The packaging waste management minefield with Micah Sherer

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Coffee Knowledge Hub

Andrew Tolley

29 episodes

2 weeks ago

Do you work in the coffee industry or want to work in the coffee industry? This podcast is about the business of coffee, for people who want to improve their coffee businesses, start a coffee business, or be better at their jobs. Learn from industry leaders and experts from across the globe. Learn from the mistakes many have made before. Hosted by Andrew Tolley and Tibor Varady, whose experiences traverse cafe startup, management, training, retail, roasting, and leading diverse teams. We have a combined industry experience of over 30 years. We have been successful competitors, we are both past Chairs of the Barista Guild of Europe (as it was then). We are excited to help you navigate the dynamic world of coffee businesses.

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The packaging waste management minefield with Micah Sherer

Coffee Knowledge Hub

48 minutes 24 seconds

6 months ago

The packaging waste management minefield with Micah Sherer

Roasted coffee packaging options are a minefield of misinformation, imperfect solutions and over-engineering. Our guest in this episode is Micah Sherer, co-founder of Skylark Coffee in Brighton UK. Micah spent 2 years researching and looking for the best solution available for Skylark, with one clear objective - remove plastic from the packaging.

Micah discusses the purpose of packaging, the full life-cycle of different packaging types - foil lined, 'recylable' LDPE type 4, compostible and paper. He describes the solution that Skylark is now using (14 micron layer of Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), or PVAL on paper) and its pros and cons. Micah is not selling this solution and his honesty in describing its pros and cons is refreshing.

There is a lot to learn from this episode for roasters, cafe operators and really anyone who takes the waste management of the coffee they are buying into consideration when buying coffee.

If you're interested in finding better packaging solutions for the specialty coffee industry, let us know via the poll below.

The conversation emphasizes the need for transparency and consumer awareness in the coffee industry regarding packaging choices and sustainability efforts.takeaways

Packaging is crucial for transporting coffee and communicating brand values.
Freshness in coffee is affected by packaging materials and methods.
Plastic is prevalent in coffee packaging, but alternatives are being explored.
Sustainability in coffee packaging involves trade-offs and challenges.
Consumer perception plays a significant role in packaging choices.
Innovative packaging solutions can reduce environmental impact.
Education on recycling and composting is essential for consumers.
The coffee industry must address the issue of waste management.
Transparency in packaging claims is necessary to combat greenwashing.
Sustainable practices can enhance customer loyalty and brand reputation.

Links:

Micah's blog on why they switched to the new packaging

Our previous interview on sustainability reporting