How to Make Perfect Coffee Bag Labels: Your FAQs Answered
Since 1950, the National Coffee Association has periodically released trend reports covering how Americans enjoy their coffee.
Last year, they found the growth of single cup brewers leveled off, while drip brewing remains the most popular method for making homemade coffee. Americans are still more likely to brew coffee at home than they were before the pandemic, and they’re increasingly consuming flavored coffees. For coffee businesses, this means it’s a great time to start selling bagged ground and whole coffee beans.
Applying label materials on flexible coffee packaging can be challenging. Small companies also need to manage printing costs of custom design coffee bag labels along with quick turnaround times. Slowing down production time means slowing down profits.
So how do you get labels on a bag of coffee? And more importantly – how do you make sure your product labels stick? With the right label materials and systems – and the right information, of course – it is possible. Easy, even!
How Does My Container Choice Affect the Application of Coffee Bag Labels?
The custom shape and size of your label design mostly depends on your choice of bag structure and material.
Common Coffee Bag Structures
There are 5 designs that dominate the market, each with its own unique labeling challenges.
-
- Side-gusseted: These resemble a classic paper lunch bag, and usually have an integrated tie to seal the bag once it’s opened. These bags are tall, making them suited to long rectangular label sizes. The lack of internal structure allows the bag to flex, which requires extra care to prevent label wrinkling.
- Square-bottomed: Reinforcements in the bottom of the bag give it a uniform shape. This makes it easier to get consistent label application on filled bags.
- Aluminum foil: These are the most common bags used for sale in grocery stores. Since foil doesn’t breathe like paper, these bags have a small gasket that lets the coffee off-gas. This reduces the available surface area for labeling. Foil bags are available in a wide range of colors that can be integrated into your label design. They have less structure than paper bags, making them most difficult to label.
- Poly-side gusseted: These bags are either pure plastic, or plastic with an outer layer of paper. Their strength makes them the standard choice for large bags used to supply coffee shops, restaurants and business coffee services. Some bags include an integrated seal and a tear-away top, adding some structure to the top of the bag.
- Stand up pouches: A gusseted bottom lets these plastic bags stand on their own, and they come with an integrated seal. These bags are available in a wide range of colors and patterns, as well as 100% clear and clear window options. These bags take on a flattened cone shape when filled, which makes it difficult to apply a pressure sensitive label. It’s easier to label these bags before filling.
Common Coffee Bag Materials
Vinyl is the most flexible label stock available, making it a good choice for all bags. However, paper usually works fine for structured bags. A waterproof top coat is enough to protect labels from the occasional splash from coffee or water. Problems with wrinkling can be decreased by reducing the size of the label. Using contrasting colors, whether you’re using paper, plastic or foil bags, helps small labels stand out on the shelf.
What Labeling Machine Works Best for Coffee Bag Labels?
Print-and-apply machines are the best choice for flexibility. These labelers let small companies use a coffee label template for all of their products.
This print can include the company name, weight, and contact information. From there, the print engine adds product-specific information, including the name of the blend or roast, along with tasting notes, a UPC and an ingredient list. While print engines produce crisp, high-quality prints, they only print in black and white.
On-site label printing is also useful for adding best by dates, lot numbers and QR codes. Print formatting is handled by the labeler’s PLC, which has built-in support for bar codes and fonts. It can act independently, or connect to your operating technology system to gather unique data for each label.
Air blow and tamp blow applicators are the best choice for uneven surfaces, like the side of a coffee bag. Once the label is in position over the bag, a blast of air pushes the label on, helping it conform to the surface.
Our 3600ST Servo Tamp applicator offers a tamp blow as an option. Together, this applicator and print engine setup can accommodate a wide range of products and custom sizes, so you can use one machine for everything from samples to commercial bags.
What Information Do I Need to Include on My Custom Coffee Labels?
Last – let’s handle what needs to go on your custom order labels.
Like most products, regulations divide required information between the Principal Display Panel (PDP) on the front of the container and the Information Panel (IP) printed to the right of the PDP. Regulations allow the PDP to be printed on the back of the container, if the right side isn’t available, as is the case on most coffee bags.
The PDP must include the brand name, common name and net weight. The term “artificially flavored” must be included in the common name if artificial labels are used. The common name should also include general descriptors like “decaf,” “ground” and “whole bean,” even though there isn’t clear legal guidance on these terms. The weight must be listed in both customary and metric units. It’s up to the manufacturer to decide which unit is listed first.
The IP must include an ingredient list, written in order from heaviest to lightest, and contact information for the distributor or producer of the product. Water used to remove caffeine using the Swiss water process isn’t an ingredient, since it isn’t in the final product.
Specifics on beverage label regulations are covered by Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 Volume 2, with most requirements included in Subpart A.
How Can Certifications Be Included in a Coffee Label Design?
USDA organic products can claim “100% organic” on pure coffee products and “Organic” on products with up to 5% non-organic ingredients. Products with at least 70% organic coffee can use the claim “made with organic coffee.”
Fair Trade America allows use of their logo on products that source from certified suppliers. Other groups, like Rainforest Alliance, require sellers to certify before using their logos. These logos cannot be more prominent than the USDA organic logo.
While factors like terroir, climate and elevation have a big impact on the flavor of coffee, appellation isn’t tightly regulated in this industry like it is with wine. That may soon change. Hawaii is leading the battle, as regulations are being finalized on what can be called “locally grown.” Under current laws, Kona blends can contain as little as 10% grounds from this island. If this bill passes, the minimum would increase to 51%. Similar laws have been proposed across the globe. Terms like “100%” and “estate grown” are allowed, as long as they’re accurate. This helps consumers identify coffees sourced solely from specific regions.
Get a Labeling Solution That Works with Your Coffee Bag Labels
The different bag options and materials can call for different labeling solutions. Combine that with making sure you’ve got all the legal information you need on your coffee bag label and it can be a headache.
We here at CTM can help – at least with finding the right label applicator. If you’re still not sure what labeling method is right for you, contact CTM Labeling Systems. We’ll put in touch with your local distributor. They’ll work with you to set up a labeling solution that delivers accurate label placement while keeping pace with your production system.
