What do most people do to energize themselves after waking up?
Most of us grab a cup of coffee to start our day. Coffee is one of the most popular beverages globally that gives you a boost early in the day. These days, people prefer to purchase coffee pods to have quick access to a hot cup of coffee.
The coffee capsule market has seen amazing growth in the last few years. Currently, the global capsule market is worth more than $12 billion (£10 billion) and is expected to grow to around $16 billion in the next five years. While coffee pods have become household items, many consumers want to know whether they are environmentally friendly.
As consumers today want to support brands and products that put sustainability at the forefront, they want to know whether or not the coffee pods have a negative impact on the environment.
So are coffee pods environmentally friendly?
We will give you an extensive overview in this article. Let’s begin!
Brief History of Coffee Pods
The Swiss multinational Nestlé was behind the idea of coffee capsules and launched Nespresso in 1986. While the initial target base of the company was coffee bars and shops, it quickly changed its approach a couple of years later and started selling the pods to consumers directly.
The sales of Nespresso coffee pods started to increase during the early 1990s throughout Europe. As the industry became more and more lucrative, different brands started entering the market. They all wanted to take advantage of the new coffee capsule market, but Nespresso maintained its dominance.
The 21st Century
By 2006, the coffee market was worth more than £500 million as more brands continued to enter the market. Even though Nespresso filed for more than 1,700 patents and various lawsuits against competitors, many new brands had already made their way to the market, such as Keurig.
Today more than 400 companies are offering their products in this space. The coffee pods allow customers to create their own experiences in their homes. Therefore, it continues to enjoy rapid growth in its demand today.
The growing demand for coffee means that coffee pods will continue to be a top pick for consumers. However, the changing consumer preferences for products that are not sustainable is a major concern for coffee pod manufacturers.
Many people argue that these pods are not doing any good to the earth because of the waste left after their use.
Consumer Perception about Coffee Pods
A survey in 2019 shows that everyone in 3 households had a coffee capsule. But the popularity of the capsules is not seeing the same growth as it previously did. Millennials and Gen Z are likely to support products and brands that are sustainable and good for the environment.
According to Forbes, the younger generation is more likely to spend 10% more on products or brands that are sustainable and don’t have a negative impact on the environment. Therefore, the sales of coffee capsules would be relatively lower in younger demographics.
Various green campaigners have also campaigned against the increasing adoption of the coffee capsule, criticising the wastage that comes from them.
However, the coffee capsule market has seen a massive change since the beginning to ensure that coffee pods become more sustainable.
The campaigning and concerns have resulted in various bans on coffee pod manufacturing particularly in Hamburg in 2019. The city imposed a complete ban on buying items that were polluting, including coffee pods.
Coffee Pods & Sustainability: are coffee pods environmentally friendly?
The coffee market today is worth billions of pounds and every other brand wants to capitalise on this lucrative industry. However, consumers today are concerned about the environment and wouldn’t want to support products or brands that do not focus on sustainability.
Nevertheless, the market is understanding the growing concerns and is focusing on both quality and sustainability. The recent developments and new technologies have helped the aluminium capsule format to increase its overall quality. Moreover, it is relatively much better for the environment.
Usually, most manufacturers either use plastic or aluminium to manufacture coffee pods. But, brands are now increasingly using aluminium for manufacturing coffee pods since it is more environmentally friendly compared to plastic.
Additionally, many have also argued that the sustainability issues with the coffee pods are due to the lack of consumer knowledge about their disposal. Most consumers don’t know the materials that are used for the production of capsules and also don’t have proper knowledge about how to dispose of them.
Many aluminium capsules, including Nespresso, are recyclables through various dedicated programs by different organizations. However, the lack of consumer knowledge is the primary issue that leads to concerns regarding the sustainability of coffee pods.
Some believe the best way to deal with this issue is by providing the proper instruction for disposing of the coffee pods. Brands can include the process on the packaging so consumers can increase their awareness regarding its disposal process. This way, the coffee pods will be disposed of properly and would lead to less waste.
Choosing the Right Brand
It’s no secret that coffee pods are the way forward when it comes to enjoying coffee on the go. However, the environmental impact is something that you shouldn’t ignore.
Do you want to make a difference by choosing a brand that’s environmentally conscious and sustainable?
If so, Kahwati is the brand for you! With Kahwati, you’ll find a wide range of coffee pods for any kind of coffee lover—and we’re not just talking about the usual flavours here!
We offer Nespresso-compatible coffee capsules, so you can still enjoy your favourite combination of beans and water. But we also have other options for those who prefer decaf or flavoured coffees.
What Makes Kahwati So Special?
There are a lot of factors that go into choosing a brand like Kahwati, but here is what makes us stand out from the rest:
- Recyclable Coffee Pods
- Wide Range of Flavours
- Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed
We don’t just offer great-tasting coffee pods—we also make it easy for our customers to recycle their used capsules! That’s right: when you use a capsule from Kahwati, we’ll send it off to be recycled after you’re done with it.
Our collaboration with organizations like “Podback” allows us to recycle the pods after you have used them. For more information about the recycling process, you can visit here.
