Have you had coffee today? Just drop a small capsule into your coffee machine, press a button, and enjoy a hot, fragrant cup of coffee. Convenient, fast, and skill-free, the capsule coffee market is growing rapidly, but disposing of the capsules remains a pain.
Recognizing consumers' growing concern for the environment, Swiss retail giant Migros launched the world's first capsule-free coffee pods in 2022. Combining flavor, convenience, and zero waste, they are billed as "the greatest innovation ever" that will revolutionize the coffee industry.
Three wishes fulfilled at once
CoffeeB is called a capsule, but it's more like a ball. The outer shell features Delica's patented natural protective film, which blocks oxygen and preserves the coffee's flavor. After use, the coffee ball doesn't need to be recycled or composted. Simply place it in your garden or flowerpot, where it will naturally decompose over a few weeks, forming a fertile humus.
Migros explained that the shells of the coffee balls are primarily made of seaweed, are thin and odorless, and can be discarded with the coffee grounds after use, the Associated Press reported.
Like regular capsule coffee, CoffeeB requires a dedicated coffee machine. Migros claims this system took five years to develop, and the machine is made primarily of recycled materials. Its modular design makes it easy to replace parts.
The coffee beans themselves are naturally not sloppy, with flavors ranging from Rainforest Certified coffee, Fair Trade coffee, or BIO organic coffee.
Are consumers buying into it? A year after its launch, Spoon reports that CoffeeB has already entered the Swiss, French, and German markets, with over 200,000 households adopting it. The company plans to expand into North America, but has not provided a timeline.
According to Spoon, Keurig, a major coffee capsule manufacturer, sold nearly 3 million machines in 2021 alone. The sales volume of 200,000 units is actually not a lot, but it is enough to attract attention.
Capsule waste is a difficult problem, but the niche market is gaining attention.
Capsule coffee is rapidly gaining popularity. A report indicates that the global capsule coffee market is projected to grow from US$12.33 billion in 2022 to US$13.3 billion in 2023, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 7.9%. Asia-Pacific is the largest market, followed by Western Europe.
The media has repeatedly reported on the recycling issues surrounding coffee capsules. According to Recycap Technologies, a coffee capsule recycling technology company, despite recycling programs, approximately 75% of capsules still end up in landfills. Nespresso has responded by using recyclable aluminum capsules, and official data indicates that the global capsule recycling rate reached 32% in 2022. Keurig uses recyclable plastic capsules, but due to their small size, media reports indicate that many regions don't actually recycle them. The company has also faced lawsuits for misleading consumers.
References：
*CoffeeB official website
*CoffeeB（2022/9/6），CoffeeB: Migros launches the world’s first coffee capsule system without capsules
*The Spoon（2023/9/5），CoffeeB Hits 200k Households For Coffee Ball Brewing System That Aims to Replace Capsules
*AP（2022/9/6），Swiss retailer rolls out ‘coffee balls’ to replace capsules
*The Business Research Company（2023/1），Coffee Capsule Global Market Report 2023
*Globe news wire（2023/1），Coffee Capsule Global Market Report 2023
*Mongabay（2022/12/20），Coffee capsules: Brewing up an (in)convenient storm of waste
Source: Environmental Information Centre
