Canadian coffee roasting company Pistol & Burnes has launched a fully compostable pack for its Farmer First brand incorporating Innovia’s cellulose-based NatureFlex film. The renewable biobased content of the films is 95% by weight of material.

According to Innovia, the Fair Trade, organic coffee is packed in a paper bag developed by a Canadian converter Genpak. The bag is laminated to transparent NatureFlex film.

Pistol & Burnes president Roy Hardy said most of the roasted coffee sold in the world is packed in either foil bags coated in plastic or paper bags with a plastic liner, which are not recyclable and end up going to landfill straight.

"However our enviro-friendly coffee bag can be organically recycled (composted), which means it breaks down in a home compost bin," Hardy said.

NatureFlex, which is considered to be significant for coffee packaging, has good barrier properties and seal integrity that extend shelf life, keep oxygen out and aroma in.

The film also offers benefits including inherent deadfold and anti-static properties, gloss and resistance to grease and oil, good barrier to gases, aromas and mineral oils and a heat-seal range for packing and converting.