Eco-friendly coffee capsules winning people over

Coffee machines at home can now produce cafe-like standards, but for some their daily fix comes with a slice of guilt.

Currently some machines use capsules made of plastic and aluminium
which can end up in landfills if they’re not disposed of properly.

The pods can be recycled with collection points in Wellington and
Auckland where people can drop them off to be properly disposed of. But
that can be a hassle and now two young Auckland entrepreneurs have come
up with an alternative.

Jayden Klinac and Josh Cole have secured the right to distribute a
different, eco-friendly capsule which is compatible with machines
already on the market.

“They’re made of plant fibres and leaf starch so they break down 180
days after you use them, you can put them in the compost, in the worm
farm,” Jayden said.

And while 180 days seems like a long time, it can take 200 years for aluminium to break down.

Orders for the Honest Coffee Company capsules are pouring in, but it
hasn’t been the easiest ride for the small company with competitors
coming into the market and makers changing machines.

And Jayden said a lot of people have a stigma that if it’s good for the environment it doesn’t taste as good.