Westrock Coffee Stays Competitive Through Innovation

Coffee and tea fans may not recognize the name Westrock Coffee. But chances are, some of their favorite beverages were made by this company. 

Westrock Coffee provides coffee, tea, extracts and other beverage solutions to the world’s biggest foodservice brands. The company formed in March 2020 via its merger with S&D Coffee & Tea, a coffee supplier with a history spanning nearly a century. 

But even established brands need to innovate for relevancy and competitiveness. That’s where the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab (NCFIL) comes in. 

Eliana Cossio, vice president of global research and development for Westrock Coffee, shares how the company utilizes NCFIL to create new products and test-drive equipment for consideration in its plants.

NCFIL: Tell us about Westrock Coffee and what sets it apart.

We are a one-stop shop for innovative coffee, tea, extracts and other beverage solutions. We partner and collaborate with the world’s leading brands, turning beverage dreams into reality. From concept to final product, we take care of everything, from sourcing, production and packaging to brand development, logistics and marketing support.

NCFIL: How did your partnership with NCFIL come about?

NCFIL is our neighbor — they’re practically across the street from our North Carolina facility, so we have known each other for years. We started working with NCFIL in 2022 when we needed innovation support. At NCFIL, we’ve been able to turn ideas into products, and their pilot plant supports our innovative path. We leverage their advanced technologies to support our growth and projects. For example, we’re able to explore new capabilities, new technology and new products from a scalability perspective. 

NCFIL: What are some of the specific services at NCFIL that you’ve used? 

We’ve utilized NCFIL’s pilot plant production to explore capabilities and develop ideas into tasty beverages. They have advanced technologies and different equipment that we can play with to create new-to-market products. 

The lab is amazing, and we use it on a weekly basis. We work with the Allpax 2402 Multimode Retort for canning, the MicroThermics Thermal Processor, and reverse and forward osmosis equipment for concentration. 

NCFIL: How has NCFIL’s work with sustainability impacted Westrock?

At Westrock Coffee, we focus on the sustainability of the environment, people, and the economy. We take into account where the coffee is produced, plus how we support our farmers and their businesses. With NCFIL, we consider the carbon footprint and production waste of every project. We produce a lot of coffee chaff and other byproducts, so we work with local farmers to upcycle these products to provide a second life. We believe we match NCFIL’s mindset in this regard.

NCFIL: Why is it important for established companies like yours to be innovative?

Innovation is critical to success. The beverage landscape is constantly evolving and changing with new consumer preferences and emerging technologies. That’s why we must be on the cutting edge. Staying relevant and innovative allows us to anticipate the customer’s needs, ensuring that we are valuable partners and that we attract new business. Constantly developing new solutions, options and offerings ensures Westrock can face future challenges and capitalize on new opportunities.  

NCFIL: What’s in store for the future for Westrock Coffee and its work with NCFIL?

We are opening a 500,000-sq. ft. extract and ready-to-drink facility in Conway, Arkansas. It will have onsite research and development, a pilot plant, and other facilities and will be the only U.S. plant capable of creating finished ready-to-drink product in cans and bottles. Some of the equipment being installed is equipment we first used at NCFIL. Working at NCFIL enabled us to test drive the equipment and see what made sense for installation in our new facility. 

Our partnership with NCFIL will continue.