Maipac introduces its state-of-the-art capsule packaging facility, and explains why now is the time for roasters to prioritise capsules.
After more than 20 years of experience in the Australian specialty coffee industry in building relationships with world market leaders, coffee machine sales and service provider Coffee Complex, led by the Maione family, saw the market moving towards capsules at a rapid speed.
“Because of our knowledge of the domestic market, we can detect market trends as they happen,” says Maipac General Manager Paul Maione.
This led to the creation of Maipac in 2014, a subsidiary of Coffee Complex that specialises in capsule packaging solutions that support coffee roasters of various sizes across Australia and New Zealand.
“Building on the expertise we’ve acquired, we decided to invest significantly in a new state-of-the-art, scalable, dedicated co-packing facility in 2021,” says Paul. “Since then, capsules have become a staple for coffee companies as a product offering.”
The facility, named ‘Australia’s Single Serve House of Excellence’, is a climate- controlled building centrally located in Pooraka, South Australia.
Paul says the conditions of the new facility allow for the highest quality of coffee to be packaged.
“We have worked quite closely with cutting-edge international suppliers to have our packaging machines configured to suit our specific requirements, now and into the future,” he says.
Maipac is committed to walking clients through the entire capsule-packaging process.
“With sustainability always at our forefront, we offer aluminium capsules which are 100 per cent recyclable as well as certified home compostable capsules,” Paul says. “With a full colour range of capsules, formats, retail box sizes and personalised branding of the packaging, we have it all covered.”
Maipac estimates that about three million coffee capsules are consumed in Australia every day. It’s for this reason Paul says any coffee roaster who isn’t looking to be present in the capsule space is missing out.
“One in four households use coffee capsules, which makes this too big of an opportunity to ignore for roasters,” he says.
“We are supporting and guiding these roasters in the capsule space, working with them hand-in-hand as partners.”
Maipac’s capsule packaging machines have been custom built to suit any requirements, specifications, flexibilities, and emerging trends with equipment sourced from around the world.
“We work on a one-on-one basis with customers to make sure each roast profile is suited for what they are looking for to achieve a superior end result,” Paul says.
Maipac also uses customised roller mill grinding technology to assist roasters in finessing the right coffee particle for capsule packing, which Paul says uses a superior method and delivers a better result to a standard flat burr grinder.
“With our customised roller mill grinding technology, we can increase Total Dissolved Solids extractions by up to 30 or 40 per cent,” he says. “It delivers a sharper and more uniform partial distribution profile, allowing a solids extraction yield using the same amount of coffee with consistent brew times.”
The new facility also includes a nitrogen flushing system, where inert gas is used throughout the filling process to preserve freshness and aroma from bean to capsule.
One service Maipac also provides in its commitment to innovation is its flavour dosing system, where roasters have the option to dose syrups or flavours into the coffee during the packing process. Options include hazelnut, vanilla, and chocolate.
“We make sure that we work as partners to deliver a product that will perform in the market with what we have here in the facility,” says Paul.
Maipac’s dedicated capsule service has grown through trust, as Paul believes the company has an even brighter future ahead. This includes expanding its single- serve space as well as looking into overseas operations as he remains confident that single serve coffee, including capsules, is here to stay.
“The goal for Maipac is to continue to grow alongside the coffee companies we work with as partners,” he says.
