The world’s first biodegradable coffee capsules

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, with millions of cups consumed every day. However, the convenience of single-serve coffee pods has come with a major environmental impact. The non-biodegradable plastic and aluminum used in the majority of coffee capsules end up in landfills and contribute to the growing issue of plastic waste. This has led to increased demand for more sustainable options, such as biodegradable coffee capsules.

One of the leading companies in this field is Halo, which has developed the world's first biodegradable coffee capsule. The company, Martacanga, has created a fully compostable coffee pod made from plant-based materials, ensuring that it will break down into natural materials within a matter of months. The capsules are designed to work with Nespresso and Dolce Gusto machines, making them accessible to the millions of coffee drinkers who use these popular coffee makers.

The biodegradable coffee capsule is made from a combination of plant-based materials, including cornstarch and a specially formulated biodegradable plastic. This unique blend of materials makes the capsule strong enough to withstand the pressure and heat of the coffee-making process, yet it will break down quickly in the natural environment. The capsules are free from harmful chemicals and are completely safe for the environment.

The compostable coffee pods are a major step forward in reducing the environmental impact of coffee production. The majority of coffee capsules are made from non-biodegradable plastic and aluminum, which can take hundreds of years to break down in the environment. This has resulted in a huge amount of waste, with millions of coffee capsules ending up in landfills every year. With Halo's biodegradable coffee capsule, this waste can be reduced and the environmental impact of coffee production can be significantly reduced.

In addition to being environmentally friendly, the Halo coffee capsules are also convenient and affordable. They are compatible with Nespresso and Dolce Gusto machines, making them easy to use for coffee drinkers who already have these popular coffee makers. The capsules come in a variety of flavors, including espresso, latte, and cappuccino, offering a range of options for coffee drinkers. The capsules are also reasonably priced, making them an affordable option for those who want to reduce their environmental impact.

Martacanga is committed to reducing the environmental impact of coffee production, and the biodegradable coffee capsule is just the first step in this process. The company is constantly exploring new technologies and materials to make their products even more environmentally friendly. This includes using sustainable materials in their packaging and exploring alternative energy sources to power their production facilities.

The problem with standard coffee capsules is that the majority of them are made of plastic, aluminium, or a combination of both. Of the 13,500 capsule coffees consumed every minute, only 21% of them are recycled. This is because some coffee capsules cannot be recycled at all, while those that can are recycled via a long and tedious process. The un-recycled capsules can remain on our planet for up to 5 centuries!

As the world becomes more aware of the environmental damage caused by plastic and aluminium use, the coffee capsule industry has responded by producing capsules that are more easily recyclable. However, putting a reassuring word like ‘recyclable’ on the front of a box is not enough and is quite misleading. Consumers need to understand that just because a product is recyclable, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will be recycled.

How to Shop and Flavours

Halo offers the option to either choose a subscription plan or to buy by the case or box. The ‘House’ subscription allows you to choose from the 4 different flavours on offer. Its retail price is £37. The ‘Curated’ one is the recommended case by the Head of Coffee! It costs £35. And finally, you can choose how often you’d like to get your delivery: anywhere from once to four times a week.

Three Mountain

This is Halo’s signature blend, which is sourced from three of the highest peaks in the world. This coffee has a mild flavour, coming from the Colombian Andes, Nepalese Himalayas and Kenyan Kilimanjaro, these three varieties have been blended to create a well balanced, low acidity, buttery finish.

Daterra Moonlight

This flavour is by far my favourite! This is single origin coffee from Brazil. A sweet, creamy but intense blend, from the first farm in the world to be awarded a Rainforest Alliance Sustainability A Grade.

Pacmara

This flavour is their single origin coffee from Colombia, which is a rare variety often used in the World Barista Championships! Also a medium flavour, this coffee has more acidic notes with plum, passion fruit, nutmeg, grapefruit and blackcurrant.

Halo Minus

This flavour is from the forests of Kaffa in Ethiopia, where coffee Arabica was first discovered growing wild. It is quite naturally mild due to its decaf nature, I quite like it for those 3-5pm slumps when I want to taste some coffee without the jitters!

Halo Credits

Finally you can also earn credits by shopping Halo coffee capsules! When you create a Halo account you are automatically rewarded with 50 credits.

To earn Halo Credits, all you need to do is either: Create a Halo account; follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook; retweet a Halo post on Twitter, tweet about Halo on Twitter; refer a friend to Halo; or simply by entering your birthday details! And every time you shop, you earn credits which can be spent in future purchases.

How do Halo Credits work? Halo credits are applied to your account as rewards for the above-mentioned actions. Collection of Halo Credits allow you to save on future purchases so read below how to get credits:

50 Halo Credits = £1

200 Halo Credits = £5

250 Halo Credits = £7

300 Halo Credits = £9

Halo's biodegradable coffee capsule is an exciting new development in the world of coffee production. It offers a solution to the problem of non-biodegradable coffee pods, which have been a major contributor to plastic waste in landfills. The compostable materials and compatibility with popular coffee makers make it a convenient and affordable option for coffee drinkers who want to make a difference.

With Martacanga's commitment to sustainability and environmental protection, the world's first biodegradable coffee capsule is just the first step in a long journey towards a more sustainable coffee industry.

Sources:

https://www.halo.coffee/pages/about-us
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coffee-pod-landfill_n_4131414
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46654042
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/28/nespresso-coffee-pods-recycling-pledge-does-not-go-far-enough