Solinatra, a Rosiro Group company, produces capsules with high oxygen and water vapour barrier properties, to safeguard product freshness.
The company embarked on the development of the compostable capsule to combat the problem of plastic waste - a problem to which conventional coffee capsules contribute. More than 70 billion single serve coffee capsules were sold worldwide in 2022 – enough to circle the planet 51 times. Plastic and aluminium capsules need to have their lid and the coffee grounds removed before they can be washed and recycled. Coffee capsules made of Solinatra can be included with food waste collections, making it easy for consumers to properly dispose of their capsules, which are then, in the proper facilities, turned into high-quality fertiliser.
The Nespresso-compatible capsules made from Solinatra contain zero fossil-derived ingredients, the company said. Patented processes transform plant waste from harvested crops and agricultural by-products into a biopolymer that runs in standard injection moulding machinery.
There are currently four grades of Solinatra now available, all of which are suitable for processing by injection moulding. Earlier this year, the company announced it was working on the development of a thermoforming grade, in a project co-funded by the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK.
