NatureWorks and IMA
Coffee Entered into Joint Venture for Compostable Coffee Pods
April 29 - 2021
Coffee Geography Magazine
NatureWorks, a manufacturer of low-carbon
Ingeo PLA biopolymers, and coffee handler, processor and packager,IMA Coffee,
announced that they have entered into a joint strategic partnership aimed at
accelerating the market for high-performing K-Cup compatible compostable
single-serve coffee pods in North America. Compostable capsules create the
opportunity to not only address consumer concerns and divert the packaging away
from landfills, but, perhaps more importantly, to recover the used coffee
grounds, enabling their processing at a compost facility where they deliver
nutrients to the final compost.
Coffee capsules are complex structures where
the capsule body, lidding and filter must be precisely designed to deliver a
consistently high-quality brewing experience. Before the capsules even reach
consumers, it’s critical that these components perform well during assembly and
filling as well as on the shelf and during brewing. By bringing together
NatureWorks’ materials and applications knowledge with IMA’s machinery
expertise, the partnership aims to deliver a turnkey compostable coffee pod
solution to the entire coffee industry making it simple to have a great cup of
coffee and dispose of the used pod in the most sustainable way possible.
Flavio Di Marcotullio, global industry manager for NatureWorks
“At NatureWorks, we’ve seen tremendous
interest in compostable single-serve pods,” says Flavio Di Marcotullio, global
industry manager for NatureWorks. “Brand owners and roasters are responding to
both consumer demands for more sustainable packaging and to circular economy directives
that specify compostable packaging as a key enabler of recovering food waste
for compost. To continue supporting this growth, we saw the opportunity to
partner with IMA as they have long helped the single-serve coffee market
implement innovative new packaging technologies and have a long-term commitment
towards sustainable solutions.”
Nicola Panzani, IMA Coffee sales manager and IMA Coffee Petroncini CEO
“NOP (No-Plastic Program) means we promote
eco-friendly plastic substitutes for the packages manufactured on IMA machines.
Through the research and testing of alternative processes and materials,
together with our partners, we foster plastic-free and sustainable, compostable
packaging solutions. IMA has also established the Open Lab where Material
Technologists study, develop and test compostable and recyclable materials to
be used on our packaging equipment,” says Nicola Panzani, IMA Coffee sales
manager and IMA Coffee Petroncini CEO.