How do you fill little bags? (please tell me before I go insane)

[expat]

Filling kilo bags is a snap. Ditto for my 1/2 lb bags. But now I've got a customer buying these little coffee sachets. One bag makes one pot of coffee in a pour-over machine.

Any speedy ideas for holding the bags upright. Filling them. Holding the full bags upright pre-sealing.

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

As I'm sure you know, there is special equipment for filling sachet bags....but that is a volume oriented approach. If this makes sense to add to your offerings, then purchase the equipment, otherwise look for a good therapist...lol!

Delayed thought....
Are there any copackers that could offer this filling service in your area? If you're buying the sachets, aren't they coming off a machine that could also fill and seal them?? Just asking....

 

[Razzo]

Expat;

How many are you making a week? We do around 50 for one of our customers and it is a manual process. Basically what we do is to grind the coffee into a SS container the use a scoop to fill the bag. We then weigh each bag on the scale and adjust from there. I have an old broken scoop that holds the bag upright while weighing. I can take a picture if you would like. Let me know.

 

[PinkRose]

How about standing the bag in a coffee mug (or maybe a tall slim measuring cup) Then put it on your scale and zero it out. Scoop the coffee into the bag and stop when it reaches the weight that you're looking for. The bag will be upright, and ready to seal.

Maybe you could use a pancake batter dispenser for putting the ground coffee into the bags.
http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-1013-4-Cup-Batter-Dispenser/dp/B005XPES9Q

Just a thought.....

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

How about standing the bag in a coffee mug (or maybe a tall slim measuring cup) Then put it on your scale and zero it out. Scoop the coffee into the bag and stop when it reaches the weight that you're looking for. The bag will be upright, and ready to seal.

Maybe you could use a pancake batter dispenser for putting the ground coffee into the bags.
http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-1013-4-Cup-Batter-Dispenser/dp/B005XPES9Q

Just a thought.....

That's pretty clever thinking PinkRose! I've used those before and the only drawback is the control is dependent on the operator ability to develop a feel for the amount of "squeeze time" needed, and the ability to repeat consistently...HOWEVER, you inspired me to search for something I've only seen, but didn't know what it was. It's on the expensive side, but here it is!

Another thought would be to elevate a metal cupcake pan on legs, cut off the bottoms of the compartments. then use a magnet to hold the sachet under the pan during filling. I think a piece of food grade rigid plastic tubing could be end capped and cut off to the size that would deliver the same dose consistently.

 

[CoffeeJunky]

when we had to do that in the past, i used manual process. But it goy to be pretty crazy when we had orders of 200. lol.

 

[H14]

Coffee mug and scoop here too. It's enough to make you want to go ahead and bite the bullet for a weigh and fill machine.

 

[topher]

Did you ever look at the Prox pack machine? If you get into any volume you will drive your self nutz. Mine does whole bean and ground and can fill 2 oz to 50 lbs. The problem with those pillow packs are they do not have valves..you will need to use a pin and poke a hole behind the fold in the bag. If not they will blow up like balloons. We had a machine that made the bag, filled the bag and sealed the bag...then poked a hole in the bag. It was so ridiculously expensive and temperamental as all get out. Let us know how you worked it out.

 

[trk_koa]

You can have a valve in the small pouches. We have purchased them with the valves on the back as a special order. Makes putting the label on a bit challenging. I may have the manufacturer put on the label also for our next order.

 

[topher]

The biggest issue with the valves are they cost 9 to 10 cents to buy and have installed.