Kaffe Bueno

Scenario

More than 2 billion coffee cups are consumed each year, but 91 percent of the bean is discarded after the drink is extracted. This waste represents an environmental threat, but also an economic opportunity if addressed in a circular way. Kaffe Bueno, founded by three Colombian entrepreneurs in Denmark, has chosen to reuse spent coffee grounds into high-value ingredients for functional foods, cosmetics, and supplements. Their approach demonstrates how it is possible to redefine the concept of food waste, turning it into a resource through a bio-refining system inspired by natural cycles.

Description

Kaffe Bueno is an innovative startup focused on coffee grounds valorization through green technologies and fermentation, separation and extraction processes. Specifically, it extracts:

• KAFFOIL™: cosmetic oil derived from coffee lipids.
• KAFFIBRE™: gluten-free dietary fiber with high protein content.
• KAFFLOUR™: functional flour rich in insoluble fiber.

The products are destined for companies in the food, cosmetics and nutraceutical sectors. In this way, Kaffe Bueno converts a by-product of the coffee system back into a multifunctional resource, reducing environmental impacts and creating economic value.

Their urban biorefinery in Copenhagen is a replicable model of small-scale industrial symbiosis. They became a certified B Corp in 2019, demonstrating social and environmental commitment.

The startup was also selected among the 50 most promising European FoodTechs.

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