YPAK × Giesen: Co-Branded Packaging at the Alpine Roasting Championship 2026

One championship, one co-branded bag, and one standard that runs from the roaster to the shelf.

The Alpine Roasting Championship 2026: A Test Built on Identical Conditions

The first Alpine Roasting Championship took place from 9 to 11 October 2026 at Alrighty Coffee Roastery in Munich, Germany. Twelve roasteries from across the Alpine region each sent one competitor, and every one of them roasted the same green lot on three identically configured Giesen15-E machines.

The design of the event was deliberate. The machine, the green coffee and the operator's name were all removed from the equation. What remained was the roast curve each competitor chose to build — and a jury of five who cupped the results blind, signing their sheets at the end of every round. Once the competition closed, all twelve roast logs were published, not only the winner's.YPAK took part in the championship as its packaging partner. Giesen Roasting Solutions is a presenting partner of the event, and the co-branded packaging was developed between the two companies.

See the official championship website · Read more about YPAK and ARC 2026

What the Co-Branded YPAK × Giesen Bag Represents

The YPAK × Giesen bag is not a one-off. The co-branded format has moved into production and is supplied as packaging for Giesen machines. It is a working product with a working supply chain behind it.

That distinction matters more than it first appears. A bag carrying two names has to satisfy two sets of standards at once: the coffee roaster's need to protect the product, and the equipment maker's need to stand behind what ships alongside the machine. YPAK designs, prints and converts the bag in-house, so the specification is not handed off between suppliers.

For a roaster, the practical question is simple: if this is the standard applied to a championship and to a machine partner, what does it look like on your own brand?

Explore the YPAK × Giesen packaging programme

From Co-Branded Packaging to Your Own Brand Expression

Consumers usually meet a coffee brand through its packaging before they smell the coffee. Bag format, colour, texture and information hierarchy all contribute to that first impression — which is why custom packaging tends to begin with a question rather than a specification: what do you want customers to remember?

The character of an origin, your roasting style, or a distinctive visual language — the answer shapes design priorities and determines which materials and finishes are worth the budget. A brand seeking a restrained aesthetic can concentrate on texture, colour and typography. A brand differentiating several origins can hold a consistent core design while using colour and graphics to separate the range.

Bag formats such as flat-bottom bags, stand-up pouches and side-gusset bags can be considered alongside matte finishes, soft-touch films, foil stamping and 3D UV effects. Dielines and artwork adaptation turn the visual idea into something that can actually be manufactured.

See YPAK's coffee packaging solutions

Freshness Protection, Filling and Everyday Use in One Structure

Appearance shapes the first impression; function decides whether the product survives the journey. For coffee, materials, seals, degassing valves and zippers need to be considered together, around the product rather than in isolation.

A one-way degassing valve, for example, releases gas from inside the package while limiting air from flowing back in. The correct model and installation method depend on the bag and its intended use, which is why YPAK discusses material structures and valve configurations against capacity, storage and distribution requirements rather than offering a single default.

Size selection brings its own variables. For 250g, 500g or 1kg packs, differences in bean volume and filling method can shift the choice of dimensions. With eight-side-seal flat-bottom bags, the conversation extends to standing stability on shelf, filling space, valve placement, and how a heat-sealed side zipper opens and recloses in daily use.

Customers can test samples with their own coffee before confirming dimensions and configuration. That is how a packaging project moves from "it looks suitable" to "it works in actual use."

Recyclable, PCR and the Practical Steps of a Material Change

More coffee brands are moving toward recyclable materials. Making that move work means weighing environmental goals against product protection, production conditions and brand presentation — the three constraints do not always point the same way.

YPAK offers recyclable material options including Mono-PE, and can discuss suitability and the validation required for projects involving post-consumer recycled content. After any material change, sealing conditions, bag stiffness, print appearance and component compatibility all need to be reconfirmed. For brands with established packaging, comparing samples and running actual filling trials before fixing a production specification gives a far stronger basis for the decision than a specification sheet alone. The complete structure and local recycling conditions should both be part of the assessment.

Recyclable coffee bags · PCR coffee bags · PPWR and empty space: what Article 24 requires

Building a Packaging Range Across Origins, Seasons and Collaborations

A roaster's range keeps moving: new origins, new processing methods, new blends, new collaborations. Redeveloping bag formats and layouts every time adds communication and management work that has little to do with coffee.

The alternative is to establish guidelines for a range — shared bag formats, logo placement and key information positions — with colour, graphics or product names differentiating individual products. New releases get their own character while the range stays recognisable.

YPAK runs an HP Indigo 25K digital press and can assess printing options for projects involving multiple designs and smaller quantities. Digital printing does not require conventional plates or cylinders. Quantities, costs and finishing requirements are still confirmed per project.

One Team Across Design, Materials, Printing and Delivery

A coffee packaging project touches design, materials, printing, bag production, quality checks and transport. If information falls out of alignment at any point, the finished product or the launch schedule is what absorbs the cost.

YPAK's one-stop service covers packaging development through delivery, and can include coordinating coffee bags, gift boxes, labels and related packaging supplies around one set of brand requirements. Production at the Dongguan and Foshan sites is managed in accordance with BRCGS Food Safety and ISO 22000:2018 certification requirements, with documented material control, production monitoring, inspection and batch identification supporting full traceability for food-contact packaging. Orders are executed against a 99.5% on-time delivery record.

About YPAK's manufacturing and certifications

You focus on coffee. YPAK manages your packaging.

The Alpine Roasting Championship set out to compare roasters on the only variable that was truly theirs — the decisions they made at the machine. Packaging deserves the same discipline: the right structure, the right material, the right finish, specified deliberately rather than inherited from last year.

Preparing a new release, upgrading your coffee bags, or planning a co-branded range? Contact YPAK to share your packaging project. Mention "ARC" in your inquiry and include your capacity, estimated quantity per design and target arrival date, along with photos of your existing packaging or design references.

Frequently Asked Questions