Research from UofG supports Club Coffee's PurPod100 - world's first compostable single-serve pod

PR Newswire

SEATTLE, WA, April 8, 2015

PurPod100 will be available on shelves in fall 2015

SEATTLE, WA, April 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ – Canadian coffee roaster, Club Coffee, announced the PurPod100 today, which will be the world’s first 100 percent compostable, fully certified single-serve beverage pod.

“The amount of used single-serve pods sent to landfills last year could have circled the earth 11 times. That’s not acceptable,” said John Pigott, CEO, Club Coffee. “We have the most viable solution available to that issue – a pod that will be certified as 100 percent compostable and can be converted to useful compost.”

“As a large manufacturer and distributor of packaged coffee, we have a responsibility to our customers, and to society, to reduce the environmental impact of our activities.”

The PurPod100 is made from renewable, bio-based materials that are 100 percent compostable, and the ring of the pod is made using coffee chaff – the skin of the coffee bean that comes off during the roasting process. Every single part of the PurPod100 is designed to be digestible by, and accessible for, bacteria. The pod is currently undergoing a rigorous testing process to meet U.S. and international standards and certifications required by municipal and commercial compost manufacturers. It expects to be certified in the coming months. The PurPod100 is compatible with most Keurig brewing systems, including the new Keurig 2.0 brewers.

“Having collaborated for years on increasingly sustainable solutions to this problem, MZB could not be happier that upon certification, along with Club Coffee in Canada, we will become the only US manufacturer capable of producing these compostable single-serve pods for our brands as well as our partners,” said Brian Kubicki, Vice President of Marketing, Massimo Zanetti BeverageUSA. “We’re proud that Kauai Coffee®, Chock full o’Nuts® and Hills Bros.® coffee brands will be first to the U.S. market with this innovation.” 

“The US Composting Council supports and encourages the production and appropriate use of certified, compostable plastics to replace non compostable products, and that can help divert more food scraps to composting facilities,” said Al Rattie, Director of Market Development, US Composting Council. “Many organic residuals and food scraps, such as coffee grounds, continue to be disposed of in landfills and incinerators, rather than being diverted to commercial compost manufacturing facilities where they can serve as part of a valuable feedstock. 

Currently, plastic, single serve coffee pods are included in this disposable waste stream. Where curbside food scrap collection programs exist, certified compostable products have the ability to help increase waste diversion while reducing contamination in the finished compost. We hope that companies like Club Coffee will continue to work with the USCC to not only develop products that are tools for diversion, but also help support the growth of the food scrap collection and processing infrastructure needed to close the loop on products like compostable coffee pods. The resulting production and land application of high quality compost is essential for the creation of healthy soils and a sustainable society.”

The PurPod100 was developed in conjunction with international experts and scientists at the University of Guelph. The pod will be available to market in the fall of 2015.

Pigott added, “Science shows that composting is an effective and conscientious solution to this growing environmental problem. Recycling isn’t a convenient or well-developed solution because hot pods full of coffee grounds must be carefully separated and cleaned before collection. And biodegradation is too slow of a process, taking centuries to break down the billions of pods in landfills.”

Steve Mojo, executive director of the certifying body BPI, says, “Club Coffee’s new pods represent a significant improvement in single-serve coffee. Everyone involved in this technological advancement are commended for their hard work. All BPI approved products meet ASTM D6400 or ASTM D6868 based on independent lab testing, whose results are verified by NSF International. I know that Club Coffee is committed to working through the certification process as quickly as possible.”

The PurPod100 will initially be available for purchase from Kauai Coffee, Chock full o’Nuts, Hills Bros. Coffee, Copper Moon, Boyd’s Coffee and Paramount Coffee.

More information about the PurPod100.

About Club Coffee
Since 1906, Club Coffee has built a reputation for quality and innovation. It has close to 500 custom label products and more than 200 Club Coffee branded products, making it the largest roaster, contract manufacturer and distributor of packaged coffees that Canadians buy from grocery stores. Club Coffee fully meets the stringent requirements for Organic, Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade and Kosher certifications, and is a leader in developing sustainable coffee solutions.

About the US Composting Council
The US Composting Council, a national organization dedicated to the development, expansion and promotion of the composting industry, was established in 1990 to encourage, support and perform compost related research. USCC promotes best management practices, establishes standards, educates professionals and the public about the benefits of composting and compost utilization, and enhances compost product quality, and trains composters and compost markets. USCC members include compost producers, marketers, equipment manufacturers, product suppliers, academic institutions, public agencies, nonprofit groups and consulting/engineering firms.