Biodegradable, wood-based coffee capsules launched by UK start-up Lost Sheep Coffee

26 Mar 2019 --- Lost Sheep Coffee is launching its single origin coffee in plant-based capsules that are certified biodegradable, compostable and airtight for freshness. Until recently, the shelf-life of compostable capsules was short as the coffee inside would go stale. “Without plastic or glue, it is incredibly difficult to create an airtight seal over the product. After extensive research and development our new capsules achieve a level of oxygen impermeability which enables Lost Sheep Coffee to guarantee a minimum shelf life of 12 months,” says Stuart Wilson, Founder of Lost Sheep Coffee.

Coffee capsules have come under heat in recent years for their weak sustainability profile and single-use reputation. The disposal of used coffee capsules – often made with a mixture of plastic and aluminum – is a growing problem for the environment. The German city of Hamburg in 2016 even banned coffee pods from state-run buildings as part of a drive to reduce waste.

Using the latest advancements in composability technology, the new capsules will be made predominantly from wood bark – or lignin – a waste product from the paper industry. Paper mills have been stripping lignin from wood to make paper for more than a century and finding so little value in the lignin that it is simply burned in the mills’ boilers. Recent University of Wisconsin-Madison research, however, found that lignin can be converted into a renewable replacement for ubiquitous plastics. The researchers say that this plant-based compound is a more environmentally-friendly but “frustratingly untapped” replacement for petroleum in commonly-found plastics.

Other renewable raw materials used in the making of the compostable include naturally occurring plant-based proteins, starches and glucose made up the biopolymer structure of the capsule. Due to the natural make-up of the capsule, the product can compost to absolutely nothing in a matter of weeks, the company describes.

“We know our customers want the convenience of being able to brew a quality cup of coffee at home but without the guilt of chucking more plastic into landfill. So, it was imperative to the Lost Sheep Coffee team that we were able to deliver our exceptional quality coffee at home in a format that is entirely compostable,” says Wilson.

Lost Sheep Coffee’s new 100 percent compostable Nespresso compatible coffee pod range will be available in a custom designed in a twelve-side box, which has been designed to stand out on the shelf with its unique design.

Earlier this month the secondary packaging was nominated in the World Food Innovation Awards 2019, which took place at the International Food & Drink Event (IFE) show in London, March 17-20. The packaging was nominated for the Best Packaging Design.

“The continuous line drawing on the packaging is directly connected to the journey of Lost Sheep Coffee and depicts various defining moments during our travels and the journey that led to Lost Sheep Coffee today,” comments Wilson.

Packaging innovations in the coffee pod space have been growing, especially as the popularity of coffee delivery forms such as Nespresso increases. In November, Nespresso claimed that it would be the first company to use responsibly-sourced aluminum, supplied by Rio Tinto, to produce its coffee capsules. The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together, allowing Nespresso’s capsule manufacturers to fulfill a commitment of sourcing 100 percent sustainable aluminum by 2020.

While biodegradable coffee capsules that consumers can dispose of in their home compost were developed by Golden Compound, in cooperation with Alpla. The capsules are made from Golden Compound green material; comprised from the natural fibers of sunflower seed shells. The capsule and filter fleece is completely biodegradable within a maximum of six months and is free from aluminum and genetically modified organisms.

Edited by Laxmi Haigh

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