Soldadera fans know that for the past few years we have been hard at work perfecting our new shelf-stable formula for our famous cold-brew coffee. Having a shelf-stable product will allow us to expand our presence, hitting more store shelves and reaching more customers across the Midwest and beyond, but what does "shelf-stable" mean for you, the customer?
The term "shelf-stable" refers to food jerky, canned and bottled foods, rice, pasta, and other foods that do not require refrigeration until after opening.
Shelf-stable does not mean that a food or beverage item will never spoil, but rather that it will stay on the shelf longer without spoiling.
Soldadera's original cold-brew formula only had a five-month shelf life. Our new shelf-stable formula by comparison stays good for a full year.
There are various methods to give food a longer shelf life, including increasing the acidity, sterilizing and packing in an air-tight container, adding preservatives or replacing existing fats and oils in the food with hydrogenated oils. The last method, however, comes with health concerns over the consumption of trans fats.
To maintain the same great taste with no preservatives, which our fans love, we have resorted to retort processing to make our beverages last longer.
Retort processing is a method by which low-acidity beverages, like coffee, are filled into sealed containers and subjected to high heat under pressure. This pressure cooker method eliminates all bacteria and mold spores, ensuring product safety and an extended shelf life.
We are excited to finally be able to bring our new and improved cold brew to our fans. It's taken us a long time getting here, and we thank you for all of your patience. We know you're going to love it!
Stay tuned for when Soldadera Cold Brew is returning to a store near you! In the meantime, you can purchase our premium whole-bean coffee brought straight to you from women farmers in Guatemala.
