Navigating Growth with the Right Coffee Packaging Machine: Client Case Study

Imagine this: your latest wholesale order just doubled. Your coffee is catching on in grocery stores, and online demand is climbing. It’s the kind of growth roasters dream of, until your packaging line starts to crack under pressure. Bags aren’t sealing right. Oxygen levels are drifting. Unplanned downtime creeps in at the worst times. You’ve got the blends. Your customer base is growing. But your packaging equipment is holding you back.

As coffee roasters scale to meet rising demand, outdated packaging equipment can quickly become the growth bottleneck. Customer expectations around freshness, flavor preservation, and packaging quality continue to rise. Legacy machines often struggle to keep pace. This is especially true in the highly competitive specialty coffee sector, where consistency and brand presentation are critical.

The Real Cost of Downtime

A recent industry survey found that 42% of manufacturers cited aging equipment as the main cause of unplanned downtime. For fast-growing coffee operations, every hour of disruption puts production schedules and customer relationships at risk.

That was the challenge facing Reunion Coffee Roasters, an award-winning Canadian roaster known for quality and strong supplier relationships. Their existing coffee packaging machines were no longer keeping up. Specific issues included:

• Frequent unplanned downtime
• Inconsistent bag formation affecting brand appearance
• Fill weight inaccuracies increasing costs and reducing QC confidence
• Efficiency loss that limited production growth
  
  

These weren't minor inconveniences. They were operational constraints that could undermine market success.

Choosing a Packaging Partner, Not Just a Vendor

Reunion took a thoughtful, step-by-step approach to modernizing their packaging process. Vice President of Operations, Greg Rusciolelli, explored options at trade shows, narrowed his selection to three vendors, and scheduled on-site evaluations.

Rovema stood out during this process.

• At a trade show, we introduced Rusciolelli to a variety of experts who were able to engage and answer technical questions.
• We facilitated candid conversations with current Rovema customers
• Our team provided practical technical insight during plant visits
  
  

Measurable Performance Gains with Rovema

Reunion installed two new Rovema coffee packaging machines:

• BVK 260 with auger for fractional packs
  • Run rate doubled
  • Residual oxygen levels consistently held at or below 2%
  • Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) improved by 30%
• BVC 260 with scale for larger gusseted bags
  • Run rate tripled
  • OEE increased by 20%
  • Bag presentation improved for retail shelves
  • Automatic Checkweigher feedback eliminated the need for manual quality checks
  • Residual oxygen consistently stayed below 2%

Reunion expected additional OEE gains of 15% as the team continued to optimize changeovers, material flow, and in-line quality checks.

Why Coffee Packaging Machines Matter for Growth

Upgrading the right coffee packaging machine does more than increase output. It changes the business.

Rusciolelli noted that operators are more engaged and forecasting is now more accurate. Labor costs and maintenance-related downtime have both declined. Most importantly, consistent packaging quality has elevated Reunion’s premium brand presentation in-market.

Is Your Coffee Packaging Operation Ready for What’s Next?

If you’re seeing more downtime, inconsistent bag quality, or capacity limits from aging packaging equipment, now may be the time to re-evaluate your options.

As you explore new machines and partners, focus on:

• Quality of finished product
• Reliability of the machine
• Run rate and changeover performance
• Total cost of ownership
• Technical support and responsiveness
  
  

A reliable, well-supported coffee packaging machine can eliminate production headaches and create lasting competitive advantages.

Interested in exploring what’s possible with Rovema coffee packaging systems?

Let’s talk. We’ll share relevant customer stories, machine specs, and real performance data to help you make the right decision for your operation.