The Bay Area’s Blue Bottle Coffee has issued a voluntary recall of their Coffee Can after reports that opening the container have led to injury. The company is offering a full refund on any unopened Coffee Cans from the approximately 194,000 in circulation.
A 2019 Design Lab winner for packaging at this year’s Specialty Coffee Expo, the six-ounce Blue Bottle Coffee Can was the company’s attempt at finding a “balance between a compostable or recyclable product and one that extends freshness,” as Forbes described it in their feature on the then-announced receptacle. Per the article, the Coffee Cans were able to increase a “[coffee’s] lifespan up to 4 months – far greater than the two-week lifespan of roasted coffee in a bag.”
Per the voluntary recall issued on May 9th, “the lid may detach rapidly with force when opened, causing the beans to eject from the can,” which “poses an injury hazard.” As of issuing the recall, Blue Bottle had been made known of 13 instances of the rapidly detaching lid, with one that led to injury, a cut to the finger. As a recipient of half a dozen stitches to the finger due to an untimely run-in with a metal lid from a canister of tennis balls, let me just say that those lids are no joke.
The company is now recalling “all varieties of Hayes Valley Espresso, Bella Donovan, Giant Steps, Three Africas, and Night Light Decaf 170g/6oz whole bean Coffee Cans with all best-by dates” and telling consumers to discontinue opening any further cans. Coffee Cans that have already been opened pose “no safety risk to consuming the coffee.”
Unopened cans that were purchased via “Amazon.com, GoodEggs.com, Whole Foods Markets, Target, and other grocery retailers nationwide” are to be returned to their place of purchase for a full refund. As of press time, the Coffee Can has been removed for sale from Blue Bottle’s website.
For more information on the recall, visit Blue Bottle Coffee’s official website.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
Top image via Blue Bottle Coffee
Disclosure: Blue Bottle Coffee is an advertising partner with the Sprudge Media Network
