PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HALO
The recycling of coffee capsules is a contentious issue. Of the 13,500 capsule coffees consumed every minute, only 21% of them are recycled worldwide. And approximately 114,155 capsules end up in landfill every minute. In New Zealand alone, it’s estimated that just 4% of coffee capsules end up in recycling.
These alarming statistics mean that to date across the globe, there is an estimated 60 billion plastic and aluminium coffee capsules in places like the landfill and the ocean where they will remain for up to 500 years.
It’s therefore clear that people are not utilising the correct recycling programmes available for capsules. Unless an effort is made to get these capsules to the proper facilities where they are taken apart, washed out and processed, the capsules can’t and won’t be recycled.
This is why Halo was formed, creating the world’s first Nespresso® compatible and 100% compostable paper capsule made from sugar cane and paper pulp. Wherever Halo capsules end up, they won’t be there long, breaking down and allowing the nutrient-rich coffee grounds to become fertile soil for plants to be grown in.
Halo also strives to bring people great-tasting coffee. Their signature bespoke blend, Three Mountain, is sourced from three of the highest peaks in the world. Their single-origin from Colombia, Pacamara, is a rare variety often used in the World Barista Championships. And their decaffeinated coffee, Halo Minus, is from the forests of Kaffa in Ethiopia.
“We wanted to leave a bigger impression on the world than our waste does, and we wanted to do it while drinking the world’s best coffees.”
And the feedback from New Zealanders with sophisticated palates has been positive: they’re enjoying the high quality, low acidity and low bitterness coffees that are associated with Halo while appreciating the strength.
Amanda Jackson, the exclusive distributor of Halo New Zealand, has been on a journey to zero waste for a few years. She noticed very quickly that her “biodegradable” coffee capsules were not breaking down in the compost because ultimately, they were still made of plastic.
Trialling several alternatives and looking into zero-waste capsules, Jackson found out about Halo as they were finishing their R&D and reached out to partner with them in New Zealand.
Jackson says “The Halo product has gone beyond zero waste into circular economy mode; re-using waste by-products, recycled paper and card, and nothing plastic or harmful, so when they break down in the compost there are zero plastic or bioplastics particles. They also pay and work directly with the farmers.”
New Zealand customers can receive a 10% discount upon subscribing to Halo coffee, they reap the benefits of a Halo points system, and there is also a Zero Waste to Landfill option for consumers who don’t have access to compost or worm bins. There’s also the ability at checkout to plant a tree in New Zealand through partner One Tree Partner to offset the carbon footprint of shipping Halo capsules to New Zealand. We love that!
Find out more at nz.halo.coffee and follow them on Instagram at @nzhalocoffee.
