Coffee is a delicate product: roasted beans release CO2 for days, their aroma is lost to oxygen, and the beans break if dropped from too great a height. The general coffee packaging machine-The guide covers the entire field; this page focuses on the vertical line — the vertical form, fill, and seal machine with the correct dosing and film setup.
Doser: whole beans vs. ground coffee
Beans ask a multi-head weigher with 10 to 14 heads, low drop heights, and soft hoppers. Every broken bean is visible and detracts from the experience; proper calibration keeps dosing accuracy within ±0.5 g.
Ground coffee Do you use volumetric dosing or a screw feeder? The powder has poor flow and tends to compact. For doses between 100 g and 500 g, a screw feeder operates at a rate of 30 to 50 bags per minute at approximately ±1%. The same principle applies to instant coffee—see the instant coffee packaging machine.
Film and degassing valve
Coffee packaging film combines an oxygen barrier (metal layer or EVOH) with a thickness of 80 to 120 µm. The degassing valve in the seal is standard: CO2 escapes, but oxygen does not enter. Without a valve, a 1-kg bag will swell into a cushion within a few days, causing it to tear in the shipping box.
Formats and Speed
Retail sizes are 250 g, 500 g, and 1 kg. Foodservice sizes ranging from 2 to 5 kg run more slowly but smoothly on the same mold shoulder family.
| Coffee Type | Dosing device | Accuracy | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beans | multi-head weigher, 10 to 14 heads | ±0.5 g | 60 to 80 bags per minute |
| Ground | volumetric or screw feeder | ±1% | 30 to 50 bags per minute |
| Instant coffee | screw feeder | ±1% | 30 to 50 bags per minute |
When the VFFS Isn't the First Choice
Single-origin brands with premium packaging and slow sales volumes are more likely to choose a preformed bag with a valve; a comparison of the two options can be found in preformed bags or VFFS. If you handle large volumes for supermarkets, the vertical line comes out ahead in terms of film costs per bag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a single VFFS handle both whole beans and ground coffee?
Yes, with a removable dosing unit: the weigher and the screw are interchangeable as a module. Expect a changeover time of half an hour to an hour, and determine which doses you actually produce—that will determine the tooling set.
Q: Is the degassing valve also recyclable?
Valve film is typically a composite material and is therefore more difficult to recycle than mono-PE. There are valve designs that make it easier to use a single material; discuss your sustainability goals with your film supplier early on, as described in sustainable packaging solutions.
Q: How can I prevent flavor loss during production?
Minimize the time between roasting and sealing, purge the bag with nitrogen before filling, and check the residual oxygen level—if it’s below 2%, the aroma will last for months. Log the residual oxygen level for each batch; that’s your earliest warning sign that a seal or foil is defective.
Related pages
coffee packaging machine | instant coffee packaging machine | vertical form, fill, and seal machine | multi-head weigher | preformed bags or VFFS
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