Amidst the routine pleasure of savouring coffee’s comforting presence, a less palatable reality surfaces — its significant waste footprint. Whether in business meetings or moments of solitude, the impact of coffee extends beyond the cup. This waste, which costs businesses significantly and contributes to emissions, often flows under the radar.

Among the companies addressing this problem is Coffeefrom, which navigates the intricate landscape of coffee waste with a practical approach. Operating within a circular economy framework, the Italian startup takes discarded coffee grounds (the dregs remaining after brewing coffee) and transforms them into valuable products.

From Expo 2015 to circular innovation: The birth of Coffeefrom

Coffeefrom’s roots go back to Il Giardinone, a Milan-based social enterprise in environmental service, which began its venture into the circular economy during Expo 2015. In collaboration with Lavazza, Novamont, and the Polytechnic of Turin, Il Giardinone initiated a research project aimed at repurposing coffee grounds for mushroom cultivation — a concept that later materialised into the self-production kit, Fungo Box, in 2016.

In 2019, Coffeefrom emerged as a distinct project, channelling industrial coffee grounds into a new realm — recycled and bio-based materials. This change supports environmental sustainability and reflects Coffeefrom’s approach to an industrial model where various skills converge seamlessly.

Coffeefrom turns coffee grounds, usually destined for landfills, into innovative products crafted from bio-based or recycled materials, all within a 100 per cent made-in-Italy supply chain.

The product line, developed in collaboration with supply chain partners using injection moulding and 3D printing, includes tableware, packaging, and writing instruments.

The process starts with obtaining post-industrial coffee, meticulously handled at Coffeefrom’s facilities. Working with a compounding partner, the treated coffee seamlessly blends with the base polymer, creating three unique Coffeefrom materials. Once the pellets are compounded, anything can be printed through injection moulding.

“We created coffee cups and saucers to exemplify the characteristics of our first material, Coffeefrom Bio. The coffee cup is a design object that embodies the aim of Coffeefrom: giving circularity to a material that is generally thrown away at the end of its life. From coffee to coffee,” said Rita Bonucchi, Co-Founder and International Development of Coffefrom.

The global bioplastics market is projected to grow at a robust CAGR of 18.8 per cent from 2023 to 2030, indicating substantial daily expansion for Coffeefrom.

This growth is substantiated by global environmental objectives, promoting the shift to recycled and bio-based materials to minimise environmental impact in both production processes and final products, creating a favourable landscape for Coffeefrom’s future endeavours.

“Our materials are a solution to these challenges, and in the next years, we are planning on bringing to the market materials that are even more environmentally friendly and present a higher percentage of recycled coffee inside,” said Bonucchi.

Revenue model: From finished products to material supply

“At the beginning of our journey, we were primarily concentrated on selling our finished design product, but today, this stream has become less central, as our focus has shifted more towards delivering our materials to the market,” Bonucchi stated.

Currently, Coffeefrom derives revenue from three primary streams: collecting coffee, processing coffee as input, and selling finished thermoplastic materials. In the next years, it plans to industrialise its patent and license it out, creating a new revenue stream.

One of the challenges that Coffeefrom had to navigate involved introducing their solution to corporations typically entrenched in their established practices. The reluctance of companies to experiment with new materials in existing plants due to concerns about potential pipeline contamination or damage posed a hurdle, making the pursuit of innovation more challenging.

On the other hand, altering the waste management system, particularly when the established process has been consistently followed, proves to be a significant challenge. As a startup, Coffeefrom faces limited negotiation power and credibility.

Funding journey: Bootstrapping to seed investment

In 2022, the startup predominantly relied on bootstrapping.

In 2023, Coffeefrom participated in the acceleration programme Terra Next and secured its initial seed investment. This funding round enables the team’s expansion by onboarding key personnel to support the company’s growth while facilitating ongoing tests and materials development.

Bonucchi, looking ahead to the firm’s future plans, expressed, “We aim to broaden our scope by increasing our coffee processing, innovating new materials, and accessing a larger market to scale our positive impact.”

Coffeefrom also participated in the Global Startup Programme organised by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Coffeefrom addresses the substantial waste generated by coffee consumption through a circular economy approach. The startup advances a more sustainable industrial model by repurposing coffee grounds into innovative products. Focused on eco-friendly materials and a sustainability vision, Coffeefrom is a typical example of the intersection of innovation and environmental responsibility.

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Image credit: Coffeefrom

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