Is This Coffee Pouch Being Sold In NYC More Like ‘Capri Sun’ Or A ‘Colostomy Bag’? – CoffeeTalk

787 Coffee, a Puerto Rican chain of coffee shops with 27 locations in New York, Puerto Rico, and Texas, has launched a new approach to serving coffee in plastic pouches. The pouches are a more sustainable option than traditional to-go cups, as they dissolve faster than hard plastic and are reusable, allowing customers to repurpose them in creative ways. However, the online hype surrounding the pouches has attracted many customers, who are drawn to the idea of a “farm-to-coffee cup experience” and Caribbean-inspired drinks.

The bags have gained popularity last year, with a TikTok vlog featuring Delaney Ager, 24, who raved about them. While some commenters loved the bags, others critiqued their aesthetics and likened them to “colostomy bags.” Baristas at the Brooklyn store prefer the bags over cups because they are easier to carry. Online, the store encourages customers to turn the bags into water bottles, planters, flower vases, and even necklaces.

Coffee drinks at 787 are also more expensive than expected, starting at around $7 for a cold brew, nearly $9 for an iced coquito latte, and nearly $12 for an iced horchata latte. However, prices did not rise due to the bags, as the coffee is grown in the United States, taxes are included, and the value is high. All the coffee comes from the company’s farm in Maricao, Puerto Rico, hence the name “787,” which is the local area code.

Pedro Villalta, a 32-year-old fan of 787, visited the farm during a vacation and said the pouches were a “fun moment.” He said his coquito latte was on par price-wise with other beverages in the area.

The pouches went viral for a reason: Colleen Kirk, a marketing professor at the New York Institute of Technology, said it’s likely due to a phenomenon called “psychological ownership.” Customers feel like they “own” the bag because they can more easily manipulate the plastic, can often better carry it, and have a hand in the “disposal process” when they recycle or reuse it.

Marion Nestle, an NYU professor of health and nutrition, speculated that the appeal was part of a general trend toward infantilization. Adam Alter, a marketing professor at NYU, compared the pouches with Apple’s famous switch to white headphones in 2001.

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