Conscience-free Canadian coffee

Canadian coffee drinkers can now enjoy their morning brew with a clear conscience. Pistol & Burnes, a Canadian coffee roasting company, has introduced a fully compostable pack for its Farmer First brand which incorporates cellulose-based NatureFlex from Innovia Films.

The Fair Trade organic coffee is packed in a paper bag laminated with transparent NatureFlex film. The film begins life as a natural product - wood - and breaks down in a home compost bin or industrial compost environment in a matter of weeks. It is also confirmed as suitable for emerging ‘waste-to-energy’ techniques such as anaerobic digestion.

Pistol & Burnes' Farmer First coffee in the fully compostable pack.

“Most roasted coffee sold in the world is packaged in either foil bags (coated in plastic) or paper bags (with a plastic liner),” said Roy M Hardy, President of Pistol & Burnes.

“These usually end up going straight to landfill as they can prove difficult to recycle. However, our enviro-friendly coffee bag can be organically recycled (composted), which means it breaks down in a home compost bin.”

NatureFlex films are certified to meet the American ASTM D6400, European EN13432 and Australian AS4736 standards for compostable packaging. The wood pulp is sourced from managed plantations. The renewable biobased content of NatureFlex films is typically 95% by weight of material according to ASTM D6866.

Genpak, a Canadian converter, developed the bags for Pistol & Burnes. “We recommended NatureFlex to Pistol & Burnes for several reasons,” said Billy Reilly, Technical Manager for Genpak.

“First and foremost, the film performs well technically, having high barrier properties and good seal integrity that enhance shelf life, keeping oxygen out and aroma in - very important for packaging coffee. Secondly, NatureFlex is perfectly aligned with the ethos of their Fair Trade, organic Farmer First brand.”

“Continued success with partners such as Genpak and Pistol & Burnes means that our NatureFlex films are well positioned to provide solutions to converters and brand owners, especially those seeking to meet consumer demand for packaging made from renewable resources,” said Joe Piccione, President of Innovia Films Americas.