Design Ideas for Coffee Packaging

Roasters around the world are on the hunt for the perfect packaging design for their beans or grounds. It's an important factor, one that can sway consumers' buying habits and help convey your brand in the right light. Coffee plays a big role in people's lives. Whether it's the everyday coffee-lover or the connoisseur, packaging hits every audience a little differently. 

Whether you're looking to stand out on the shelves or you're looking for the right design to pop on social media — you'll need recognizable packaging for your coffee. 

In with the new, out with the old — gone are the days of coffee tins. So, what's next? Well, countless roasters and coffee makers have discovered the incredible benefits of utilizingflexible packaging for their coffee products. 

Why Flexible Packaging?

When you're looking for a packaging solution, there are a lot of different variables to consider. For example, is it easy to inventory? While it may be a neat idea to have your coffee packaging in the shape of a coffee bean, you're going to waste a lot of money by not taking full advantage of inventory space. 

Figuring out why flexible packaging may be a fit for your product really comes down to a few factors. Well, the product is coffee. Whether grounds or beans, the packaging needs to be reusable at the very least. Your customers need to be able to seal their product after pouring in order to preserve the freshness of their morning cup of joe. But what else? 

• Flexible packaging is high-quality and high-grade. Because it's dealing with food, you need materials that are FDA approved so that contaminants or moisture don't spoil your product before the consumer can enjoy it. Flexible packaging keeps your coffee fresh.
  
  
• You need a packaging solution that doesn't gut your wallet. One of the ways this can happen is with packaging that is too heavy or uses too many materials. Flexible packaging is extremely light, easy to inventory, and make controlling costs much more manageable.
  
  
• Last but not least, you need a customizable option so that you can design your packaging to fit your brand, vision, and product. Packaging pouches give creatives a ton of freedom when it comes down to creative liberties that can be taken with designs.
  
  

Traditional vs. Modern 

Let's start with the basics. The traditional coffee package has changed dramatically over the years, so what's considered classic today may be up for debate. However, there are two types of packaging that can certainly be considered traditional. The coffee tins and the brown bag are motifs that coffee companies just can't seem to get away from. There's nothing wrong with these styles by any means, but they aren't necessarily standing alone from the pack. 

The more modern take on coffee packaging is certainly taking hold — and it's giving designers a lot more freedom to elevate their creativity and explore new ways to make certain coffee stand out amongst its competition. This is where roasters can really go crazy with their designs. The brown paper bag really limits the colorways and design options, while resealable flexible packaging has nearly limitless potential for the modern look. 

Speaking of Colors 

Colors play such an important role in how customers react to your product on the shelves. It's all about psychology. No, really — hear us out. Colors affect human behavior and even intent, and marketers have known this for years — which is why so many designers spend hours choosing the right colorways for a brand. 

We're not saying that a certain color is going to force a customer into purchasing your product, but it certainly plays a role. Think of colors as a guiding force that gently nudges consumers toward your coffee. For example, red is an attention-grabbing color that really stands out on the shelves. You may be thinking: "Great; I'll go with red. Who doesn't want to stand out?" Well, while red is associated with passion and excitement and really pops, it's also correlated with danger and caution. 

These color choices make a huge impact on the way that customers see your products. Green feels natural, orange is creative, and purple gives off a noble vibe — every color means something. Colorways can play with consumer's minds in a wide variety of ways — which is why having a packaging solution that offers the entire range of colors is a must. 

Staying Consistent vs. Branching Out 

Here's another pickle many marketers and designers find themselves in when designing packaging for their products. Should you remain consistent with your packaging designs with very slight variations for different flavors and blends or ground beans vs. whole beans? The answer really depends on your brand and preference. 

We can't tell you what's necessarily right for your specific business, but we can discuss what the implications are. 

Staying consistent means that you keep the same packaging design and even perhaps the same colorway for every product. The only change could be with the color of the copy and the copy itself — which will inform the consumer on the type of coffee product they'll be buying. Now, some brands love this. It's simple, sleek, and gives your brand a lot of equity on the shelves. 

The alternative is that all of your flavors have a unique packaging design. Maybe your light blend has the sun, and your dark blend has the moon — you get the gist. Whatever it is, the entire package design and colorway will vary based on the type of product it's containing. 

Getting It Right the First Time 

Your packaging is important. For most coffee brands, it's the second most crucial part of the business. So, it's worth getting right the first time around so that you're not wasting valuable time and money failing over and over again. 

Where this really starts is by choosing your foundation. We firmly believe that flexible packaging pouches are the best way to house your coffee beans or grounds. They're resealable, easily customizable, high-quality, and the perfect canvas to create a timeless look for your product.