Packaging, it’s a wild one to navigate. We’re always driven by our purpose: Better Coffee For All, which is underpinned by the philosophy of continual improvement — doing things better than the time before. In 2021 we took a bold move to improve our packaging, introducing our now iconic paper-based bag. When creating our packaging, our aim was to reduce the use of plastic and, until recent changes in government regulation, to curbside recycle our empties.
Sadly with the recent changes to recycling regulations in New Zealand, our bags won’t be accepted in curbside recycling anymore and they’ll need to go in the bin. However, we’re still super pleased that our bags use significantly less plastic and are mostly made from much more sustainable paper.
Here at Supreme, we live by our quality and freshness promise to you. We put a tonne of time and effort into traveling the world sourcing high-quality, sustainably farmed green beans direct from farmers at origin. So having a bag that protects our coffee is a top priority. There’s no silver bullet. Until recycling technology and processing catches up, and innovation leads us out of plastic, the plastic liner is still a critical freshness barrier.
We’ll keep striving for better packaging and put the heat on packaging manufacturers to keep pushing the technology to develop more sustainable barriers. In the meantime, we’re investigating credible programmes that can offset our plastic consumption, and we’re inches away from achieving our B-Corp status, which we think is a great way for us to set our benchmark on a total sustainable view of how we operate for a better world.
We know that you might have a few questions, which we've hopefully covered below. If you’ve got more questions after reading this, we’d love to hear from you. You can either email us at info@coffeesupreme.com or message us on Instagram or Facebook.
What are the bags made of?
85% paper with a thin plastic lining that allows them to be sealed and food-safe.
Are they recyclable?
Sadly not any more.
Are they compostable?
They are not. As we’ve learnt throughout this (and our last packaging amendment) process, there is no silver bullet for packaging. Compostable bags have their issues too: most people don’t compost, there’s no public collection, and they’re not recyclable, so most end up in landfill. Additionally, they can start to break down in storage.
How should I store my coffee?
Once you've opened your fresh bag of Supreme, we encourage you to transfer it to an airtight container — just like you'd do with a packet of Tim Tams. A Coffee Supreme Tin, jar or Tupperware container will do the trick too. If you haven't got any of the above handy, our trusty Penco Clip over the top of the bag will also do a solid job. Just make sure you store your coffee in a cool, dry place.
