If you’re familiar with the Canadian coffee scene (or our roaster program) you may have noticed FUNK and their playfully pastiche coffee cans. The distinctive package design has become hallmark of the roastery, but you might be wondering: Where did the idea come from?

The cans are a nod to the roastery's early days – when they were House of Funk, sharing a name and a roof with their hop-loving sibling, House of Funk Brewing. And, as we'll come to find out, they shared a lot more than the building.

The two businesses quickly learned from each other’s crafts, inspired by a shared passion for fermentation and crafting wild, unforeseen flavours. Together, they ventured far and wide, turning out co-inventions such as sparkling cold brew, cascara soda, and a whisky barrel-aged coffee that many eagerly anticipate each year.

Then came the aluminum cans with twist-off caps, a special gift from the brewery originally designed for filling with beer on-tap to take home.

Sleek, sturdy, and cylindrical, the cans were a far cry from the standard bag and one-way valve that roasters often use to store coffee. But their practical and aesthetic perks soon became clear.

After all, FUNK made their debut into specialty coffee by “flipping the script” – why would they settle for packaging that blended in with everything else?

Do FUNK cans actually keep coffee fresh?

FUNK coffee cans certainly win your attention, but they aren’t all flash – there’s lots to these particular containers that keep your coffee fresh and flavourful long after it leaves the roastery.

As opposed to regular coffee bags, typically made from a combination of permeable materials like paper, plastic, and metal foils, FUNK cans completely shield your coffee from flavour-eroding elements until you’re ready to enjoy it.

First, there’s the non-porous aluminum shell that keeps light and oxygen out, both of which are key contributors to staling coffee.

A clever narrow spout and twist-off lid add another benefit, making it possible for the roastery to seal filled cans by flushing them with nitrogen.

Once opened, an oxygen-scavenging seal in the cap continues to draw air out of the can, meaning your FUNK coffee stays vibrant and aromatic even after you’ve broken the seal.

But what about degassing?

Even without the traditional one-way valve usually found on bags, the cans have never posed issues with degassing in the seven years FUNK has been using them!

Putting the can in canvas

Finally, we can’t talk about FUNK coffee cans without mentioning their strikingly illustrative label art, created by local collage artists like Ebony Jansen and graphic designers like Amber Hsu.

FUNK takes full advantage of the can's spacious canvas to – in their own surreal way – tell a complete story about the coffee waiting within. Images become narratives, and although they're all unique, each label is connected by a dreamy, eclectic theme.

For example – what does a vintage hot-air balloon drifting behind ripening apples have to do with a washed Maracaturra from Nicaragua? They both evoke warm, autumn-like sensations reminiscent of a hug and warm cup of apple cider.

Don’t kick it – the many uses of FUNK coffee cans

While FUNK cans are recyclable in many districts, fans have discovered a few creative ways to reuse these brightly labeled masterpieces.

LOAM, a cozy bistro in North Vancouver, uses them to pot indoor plants. Further, you can find FUNK Coffee Bar chefs using them as water bottles!

Customers near and far have also been sharing how they’ve been repurposing FUNK coffee cans, even treating them as collector’s items and building full displays on their mantelpieces.

Brew the same coffee as AeroPress champs

Back to the labels – what does an AeroPress framed by citrus, gilded motifs, and a plum-purple background symbolize? The answer is one exciting event that’s just around the corner…

FUNK has partnered with Eight Ounce and the Canadian AeroPress Championships (CAC) to present the official coffee of the 2026 competition – Drop the Pressure. If you swing by the Eight Ounce Coffee showroom to witness the action in-person, you may just catch Kurtis, FUNK's CEO and Chief Caffeine Dealer, who will be sitting in as a professional judge.

Keen to learn more? Keep an eye out for the latest announcements! You really don’t want to miss this limited FUNK release, giving you an early taste of the coffee that'll be brewed by AeroPress pros this October.

In the meantime, you can explore the entire lineup with more FUNK coffee available online and in-store.

Happy brewing!