Keurig is going the sustainable route one puck at a time with their new K-Round coffee pod which is plastic-free, metal-free, and completely biodegradable. It is made out of coffee grounds mixed with food-safe coating of seaweed and then compressed into a little puck.
Forget the aluminum tab at the top or the internal filter to dispose pods afterward. Keurig is going green with this pod as it’s made with edible compostable ingredients. These include cellulose, sodium chloride, sorbitol, and alginate typically harvested from seaweed or algae.
The K-Round is also designed to be versatile and will arrive in four sizes to accommodate various coffee types. It will be available in specialty grinds and sizes to brew espresso, regular coffee, and iced coffee beverages. The rounds will have a code that will allow the brewer to determine the proper extraction profile and pressure to get the optimal flavor according to the type of beans and the roast.
Unopened pods are shelf-stable for up to 6 months. But once opened, they are counter-stable for just 30 days before it begins to lose its flavor or deteriorate. There’s just one caveat. The pods only work with the upcoming Keurig Alta coffee machine, which can automatically adjust temperature, water-level, and brewing time accordingly.
Conveniently, the new machine can brew both the Keurig K-Round and the old plastic K-Cups via separate chambers. Keurig says it will release both new products after fine-tuning them with some customer feedback. It will undergo beta testing this fall and consumers can sign up for the test.
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Images courtesy of Keurig
