‘Revolutionary’ seaweed coffee balls could save thousands of tons of plastic waste

Compostable “coffee balls” made using a seaweed-based cover instead of plastic will hit the European market next year.

Swiss co-operative Migros has released a small compostable ball of pressed coffee – CoffeeB – that it claims works just like conventional plastic and aluminium capsule systems but does not cause any waste.

The coffee balls are encased in a thin, flavourless, seaweed-based cover that can be discarded with the spent coffee after use.

They are on sale in Switzerland and France and will be launched in Germany in Spring 2023.

Migros executive Fabrice Zumbrunnen said: "With CoffeeB, Migros is combining what could not be combined before: a full taste experience, convenience and no waste.

“We are convinced that with CoffeeB we have developed a technology that meets the needs of today’s consumers and will have a positive impact on the environment.

“The capsule system without a capsule fits 100% with Migros’ sustainability strategy. It is the most important product innovation in the company’s history."

Pods used in coffee machines are among the worst forms of human waste for the environment when it comes to long-term damage, according to research which suggests they will take 500 years to decompose.

The research by Packaging Online reveals 29,000 plastic coffee pods now end up in landfill every month, where they won’t break down for half a millennium.

As well as being compostable, Migros’ system and coffee are 100% CO2-compensated, where the company offsets its footprint by donating money to climate protection projects. The coffee beans come from sustainable cultivation and are either Rainforest Alliance or Organic and Fairtrade certified. All packaging is recyclable.