Eastman Chemical Company announced today that Hourglass Coffee, based in Portland, Ore., will use Eastman Tritan™ copolyester in its Hourglass® Cold Brew Coffee System. Eastman Tritan™ offers toughness, dishwasher durability, high-heat and chemical resistance and ease of processing. Tritan™ is also manufactured without bisphenol-A (BPA).
The cold brew coffee system is composed of a clear extract and brew chambers that will be made of Eastman Tritan™ copolyester, allowing users to see their coffee brewing. The product is shaped like an hourglass and includes a stainless steel filter between the two plastic chambers.
Using no heat in the coffee preparation, the slow cold water extraction process results in a raw coffee extract that is naturally low in bitter acids and unhealthy oils. The extract is then blended with hot water according to individual taste. Remaining extract remains fresh in the refrigerator in Hourglass’ Bean Kanteen™, which will also be made with Eastman Tritan™ copolyester.
“We have always been committed to providing our customers with a quality product that promotes health. Our goal was to find a material that would allow us to deliver the best possible product to consumers,” said Kim Kapp, director of marketing for Hourglass Coffee. “Using Eastman Tritan™ copolyester will help us meet our goal and provide a product that makes coffee with 69.6 percent less acid, making it the healthiest choice in coffee today.”
The new coffee system does not require electricity, and when selecting a material, durability was important for making the system easily portable and shatterproof. To add to the product’s ease of use, the coffee system’s components will be dishwasher-safe.
“We’re pleased that by using Eastman Tritan™ copolyester, we can achieve our vision of developing a product that has the stylish look of glass, but offers the safety and practicality of plastic,” Kapp said.
The Hourglass Cold Brew Coffee System is being launched at the International Home and Housewares Show in March 2009 and is available in select stores, such as Kitchen Kaboodle, in Portland, Ore.; Whole Foods; Solutions catalog; Hammacher Schlemmer catalog; and online at www.hourglasscoffee.com.
To help increase awareness about the use of Eastman Tritan™ copolyester in products, Hourglass Coffee joined Eastman’s new ingredient branding program. The program helps Hourglass Coffee and other Eastman customers showcase the competitive advantage of using Tritan™ in their products. Eastman’s program provides clients with marketing materials and language to enhance the brand impression and brand attributes of the end product, ultimately adding to the product’s value in the marketplace.