04.08.24
A compostable coffee pod solution compatible with Keurig brewers for the North American market has been developed.
IMA Coffee, a global manufacturer of coffee handling, processing, and packaging technologies, in partnership with a PLA producer, developed a solution that delivers high-quality brewing performance, can be produced at commercial speeds matching incumbents, and is made from compostable, biobased materials.
The partnership developed a simpler compostable coffee pod solution and supply chain. For the rigid capsule body, the PLA producer was able to combine non-compounded, highly crystalline, and heat resistant PLA grades with a refined single-stage thermoforming process to achieve production rates comparable to incumbent polypropylene (PP) capsules. The rigid thermoformed capsule was then combined with a nonwoven filter and multi-layer top lidding solution also made with PLA. The use of one primary material through all three components of a coffee pod is more cost-effective and offers greater consistency when heat sealing the components together, thus preserving the taste and aroma of the enclosed coffee.
IMA Coffee Lab validated the new solution by conducting compatibility testing on the rigid capsules, filter, and top lidding films. The sophisticated microleakage detection testing performed at IMA Coffee Lab helped identify and achieve the optimal material sealing parameters and limits for the compostable components to ensure reliable performance when brewing pods. IMA was also able to define the suitable setup of IMA packaging machineries to handle the assembly, filling, and sealing of the pods successfully at commercial line speeds.
IMA Coffee, a global manufacturer of coffee handling, processing, and packaging technologies, in partnership with a PLA producer, developed a solution that delivers high-quality brewing performance, can be produced at commercial speeds matching incumbents, and is made from compostable, biobased materials.
The partnership developed a simpler compostable coffee pod solution and supply chain. For the rigid capsule body, the PLA producer was able to combine non-compounded, highly crystalline, and heat resistant PLA grades with a refined single-stage thermoforming process to achieve production rates comparable to incumbent polypropylene (PP) capsules. The rigid thermoformed capsule was then combined with a nonwoven filter and multi-layer top lidding solution also made with PLA. The use of one primary material through all three components of a coffee pod is more cost-effective and offers greater consistency when heat sealing the components together, thus preserving the taste and aroma of the enclosed coffee.
IMA Coffee Lab validated the new solution by conducting compatibility testing on the rigid capsules, filter, and top lidding films. The sophisticated microleakage detection testing performed at IMA Coffee Lab helped identify and achieve the optimal material sealing parameters and limits for the compostable components to ensure reliable performance when brewing pods. IMA was also able to define the suitable setup of IMA packaging machineries to handle the assembly, filling, and sealing of the pods successfully at commercial line speeds.
