A sustainable brew: Flo launches zero waste coffee capsules for existing GEA line

18 Oct 2019 --- European food packaging producer Flo has launched three new capsule formats to the GEA family that are industrially compostable and fully bio-based. The formats are suitable for Nespresso, Lavazza Blu and Keurig systems, and are touted as matching the brewing experience of typical plastic capsules. All of GEA’s compostable coffee capsules are made from Ingeo, a renewably sourced biomaterial from NatureWorks that can be used for all parts of a coffee capsule, from lidding to filters, to the capsule body itself.

GEA is one of the zero waste projects at Flo. Zero waste means that Flo has designed solutions for GEA where all parts of a capsule, including coffee, can be recovered for industrial composting. The launch builds on the success and adoption of the GEA compostable version for the A Modo Mio system, and marks the second point in which Flo has partnered with NatureWorks – a company engaged in the production of functional biomaterials – to develop GEA capsules.

“Coffee capsules are complex products and creating a compostable, high performing solution required significant investment and expertise. This could only happen when two companies, like ours, are dedicated to cooperation and the development of applications that meet the needs of the growing circular economy,” says Erika Simonazzi, Marketing Manager of Flo.The GEA capsules have been tuned to achieve the ideal pressure needed to deliver a coffee from every capsule that is perfectly brewed.

Flo has recently invested in new laboratory capabilities, which means that all the GEA capsules have been tuned to achieve the ideal pressure needed to deliver a coffee from every capsule that is perfectly brewed for maximum taste, crema and aroma, notes the company. New data also demonstrates that the GEA capsules delivers an oxygen barrier, material ageing stability and shelf-life all in a bio-based, industrially compostable format.

Meanwhile, recent research also supports the capsule’s functionality. Testing with Accademia Italiana Maestri del Caffè (AICAF) verified that the GEA capsules maintain the flavor and aroma of the coffee for over 11 months with testing still ongoing. This type of performance should meet the needs of the most demanding coffee roasters and consumers. 

“Sustainability has always been one of the top items in any coffee roaster’s agenda,” explains Flavio Di Marcotullio, Global Industry Leader at NatureWorks. “The coffee industry is now fully embracing industrial compostability as the preferred recovery option for coffee capsules. Today, thanks to the collaboration between Flo and NatureWorks, roasters finally have access to a capsule that is not only certified compostable, biobased and food contact-approved, but also has demonstrated a measurable performance that allows consumers to brew the perfect coffee at home.” 

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. In 2016, the German city of Hamburg even banned coffee pods from state-run buildings as part of a drive to reduce waste.

Earlier this year, Lost Sheep Coffee launched its single origin coffee in plant-based capsules that are certified biodegradable, compostable and airtight for freshness. The launch overcame a previous issue around shelf-life, as the coffee in compostable capsules easily went stale. 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. 

Nothing left to waste
In its bid to encourage circular economy systems, Flo also supplies its industrial production partner, Caracol Design Studio, with Ingeo-based trim scrap leftover from the production of GEA capsules.

The result is a 3D printed exhibition stand and the built-in “3D Bar” that was first displayed during Salone del Mobile in Milan, Italy.

“The idea is to preserve the high value of the original material by recycling all the capsule materials into a display that we can continue to repurpose in future exhibitions. And when we are ready for a new design, we will recycle the stand by grinding it down to print into a new item,” says Simonazzi. 

The 3D Bar is printed directly from plastic flakes with Caracol’s custom anthropomorphic robotic system and demonstrates how post-industrial waste materials can be recycled into elegant, new applications. The stand and 3D Bar will also be on display in Flo’s booth (Pav 22 Stand D27) at HOST in Milan, where the entire family of GEA compostable coffee capsules will also be on display.

Edited by Laxmi Haigh