Coffee is important. A hot coffee is how millions of people start the day, and it's the second most traded commodity in the world (after crude oil). In the UK it has overtaken tea as the most popular hot drink, and every high street is dotted with independent roasters and multi-national coffee shops. So coffee matters a lot to a lot of people!
It's a valuable commodity, so it's important to preserve those unique flavours and aromas by storing it correctly. So what's the best way to store coffee? And what are the biggest risks to our daily caffeine hit?
Choosing the right storage containers for coffee
Coffee is all about taste and aroma, so the first priority of any packaging is protection. The best coffee storage containers will protect the contents from the four enemies of flavour;
- Light
- Moisture
- Air
- Heat
Light
The ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause coffee molecules to degrade, and lose moisture, which impacts aroma and flavour. Opaque containers protect coffee from sunlight damage. Black plastic tubs, metal containers or foil pouches, are all good options for storing coffee because they are light-proof.
Moisture
Dried goods and water don’t mix. Moisture can quickly affect the quality of the coffee. Damp coffee loses flavour, clumps, turns stale and can grow mould. The best coffee containers are waterproof and water-tight. This ensures the coffee beans or ground coffee stays dry.
Air
Exposure to air affects the quality of coffee in multiple ways. Firstly it loses aroma and flavour. Secondly, the oil in roasted beans can oxidise, turning the coffee rancid. And thirdly the beans tend to dry out when exposed to air, which can affect the coffee grind as well as the taste intensity. Vacuum-packs and air-tight closures are essential for keeping the good stuff in and the bad stuff out!
Food Grade
It's important that any container used for coffee is certified food grade. And it makes sense to choose BPA-free plastics that won't leach chemicals that would affect the quality of the product.
What are the ideal storage conditions for coffee?
The coffee container offers the first line of protection. The conditions that the container is stored in are the second. Coffee will last longer if it’s stored in the right conditions, for coffee that means somewhere; cool, dry and dark.
The primary packaging can keep air, water and light out, but the right storage temperature is also important.
Temperature
The ideal temperature for storing coffee is room temperature, approximately 20°C to 25°C. If coffee beans are exposed to heat before brewing they will lose their flavour.
Coffee degrades faster if stored in conditions hotter than 25°C. According to one study, the loss of aroma doubles with every 10° increase in temperature.
At a molecular level excess heat destroys enzymes such as catalase, pectinase and peroxidase. At a coffee cup level it means the coffee won’t taste as good!
The benefits of using black plastic tubs for coffee
Our black plastic tubs are BPA-free and food grade making them ideal for storing ground coffee and coffee beans. They're airtight, watertight and lightproof, so they'll protect your coffee from air, water and light damage.
Plastic buckets are an excellent practical choice too. They are lightweight, shatterproof and more economical than metal containers.
Black buckets are available in large sizes so coffee goods can be stored in bulk, and tamper-evident closures keep the contents safe and secure until needed.
You can order your coffee tubs directly from our website, or get in touch with the team if you need storage advice or you'd like to find out about printed options.