Calling all festival goers - coffee bags; a simple necessity to keep you going this festival season

So, it’s festival season and we are all too familiar with the buzzing excitement this brings, whether this involves a small camping trip to a local festival or the biggest music festival in the country, many of us find ourselves pining for a coffee to keep us powering through. However, in 2019, with over 200,000 people attending festivals such as Glastonbury, food and drink stalls are constantly overcrowded with hundreds of people- desperate to cure that morning hangover. Who wants that when your favourite live band is playing in half an hour? Coffee bags are a mess-free and most certainly stress-free way of providing you with an instant coffee, without the instant taste.

Packing for a festival can often be rather stressful as you try and cram as much as possible for all occasions - rain…who’s got wellies? scorching heat…who’s got the suncream? What most of us forget is that whilst we try and squeeze everything we feel necessary into a weekend rucksack, we forget how much money we may end up spending on overpriced drinks stands. This is something that can be avoided if you pack wisely.

Here at New Kings Coffee, we have come up with 3 packing necessities that you will need to make a coffee on-the-go at a festival.

TIP NO.1: INSTEAD OF PACKING A LARGE JAR OF INSTANT COFFEE, PACK YOUR FAVOURITE COFFEE BAG, OR A SELECTION.

If making a coffee is typically part of your morning routine, then it is something that definitely does not have to go amiss whilst camping at a festival. We can almost guarantee that when people hear you have coffee packed, you will most likely be the popular one around the campsite. However, if you normally find yourself reaching for the jar of instant coffee, coffee bags are a great alternative when it comes to on-the-go coffee. Rather than a large jar, they come in foil sachets, making them easy to pack-which in turn saves space for all other much needed necessities. If you are one for sharing, then we advise you pack a selection of roasts for different tastes, and decaf- for the late night warming drink, without the caffeine buzz.

TIP NO.2: DON’T FORGET THE REUSABLE CUP OR FLASK

We are all more than aware that plastic, throwaway cups are a no-go if we want to encourage a litter-free, environmentally-friendly way of living, and yes, this is also important whilst you are partying away at a festival. With many major UK festivals aiming to go plastic-free this year, you can help out by encouraging the zero-waste, with just a few simple steps.

There are a range of stylish, practical variations of reusable cups on the market, and they are definitely worth the initial purchase, even if it may feel like a large expense. Also, depending on where you visit, many places now offer discounts on hot drink purchases when you bring along your own cup- which makes the investment all the more appealing! It is also worth noting that bringing other forms of reusable food storage will almost certainly come in handy if you are bringing your own food, or, buying from food stands. Not only will the cup be useful for making the morning coffee, it will also come in handy when you need to stay hydrated, and yes, we mean for water- not the beer! With the reusable cup near the top of the packing list, it is also worth reminding festival-goers that you can get involved with recycling schemes that most UK festivals now encourage. Festivals such as Boomtown and Reading encourage all attendees to fill up recycling bags given out, and when returned you receive some money back. Sounds like an easy way to help the environment and earn money to us!

TIP NO. 3: FINISHING TOUCHES TO CREATING A GREAT COFFEE

If you typically rely on milk to add to your coffee, then we recommend packing the UHT milk. It may seem obvious to some, but if your frequent coffee order looks like a latte or a cappuccino, then you will not want to be bracing yourself for the strong taste of an Americano - even if the hangover suggests otherwise! Some of our favourites are plant-based milks, including almond, soy, oat or cashew milk, and they are great alternative’s to dairy milk.

These are just a few important survival tips for those coffee lovers for this festival season. Let us know your favourite festival that you may be going to or have been to this summer, and share any coffee photos you take on your travels, using the hashtag #StayCurious!

OUR FAVOURITE FESTIVAL COFFEE: