NuZee Expands West Coast Manufacturing Operations
NuZee, Inc., has entered into a manufacturing agreement with California-based coffee roaster Apffels that will expand NuZee’s manufacturing footprint on the West Coast in an effort to increase efficiencies, grow its margins and accommodate substantial additional capacity, company officials said.
In addition to manufacturing NuZee’s single serve coffee brew bags and pour over products, the company at Apffels’ manufacturing facility plans to begin testing 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. 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 sourcing and crafting high quality coffees in a variety of formats, but also has a 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, NuZee officials said. With this partnership, the company expects to expand a holistic coffee supply and vertically integrated manufacturing program to its existing and new customers.
“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.”
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.
“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,” said Darryl Blunk, president and CEO of Apffels. “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.”
Further, the partnership provides NuZee with West and East Coast options for large-scale manufacturing. NuZee currently utilizes manufacturing facilities in Vista, Calif.; Santa Fe Springs, Calif.; Lenoir City, Tenn.; and Seoul, South Korea.