Club Coffee PurPod 100
Breakthrough Ingenuity.
Loved and Loathed: Coffee Pods
The single serve coffee pod has been a tremendous success. Consumers love it. What no one loves is the environmental impact of the non-recyclable used coffee pods. "I feel bad sometimes that I ever did it," John Sylvan, the coffee pod inventor told The Atlantic in an interview. Why? The billions of used coffee pods are a serious environmental problem that created a major consumer backlash.
Winning the Market Race for an Environmental Alternative
To solve the environmental problem, renowned innovator, Club Coffee stepped up to the plate and partnering with scientists at the University of Guelph, proposed the idea of creating a compostable, bio-resin coffee pod.
Turning a clever vision into a reality is another matter.
While some packaging companies declined to accept the challenge of turning theory into reality, Fourmark welcomed it.
Getting it Right the 50th Time
There were challenges and the idea didn’t just roll off the assembly line overnight. First, there was the challenge to develop the appropriate tooling. There were temperature tolerance challenges, consistency challenges and even challenges getting various government jurisdictions to recognize and accept the validity of the product as being a true, compostable product.
Scientists Devise Idea of Chaff Bio-Resin
The University of Guelph was the science partner who devised the bio-resin formulation but turning their theory into reality wasn't simple. Early samples were either too brittle or could not stand up to temperature variances. There were a myriad of factors to be addressed before the vision of a compostable bio resin coffee pod could be turned into a market reality.
"Our company and customers challenge the notion that convenience packaging is a justification for waste," said Galen Weston, Executive Chairman and President, Loblaw Companies Limited. "We expect this product launch and the Canadian innovation behind it will re-invent the category, helping our customers to enjoy their coffee without sacrificing their commitment to the environment."
Lablaws News Release
Biodegradable Coffee Pods Taking-off
To say Club Coffee's innovation is building business would be an understatement. Major coffee brands across North America are jumping on the bandwagon to provide their customers with an environmentally friendly alternative. Guilt free coffee again. Congratulation Club Coffee.
Another Ingenious Fourmark PAC Award Winner
Brand and Sales Building Innovations