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Lincoln and York invests in high speed retail packing line.
Following a year that brought the out of home coffee industry to a standstill, a leading UK coffee manufacturer, Lincoln and York, has announced a multi-million-pound investment in a market-leading coffee packing line at its base in Brigg, North Lincolnshire.
While the out of home sector suffered, retail and web sales for coffee have risen significantly, report the company, and the new machine means they are well placed to drive growth and innovation in this important channel.
James Sweeting, MD of Lincoln and York, said: “To develop the new line, we worked with some of the best manufacturers in the world in what was an international effort – a significant achievement in itself given the challenges of the pandemic.
“Brambati supplied the coffee grinding machinery for in-line grinding, degassing silos and the coffee management software. The packing machine itself, constructed by Goglio SpA, provides top tie and reseal capability with an ultrasonic valve sealer – giving a cleaner, faster application. The end of line robotics, supplied by IMA, are some of the best in the business, with an auto carton labeller and robot palletisation that enables us to pack quicker and more efficiently.”
The line, standing at over 10m tall, took over 400 hours to construct and now means that Lincoln and York can boast having one of the fastest coffee packing lines in Europe.
More importantly, they add, it will create new opportunities both for the company and for its clients. This innovation automates the packing process for retail clients, meaning coffee can go from green bean to being shelf-ready in less than an hour. Increasing the business’s capacity to serve its retail clients, the investment is a positive indication of the longer term growth potential in the retail coffee market, they feel. It also reinforces Lincoln and York’s commitment to helping customers capitalise on growth opportunities and, in turn, the investment will enable this award-winning Lincolnshire business to maintain and develop its ongoing support of the food service market as it gets back on its feet in 2021.
“When COVID-19 hit, it was clear that whatever happened, we would need to innovate and invest for long term growth, rather than just improvise. The new machinery will give our current and future partners the tools they need to adapt to the new consumer landscape,” added James Sweeting.
British coffee brand, Cafédirect (www.cafedirect.co.uk), has won the Packaging News Branding Project of the Year award for its bespoke, smallbatch London Fields Roastery range. Created by creative agency Family (and friends), the London Fields Roastery packaging was designed to elevate the existing Cafédirect brand design, taking the range to the superpremium tier while working only with sustainable materials, report the brand. Created for younger millennial shoppers, the range is aimed at ‘at-home baristas’, who seek to enjoy coffee of the highest quality while also being concerned with their environmental impact. Roasted a stone’s throw away from London’s historic Broadway Market, the London Fields Roastery range’s recyclable outer card sleeve utilises a pastel colour scheme to reflect the vibrant, hipster scene of local artisan breweries, bakeries and cafes (Cafédirect’s London Fields Roastery range is available in selected Waitrose, Co-Op, and independent retailers).
