Keurig has brewed up a new kind of coffee pod: First look at the plastic-free Alta brewing system
The history of in-home coffee making is a story in and of itself. Over the past century, home coffee brewing has evolved from simmering pots and boiled water to percolators and, in the 1970s, the automatic drip machine, which became a fixture of modern kitchens. But then the industry saw another shake-up with the introduction of single-serve coffee, which hit the mainstream when Keurig introduced…
Keurig, the popular coffee maker, is set to unveil a new, eco-friendly coffee pod system called Keurig Alta. The company has been working on this innovation for several years, aiming to remove plastic and aluminum from their single-cup brewing system. The new system, unveiled at the end of September, features pods called AltaRounds, which are fully compostable and do not use any plastic or metal.
These pods are essentially small, hockey puck-like shapes made of pressed coffee and espresso, wrapped in a proprietary, plant-based coating. They will come in six flavors, including two espressos, two other Keurig-branded coffees, and a caramel-flavored option, all produced by Peet's Coffee, which Keurig recently acquired. The Alta system also has the capability to brew espresso drinks and barista-style beverages, adding to its versatility.
The new pods represent a significant engineering feat after years of trial and error, and the system is backward-compatible, meaning it can still use the old K-Cups initially. Phil Drapeau, SVP of future coffee systems at Keurig Dr Pepper, explained that the company was driven by a need to innovate and stay ahead in the single-cup coffee category, anticipating the changing preferences of consumers.
The development of the Alta system began in 2020, with the initial focus on the new pods, which required close collaboration between design and engineering teams. The breakthrough came with the discovery of a suitable plant-based coating made from seaweed, licensed from Swiss company CoffeeB.
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