The cold brew coffee market is growing rapidly and is expected to reach $7.14 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of 17.12%. (Mordor Intelligence, 2025) At the same time, cold brew coffee packaging is also undergoing innovation. Flexible packaging, including sachets, spout bags and stand up pouch with tap, and so on, are gradually entering the public eye. Compared with other traditional packaging, flexible packaging has its unique advantages:
1. Extend shelf life and lock in flavor
The flavour of cold brew coffee can be easily affected by oxygen and light. Flexible packaging uses materials with excellent barrier properties to maximise freshness. Multi-layer composite structures, such as PET, AL, PA and PE, effectively block oxygen, water and light. This prevents spoilage and retains volatile aromatic compounds, thus extending the product’s shelf life.
Packaging technology is always improving, such as the single-material vacuum packaging developed by Mondi and Paulig, which uses an EVOH coating to block light and moisture, preserving the integrity of cold brew coffee without an aluminum layer (Mondi, 2024).
2. Unparalleled portability: enjoy coffee anytime, anywhere
As noted in the National Coffee Data Trends report, 57% of American adults now consume specialty coffee weekly, and 72% prioritize grab-and-go options (NCDT, 2024).
Small sachets: These fit easily into pockets, so you can enjoy instant coffee at the office, while camping or at the gym.
Spout pouches: Designed with a spout — no brewing required; just twist open and enjoy!
Stand-up pouch with tap: Designed with a handle for easy portability and a valve for easy pouring, this large pouch is perfect for sharing with friends.
3. Sustainability
Flexible packaging uses less plastic than traditional packaging, such as bottles and cans. Flexible packaging’s low packaging-to-product ratio (5–10x lower than alternatives, per Flexible Europe) minimizes material waste.
It also saves space, reducing shipping costs and carbon emissions. Even when recycling rates are low, flexible packaging’s lightweight design reduces transportation emissions by 60% compared to glass (Pregis, 2024), making it a cornerstone of circular economy goals.
4. Design Versatility & Brand Differentiation
Design Versatility: Transparent designs showcase products, while colorful designs enhance brand appeal. More printing space allows for brand storytelling. Differentiate between flavors. Choose between matte and glossy finishes.
Brand Differentiation: Different brands have different design styles, including different logos, cartoon characters, color schemes, etc., to convey various brand values.
5. Cost Efficiency
Lower shipping costs: Small size, less space occupied, light weight, reducing transportation costs and storage costs. Startups report 30% lower logistics costs after switching to flexible formats (Half Price Packaging, 2024).
Less material: Flexible pouches cost 20–50% less to produce than rigid packaging (Colorful Packaging, 2025), with lower per-unit costs at scale.
High-speed filling: Compact pouch fillers switch between formats rapidly, slashing downtime.
As the market for cold brew expands, flexible packaging emerges as the optimal solution. It balances portability, freshness, environmental friendliness, design freedom and cost efficiency.
Ready to upgrade your cold brew packaging?