CoffeeFrom

Scenario

The global coffee supply chain produces huge amounts of biomass. In fact, only 200 kg of green beans are obtained from one ton of coffee cherries, while the remaining 95-99% of the fruit becomes organic waste. As a result, each year, the process from cherry to cup generates between 34 and 39 million tons of organic material, including husks, pulp, parchment, silverskin, and spent grounds.

Among these residues, coffee grounds are a major source of waste, with about 7 to 8 million tons produced annually, mainly by coffee shops and food industries. If not recovered, such waste ends up in landfills, where it releases CO₂ and methane, significantly exacerbating the climate impact of the supply chain.

To address these critical issues, the Center for Circular Economy in Coffee (C4CEC), an international platform promoting a circular economy model for coffee, was created. Specifically, the Center encourages synergies between companies, researchers and institutions, with the goal of transforming waste into valuable resources, generating economic, environmental and social value throughout the value chain.

In this context, Coffeefrom, an active member of C4CEC, stands out as a concrete example of regenerative innovation. In fact, the Italian startup gives new life to spent coffee grounds, transforming them into sustainable materials and durable objects, demonstrating how a traditionally undervalued waste can become a high-value resource.

Description

Coffeefrom is an Italian startup that has developed an innovative material obtained from coffee grounds, transforming them into cups, vases, packaging and furniture accessories. In addition, the project was born from the encounter between sustainable design, technology and the culture of reuse, basing its approach on the idea of aneconomy of return, in which nothing is wasted and everything is regenerated.

In particular, the company is collaborating with important entities in the food sector to collect waste, especially roasters and food companies, thus enhancing the entire coffee supply chain. In addition, in partnership with the Milan Polytechnic University, Coffeefrom has filed a patent application for theextraction of nanocellulose from coffee grounds, used in the production of bio-based thermoplastic materials.

As a result of this approach, the company produces materials such as Coffeefrom Bio, Coffeefrom Eco and Coffeefrom Strong, designed for different production areas-from packaging to design to automotive-all of which share anatural aesthetic and reduced environmental impact.

Ultimately, Coffeefrom demonstrates that even an everyday gesture like drinking coffee can contribute to a new model of circular economy, where innovation, sustainability and beauty meet, generating lasting value for people and the environment.

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