RICHARDSON, Texas, USA – NuZee, Inc., a leading innovator in coffee technology and co-packer of single serve specialty coffee formats, named 2022’s most innovative company in coffee processing by World Finance, announces that it has entered into a manufacturing agreement with nationally-recognized, California-based coffee roaster Apffels (EDW. Apffel Co.), which will expand NuZee’s manufacturing footprint on the West Coast in an effort to increase efficiencies, grow its margins, and accommodate substantial additional capacity.
In addition to manufacturing NuZee’s innovative single serve coffee brew bags and pour over products, NuZee plans to begin testing the TiMELESS technology, a new flexible film sealing technology that eliminates the need for one-way plastic degassing valves that are commonly used in the coffee industry at Apffels’ manufacturing facility. An estimated 1.85 billion one-way plastic degassing valves were sold in 2022 in North America. If the TiMELESS test is successful, NuZee plans to expand with the technology.
Apffels has a long history of carefully sourcing and crafting high quality coffees in a variety of formats, but also has a leading-edge private label manufacturing facility. NuZee is investing in Apffel’s manufacturing space, expanding its capabilities with specialized equipment specific to producing single serve pour over and brew bags. The partnership will also facilitate TiMELESS’s debut as an innovative and potentially disruptive new way to seal coffee bags. With this partnership, NuZee expects to expand a holistic coffee supply and vertically integrated manufacturing program to its existing and new customers.
Apffels has taken steps to lower its carbon footprint and continues to look for viable carbon-reducing solutions. Its facility is also SQF and USDA Organic certified.
“Apffels is an excellent partnership, as it has the capability to manufacture our single serve formats, provide capabilities like roasting and coffee co-packing, and facilitate the execution of the TiMELESS methodology for sealing our coffee bags,” says Masa Higashida, NuZee CEO and President. “We expect significantly increased efficiency, reduced logistical costs, and access to more sustainable manufacturing practices.”
“As a coffee roaster with over a century of experience in selecting the highest quality coffee beans and expertly roasting them to perfection, Apffels is committed to continuous improvement. Despite being 109 years old, Apffels has embraced new technology, methods, and ideas that enhance coffee quality and elevate the overall coffee-drinking experience. Through its partnership with NuZee, Apffels is excited to embrace new single-serve coffee formats that deliver sustainability, convenience, and exceptional coffee quality and to start testing the innovative TiMELESS technology in an effort to reduce valve consumption. Apffels is dedicated to collaborating with NuZee to expand the availability of and grow the market for these innovative single-serve formats. Together, the two companies aim to provide coffee enthusiasts with a new and elevated coffee-drinking experience,” Darryl Blunk, president and CEO of Apffels continues.
Further, the partnership provides NuZee with West and East Coast options for large-scale manufacturing. NuZee currently utilizes manufacturing facilities in Vista, California, Santa Fe Springs, California, Lenoir City, Tennessee and Seoul, South Korea. The Apffels partnership can further enhance operational flexibility and certainty at times when there are supply chain disruptions due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a pandemic or natural disaster.
