarkets and convenience stores.
From an environmental friendliness perspective, aluminium cans also tick a lot of boxes.
Aluminium cans have one of the highest recycling rates among similar packaging types. 43% of consumers recycle their aluminium beverage cans, and in the industrial setting, this figure grows to 57%. In comparison, glass bottles are recycled by 39.6% of consumers, and PET plastic bottles are recycled by just 20%.
The closed-loop recycling rate for aluminium is north of 95%, compared to between 30% and 60% for glass and 34% for plastic. Closed-loop recycling refers to a process in which the original package or container is likely to be recycled again into the same form.
Recycled plastic bottles are often used to manufacture other items, like t-shirts or polyester fibre, and glass bottles are crushed to produce soda ash or sand. Almost every aluminium can is recycled to become new aluminium cans. This means that the average aluminium can has 71% recycled content, vs 23% for glass bottles and less than 10% for plastic.
Closed-loop recycling creates the potential for a continuous supply of recycled resources and is thus seen as an optimal form of recycling. Instead of relying on significant amounts of virgin material to be made, aluminium cans are almost entirely self-sufficient.
Businesses retailing cold brew coffee cans can incorporate these features into their corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives and messaging. Offering clear and proper guidance to consumers on how to recycle their cold brew coffee cans properly via kerbside programs helps them live more sustainably and endears the brand to their aspirations.
As sustainability becomes more important among younger coffee consumers, aluminium cold brew coffee cans are a win-win: They are more appealing, highly customizable, and infinitely recyclable.
Additional factors to consider when choosing sustainable cold brew coffee cans
As mentioned, aluminium cold brew coffee cans hold consumer appeal beyond their sustainability credentials. On the manufacturing and transportation side, they offer security, resilience, and performance.
On the consumer side, they are highly customisable and well-suited to appeal to modern preferences.
“Our cold brew can design mirrors the clean aesthetic of our coffee bags, which incorporates a similar minimalist pattern. Using only two ingredients – coffee and water – we can keep the messaging clean and clear,” says Jason.
Aluminium cans offer a 360-degree canvas on which to tell a compelling brand story and grab attention through attractive designs and aesthetics. Plus, their sleek, compact size is perfect for busy lifestyles.
When sourcing your new cold-brew coffee cans, the most sustainable options are those with laser engraving, not plastic adhesive stickers.
Laser engraving is a new technique for customising aluminium cans that use high-intensity lasers to etch designs directly onto a surface. For cold brew coffee cans, this permanently prints the designs onto the can, replacing the need for traditional labels. Without plastic or paper labels, the recycling process for aluminium cans is more straightforward.
Indeed, the production of traditional labels requires paper, plastic, ink, and adhesives, which must be removed from the aluminium can before being appropriately recycled. Residue can lead to contamination and reduce the quality and efficiency of the recycled materials and recycling process.
Moreover, manufacturing such labels is resource-intensive, requiring large amounts of water, energy, and chemicals. Plastic-based labels – the most durable – only add to the growing plastic pollution problem, often ending up in landfills or flying about as litter. (Max Owen from Video Jet explains the benefit of adopting sustainable labelling practices here.)
Laser engraving offers a sleeker, cleaner finish and just as much customisation as traditional labels without the sustainability concerns of plastic, paper, and adhesives. When sourcing your own cold brew coffee cans, seek a partner that offers comprehensive laser engraving services to minimise your company’s environmental footprint further.
At Cold Brew Pak, we offer immensely customisable cold coffee packaging for the specialty coffee sector. Our aluminium cans provide a 360-degree, fully customisable canvas for you to tell your brand story, add design and aesthetic variation, and better grab customer attention.
To source your own line of custom cold coffee cans for cold brew coffee, visit our website or get in touch with our team directly. Cold Brew Pak is committed to providing certified-recyclable cold brew packaging solutions to the specialty coffee sector.
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