Black Insomnia Coffee Company, the maker of the world's strongest medium roast coffee, has launched a revolutionary Nespresso©-compatible coffee pod which is 100% home compostable.
The new pods, which are certified by TÜV Austria as ‘Ok Compost Home Compost', present a completely eco-friendly alternative to the standard aluminium and plastic capsule. This means they can be disposed of alongside home food waste and will compost in the garden within six weeks.
According to research, 39,000 coffee capsules are produced every minute globally, of which 29,000 end up in landfill. Nespresso themselves concede that 71 per cent of their capsules are not currently being recycled.
Even those capsules which are recycled require vast amounts of energy to do so, making compostable pods the most eco-friendly solution. Black Insomnia is the first coffee company to provide coffee in this new eco-friendly way in the UK.
Black Insomnia CEO, Jim Walker, said: "The use of coffee pods has grown massively over recent years. The problem is that the traditionally manufactured versions can't be easily recycled, ending up in landfill and therefore significantly damaging the environment.
"We wanted to find a way of making our smooth tasting coffee available in pods but we had to ensure they would be eco-friendly at the same time. We've managed to go one step further than standard recyclable pods by providing 100% home compostable versions for ultimate convenience.
"We are delighted to be launching our new coffee pods at this time, and we're now looking for other ways to help protect the environment, including rain forest protection and Fairtrade Foundation accreditation."
Black Insomnia COO, Alexander Sacken, said: "After years of research and testing, together with world-renowned partners, we are proud to be the first in the UK to introduce a home compostable coffee pod that still keeps the coffee fresh for 15 months with no additional packaging - this is revolutionary.
"This is certified by a world-leading institute and so coffee-lovers can be sure that using Black Insomnia pods will not harm nature or the wider environment while enjoying an Espresso of the world's strongest coffee without feeling bad."
The global coffee pod and capsule market is expected to reach $29.2 billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.5% during the forecast period from 2018-2025. This highlights that it is more important than ever to find sustainable solutions, allowing consumers to continue enjoying coffee without harming the environment.
In terms of coffee quality, keeping it fresh is key, and Black Insomnia achieves this by using shells from sunflower seeds. These provide natural protection against light and oxygen - which are damaging to coffee - and are therefore ideal to protect the ground coffee in each pod, maintaining its delicious freshness.
