“My pouch gives customers the brand experience I want to portray”
A good cup of coffee relaxes and connects. And its packaging? It tells the story behind your brand – if you do it right. Patrick Bosman, owner of new coffee brand Dé Koffiekoopman, knocked on the Pouch Factory’s door. In this article he explains why.
Dé Koffiekoopman is a Zwolle-based coffee supplier. “We supply fresh, slow roast premium coffee,” Patrick explains. “You can also come to us for chocolate truffles from Italy, cocoa powder, coffee machines with accompanying maintenance products, tea, toppings and more – everything for a complete coffee experience.” Dé Koffiekoopman was born out of Patrik’s passion for coffee and Italian coffee culture. “I want to convey that experience to both business customers and consumers with Dé Koffiekoopman. How does the brand identity come out best on the packaging?”
Patrick approached several companies for his new packaging. “With many suppliers, production takes place in China – not so sustainable. In addition, they often work with huge print runs. That is inconvenient for my new coffee brand: with a small change in design, I would first have to sell 10,000 to 100,000 pieces.” Things are different at the Pouch Factory: pouches are produced in Europe and can be ordered starting from small runs. “Moreover, during my visit to the showroom, I immediately saw the many possibilities for my brand,” Patrick says. “My contact person, Rob, was very committed and, like me, focused on a long-term, sustainable cooperation.”
Premium coffee deserves premium packaging, Patrick believes. “Besides, coffee really is an experience – customers should also feel that when packaging my beans.” Patrick knew exactly what he was looking for. “What sometimes happens is that packaging tears during transport. Or that they are not resealable properly, so you have to use an elastic band. In addition, I wanted to prevent the beans from shooting in all directions while filling the container and the quality of the coffee from being lost.” Those desires translated into a pouch that is sturdy, resistant to UV light, moisture and oxygen – as well as practical to use. “We also provided the pouch with a notch for easy opening and added an aroma valve,” Patrick says. “After roasting, the coffee beans actually emit CO2. Thanks to the aroma valve, this CO2 can escape naturally, allowing the coffee to retain its optimal taste. Moreover, consumers can smell the coffee without opening the bag.” The pouch is made of only one material: mono-PP. “This makes the pouch optimally recyclable, I didn’t know this was possible,” Patrick says. “I’m really happy about that: my target group finds sustainability important and wants to invest in it.”
And what about the design? “That’s where Pouchfabriek really guided me well,” Patrick explains. “I had a specific color in mind: cobalt blue. Rob showed me different shades and really took the time to think with me. I also got digital packshots to present my coffee attractively on the website. The pouch has a matte finish that looks slightly different in every light – really beautiful.” And customers also share this opinion, Patrick says: “They spontaneously respond with ‘What beautiful, luxurious packaging!‘ Exactly what my brand wants to radiate: premium beans for an exclusive coffee experience.” In addition to packaging that fits his brand, Patrick sees that his product is distinctive. “In the coffee industry you often see standard stand-up pouches; my pouch immediately stands out.”
Proudly, Patrick holds up his premium pouch. “It really exceeded my expectations,” he says. “When I saw the final product, I was even emotional – I was so proud. It’s still exciting: you don’t know in advance exactly what the packaging is going to look like. Fortunately it more than worked out, Rob helped me in all areas. I hope to work with the Pouch Factory for many years to come.”
