Previously, the cost of bespoke printing may have deterred many roasters from creating limited edition coffee bags.
However, the evolution of digital printing technology has made it a far more affordable and sustainable option. For instance, the HP Indigo 25K Digital Press can print on recyclable and biodegradable materials such as kraft paper, rice paper, polylactic acid (PLA), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
This allows roasters who have invested in eco-friendly packaging material to create custom printed limited edition, seasonal, or short-run coffee bag designs.
Offering limited edition coffees is an effective way for roasters to gain mindshare and boost sales. Additionally, they allow roasters to explore new coffees and experiment with their usual branding, helping to re-energise their line of products.
Read on to learn more about the benefits of creating limited edition coffee bags.
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Why do roasters offer limited edition coffees?
Offering limited edition coffees can unlock enormous benefits for a business, primarily because most customers are excited by ‘new’ offerings.
As a result, specialty coffee roasters tend to offer limited edition coffees as a sales initiative. They are especially popular at peak holiday times, such as Christmas or Valentine’s Day.
Occasionally, roasters may release limited edition coffees with flavour profiles that complement a particular season. For instance, some roasteries offer exclusive ‘Winter’ blends.
By creating limited edition coffees, roasters can capture their customers’ attention and may encourage repeat sales as they have a finite availability. This means they usually retail for only a short period of time and at higher prices compared to the normal range.
For roasters, offering limited edition coffees allows them to test out new ideas and expand their product range with striking new packaging designs. This is essential considering how many other brands are jostling for the attention of consumers.
Additionally, social media marketing has shown an affinity to limited editions and new product crazes. For example, the “iced Biscoff latte” trend went viral on the video sharing platform, TikTok. Within hours of it surfacing online, it had garnered over 560,000 likes.
This clearly shows that when customers see a product that captures their attention, they will share it with others.
If roasters can achieve this kind of attention, their product may be shared and discussed by their target market organically. Even if this happens on a small scale, it can generate effective results.
As a result, the brand’s mind share and brand awareness increase, taking sales figures with them.
What to consider when designing limited edition coffee bags
The design of coffee packaging is not only key to enticing customers, but a primary way of communicating with customers.
Therefore, it needs to educate them about the coffee’s characteristics, as well as what makes it unique. The coffee bags can include tasting notes, the history behind the producing farm, and how the coffee embodies the brand’s values.
In order to do this, roasters will often partner with packaging experts to create a consistent brand voice across all their marketing channels.
While this is essential in building a successful brand and business, roasters may choose to change aspects of their limited edition coffee bags.
However, the key is to maintain consistency across the coffee packaging design. Roasts can do this by creating links between all the coffee bags, either through the consistent size and positioning of the logo, or by using the same illustrations, typography, and the type of packaging material.
By maintaining consistency across core elements, roasters can ensure their limited edition offerings align with their existing brand.
At the same time, roasters can ensure their limited edition coffee bags stand out by experimenting with colours. Furthermore, roasters can introduce new design elements that are inspired by the attributes of the coffee.
Alternatively, roasters may want to experiment with a new form of packaging material. For instance, unbleached kraft paper is not only sustainable, but a great match for vibrant pink, blue, and neon colours.
Choosing a packaging provider for limited edition coffees
It is not uncommon for roasters to assume that large, full-scale print jobs are the most cost-effective options, which is why many choose not to experiment with packaging design.
However, the recent evolution of printing technologies, such as digital printing, has made low minimum order quantities (MOQs) more affordable.
Low MOQs offer consumers more flexibility in their packaging, and enable printers to complete deliveries faster.
In particular, the advancements in digital printing are ideally suited to smaller print runs and low MOQ orders.
For instance, MTPak Coffee has recently invested in the HP Indigo 25K Digital Press. This technology provides small brands and micro roasters more design flexibility than before.
The HP Indigo digital printer does not require custom-built plates for each design. As a result, packaging designs can be changed quickly and affordably – all while reducing the associated environmental impact by as much as 80%.
By partnering with a packaging provider that has invested in this technology, roasters can print limited edition coffee bags at an affordable price. These can then be seamlessly integrated into a product range.
By offering limited edition coffees, roasters can be more responsive to customer trends, the changing seasons, and big events on the yearly calendar. All without risking enormous costs or straying from their brand identity.
Limited edition coffees are an effective way for specialty coffee roasters to breathe life into their brand and put their products at the forefront of consumers’ minds. They offer a unique opportunity to design eye-catching packaging that not only reflects the quality of the coffee but also encourages renewed interest in the product.
Whether offering limited edition coffee or redesigning your regular line of products, MTPak Coffee has a range of sustainable coffee packaging for specialty roasters. Our fully customisable coffee pouches can be designed in any way you want, while we have a selection of components that will help preserve your coffee’s freshness.
Our range of low minimum order quantity (MOQ) bags are ideal for limited edition coffees. Specialty roasters can print their unique branding on bags with an MOQ of just 500 units, providing the perfect option for micro lot coffee and seasonal blends.
Additionally, we can provide roasters with FSC-certified brown and white kraft paper packaging, complete with eco-friendly liners for added barrier protection.
