Oregon-based Boyd’s Coffee along with the Canadian coffee roaster Club Coffee will be launching 100% compostable, fully certified single-serve beverage pod.
Developed in conjunction with international experts and scientists at the University of Guelph, the single-serve pod will be completely manufactured from bio-based renewable resources, including the ring of the pod, which is made from the skin of the coffee bean that comes off during the roasting process.
It will be compatible with Keurig brewing systems that accept K-Cup portion packs, including the new Keurig 2.0 brewers.
The pod that is expected to be certified in a few months is currently going through a rigorous process to meet US and international standards and certifications required by municipal compost manufacturers.
Boyd Coffee Company CEO Jeffrey Newman said: :As a fourth-generation Oregon company, not only do we care about providing an exceptional coffee experience wherever our customers choose to have it, we also care deeply about our impact on the environment and strive to find ways to protect our planet.
"Together with our partner, Club Coffee, we will now bring to market an innovative and exceptional-tasting single-serve compostable pod that can be converted to useful compost -- a welcome alternative solution to the billions of K-Cups filling landfills in our country."
US Composting Council director of market development Al Rattie said: "The US Composting Council supports and encourages the production of certified, compostable plastics to replace non-compostable products. Many organic residuals and food scraps, such as coffee grounds, continue to be disposed of in landfills, rather than being diverted to commercial compost manufacturing facilities where they can serve as part of a valuable feedstock.
"Currently, plastic, single serve coffee pods are included in this disposable waste stream. We hope that companies like Club Coffee will continue to work with the USCC to not only develop products that are tools for diversion, but also help support the growth of the food scrap collection and processing infrastructure needed to close the loop on products like compostable coffee pods."
The company is expecting to make the pods available in the markets by late 2015.
