Guide
Custom Printed Coffee Bags in the UK: A Roaster's Guide
Most UK roasters specify a printed stand-up pouch with a one-way degassing valve, resealable zip and a foil, metallised or high-barrier kraft laminate. Size the bag to the roast and grind: as a starting point, 250g of coffee fits around 130 × 225mm with a 70mm gusset. From 500 units per design for eligible formats; specialist specifications may require more.
1. Pick the size from fill weight and grind
Whole beans take more space than ground coffee at the same weight, and dark roasts are less dense than light roasts. Treat any size table as a starting point and confirm it against your actual coffee.
Common retail weights are 250g and 1kg, with 500g and small sample-size packs used by some roasters. The pouch sizes guide explains how width, height and gusset work together.
| Fill | Starting size to discuss | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 250g | About 130 × 225mm, 70mm gusset | Confirm with whole bean vs ground |
| 1kg | Larger gusseted format | Often used for wholesale and cafés |
2. Valve, zip and tear notch
Freshly roasted coffee releases carbon dioxide. A one-way degassing valve lets gas out without letting air back in; it does not replace a good barrier material.
A resealable zip helps customers keep coffee fresh after opening, and a tear notch makes the first opening clean. Valve and zip positions are fixed on the dieline before artwork.
3. Choose the barrier material
Coffee needs protection from oxygen, moisture, light and aroma loss. Foil and metallised structures give strong light protection; kraft-look laminates can carry a barrier layer behind the paper effect. Compare metallic foil, kraft paper and matte white.
If recyclability matters to your customers, ask about the full construction including the valve and zip; see compostable pouches and PPWR explained.
4. Plan quantities across blends
From 500 units per design for eligible formats; specialist specifications may require more.
Quantities count per design, so a roastery with several single origins should decide which blends share a design and which need their own. Standard production is typically 2–4 weeks from artwork approval.
5. What to send for a coffee bag quote
Tell us the fill weight, whole bean or ground, valve and zip requirements, preferred material and finish, number of designs and quantity per design.
Tell us what you are packing through Get My Pouch Quote and we will review the specification before quoting.
See also our coffee bags and coffee packaging pages.
Not sure which pouch size you need? Tell us what you are packing and we will check the specification.
Get My Pouch Quote →Related questions
Quick answers
What size bag do I need for 250g of coffee?
As a starting point, around 130 × 225mm with a 70mm gusset. Whole beans and lighter or darker roasts change the space needed, so confirm with your own coffee.
Do coffee bags need a degassing valve?
Freshly roasted coffee releases gas, so most roasters use a one-way valve. It lets gas out without letting air in, but it does not replace a barrier material.
What is the minimum order for custom coffee bags?
From 500 units per design for eligible formats; specialist specifications may require more.
How long does coffee bag production take?
Standard production is typically 2–4 weeks from artwork approval; your quotation confirms the timing for your specification.
Still have questions? Email hello@thepouchworks.com and we'll get back to you within one business day.