ZURICH, Switzerland – AmLite is a unique solution that addresses the key challenge facing coffee brands: to increase sustainability while preserving the sensory experience that’s core to consumer satisfaction.
More than ever, there is a need to offer a premium experience with a high-quality product, ethical assurances and packaging that offers a luxury or bespoke look and feel.
Eliana Atramiz, Platform Industrialisation Engineer at Amcor Flexibles EMEA, says: “For anyone who likes coffee, aroma is a key indicator of quality and freshness. Metallised barriers preserve aroma, but their poor sustainability profile means there is a need for new solutions.”
Drawing on more than 20 years’ experience in the development of high barrier materials, Amcor has designed a customisable solution based on a metal-free coating.
AmLite for coffee is available in two versions: AmLite, with a barrier comparable to metallized materials and ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH) laminates; and AmLite Ultra, which uses a special coating for outstanding aroma protection.
AmLite Ultra matches the barrier performance of aluminium and has a lower carbon footprint, producing up to 40% less greenhouse gases during the coating process.
Typical packaging formats include soft and vacuum packs, flow packs, pouches, stick packs and, more recently, single-serve capsules liddings.
A fresh approach
Aluminium excels as an oxygen and water barrier. Until recently, alternative materials did not offer sufficient barrier performance to ensure the preservation of coffee aromas and freshness throughout shelf-life.
AmLite Ultra not only equals the barrier performance of aluminium but offers a superior barrier after flexo-cracking. “AmLite Ultra can provide an oxygen barrier up to 10 times better than aluminium after 50 flexes,” Eliana says. This makes AmLite Ultra a reliable choice for highly sensitive products like coffee.
Amcor has worked closely with customers to create seals that avoid leakers ensuring a clean closure. “Our extrusion capabilities mean we can offer PE films that have a high performance to seal through product contamination,” Eliana explains.
Food safety is improved because metal detectors can be used at the end of the production line. “Metal detection is an important factor, particularly if you are considering markets such as Japan that insist on this quality check,” says Eliana.
A boost for branding
From elegant to earthy, AmLite opens up a range of possibilities when it comes to the look and feel of your pack. Appealing designs like transparent windows and rustic, paper-look effects can be achieved. AmLite is also compatible with a range of attractive print techniques, like matt, gloss and even metallic effects.
The absence of metal means that whites are whiter and colours are brighter, giving a high-impact, high-quality appearance. “The grey sheen that you see in aluminium based packs is eliminated,” says Eliana. “From a marketing and branding perspective, AmLite enables more vibrant designs.”
A greener, cleaner solution
AmLite can reduce the carbon footprint of coffee packs. “Compared with aluminium, the production of AmLite consumes less resources and produces fewer emissions,” Eliana explains. “This also means we can cut Green Dot fees for customers by up to 21%.”
In addition, with AmLite Amcor has developed specifications that have been approved for recycling in independent tests. These characteristics also create an opportunity to present a strong ethical message to consumers seeking out eco-friendly credentials. For capsules, especially, this is important. A high volume of material is required compared to larger packaging formats, so lighter materials are key to reducing environmental impact.
Savings behind the scenes
AmLite’s lower weight and depth also brings production efficiencies for customers, including:
- Up to 30% more meters per reel on production runs, meaning fewer change-overs and higher output.
- Reduced shipping costs.
- Lower warehousing costs.
“We can also solve issues that might arise depending on a customer’s specific requirements. In this way, we can help maximise production output,” says Eliana.
A premium, bespoke solution
Amcor is the first company to not only produce a high performance, metal-free coating, but to convert it into a complete, premium packaging solution.
“We also have a team that supports customers as they introduce new materials into their lines,” says Eliana. “We provide an end-to-end service – not just a base material but a solution that can be tailored to each customer.”
A good example is the use of AmLite in capsule lids for single-serve systems. With a wide range of machines in use, adaptability is essential. Eliana says: “We work closely with customers regarding their requirements, and also with the machine suppliers, which helps us anticipate customer needs.”
AmLite offers a reliable and flexible solution to coffee brands seeking to improve sustainability while offering customers a premium experience from shelf to coffee cup.
