Nestlé's Nespresso Plans To Pilot Paper Capsules In Europe

Many major companies have been making strides over the past few years to make their products more environmentally friendly. Businesses like New Belgium Brewing Company have switched to sustainable vendors, and Numi Organic Tea committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2023 (via Grow Ensemble). Working to become a more sustainable, environmentally friendly company is not only expected, but slowly but surely becoming a reality for many businesses.

One of the companies making steps to go green is Nestlé's Nespresso. Based in Lausanne, Switzerland, Nespresso is a premium coffee brand specializing in capsuled espresso machines where all you have to do is snap in the pre-made brews. The Perfect Daily Grind says that Nespresso was created in 1986 as a way to pull consistent espresso shots using the brand's specialized machines and coffee blends, but an environmental issue arose. All those little coffee capsules add up to a lot of plastic waste. Consumer Reports estimates that at least 64.6 million used coffee pods are thrown out or recycled every day and Nestlé's Nespresso intends to do something about it.

Everyone needs to be taking steps to save the environment these days, we only have one planet after all! According to a press release, 85% of consumers have been putting their money where their mouth is and purchasing more environmentally friendly goods in recent years, and large companies are following suit. Nestlé Nespresso is taking the plunge and adjusting how their pods are being made. Food Dive reports that Nespresso will be releasing new paper-based capsules in France and Switzerland starting in the early months of 2023. 

Currently, Nespresso's capsules are made of aluminum, which they recycle at specific collection points around the globe and convert into recycled material used to make objects like soda cans, car engines, computers, or even other Nespresso capsules (via Nespresso). According to Nestlé, these new compostable, paper-based capsules are made from compressed wood fiber pulp, which can be discarded in the regular trash bins and don't have to be recycled at specific sites, which can be out of the way and an extra hassle for some Nespresso drinkers.