Keurig put into motion an ambitious plan to tackle single-serve coffee waste this week with the unveiling of the brand’s first-ever 100% compostable coffee pods. The pressed capsules called “K-Rounds” contain no plastic or aluminum, with only a thin cellulose wrapper that holds the compacted coffee.
Watch this: Keurig’s Future System Doesn’t Need Plastic K-Cups
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Keurig’s K-Rounds will require the new Alta machine that’s being designed specifically to brew the eco-friendly pods. Both the Keurig Alta and K-Rounds will enter beta testing this year ahead of their potential consumer release in 2025.
The K-Rounds will be available in various sizes and grinds to brew espresso, regular coffee and iced coffee drinks.
We got to see, touch (and smell) the new K-Rounds alongside the Alta at a launch event in New York. The K-Rounds are densely packed pucks of coffee grounds wrapped in an invisible cellulose coating. While the company is still waiting for its application to move through the system, Keurig CEO Bob Gamgort told those in attendance that they expect the K-Rounds to be 100% certified compostable before they come to market.
K-Rounds come in different grind sizes for specific coffee types
The K-Rounds aren’t just intended to be more sustainable — the proprietary pressed coffee pucks will be more versatile, with pods available in specialty grinds and sizes to brew espresso, regular coffee and iced coffee. K-Rounds will be marked with a code that the special brewer recognizes and uses to determine a proper extraction profile and pressure to get optimal flavor depending on the roast and type of beans.
They brew like regular K-Cups, but without the waste
Pods are fed into a top chamber of the Keurig Alta much like you would load an existing K-Cup. The new Alta brewer also brews plastic K-Cups via a separate chamber so as not to alienate existing users who use the old pods.
K-Rounds are pressed coffee grounds housed in a compostable casing.
Expect the new eco-friendly pods sometime in 2025
Keurigs new K-Round pods will be available in four sizes to accommodate various types of coffee.
