Waldner North America (WNA) has partnered with coffee company Cambio Roasters to unveil the first aluminum coffee pods for Keurig brewers, referred to as K-cups. Under the leadership of Kevin Hartley, former Chief Innovation Officer at Keurig Green Mountain, Cambio Roasters is leveraging Waldner’s custom-engineered filling and sealing equipment to efficiently package these delicate aluminum cups.
The introduction of aluminum K-cups in the North American market marks a pivotal leap toward sustainability. Hartley emphasizes that daily, 40 million plastic coffee pods contribute to landfills and oceans. In contrast, aluminum can be recycled indefinitely, with over 60% of all aluminum ever produced still remaining in circulation.
Furthermore, the new coffee pods enhance product quality significantly. Aluminum serves as a superior barrier against oxygen, light, and moisture compared to plastic. This quality ensures the coffee’s aroma, flavor, and freshness are preserved for an extended period.
“Our landfills are growing at an alarming rate, so we knew we needed to introduce recyclable aluminium pods quickly. There’s also no sense in compromising the quality of the world’s best organic coffees — expertly roasted and curated — by placing them in a porous plastic vessel,” Hartley stated. “To bring the aluminium K-cups to the market, we needed a partner experienced in sustainable packaging solutions, who could provide highly efficient machinery to handle the cups seamlessly. Waldner proved to be the right partner.”
Collaboration in Innovation
Julian Stauffer, CEO of WNA, noted that Waldner’s engineers in both Germany and North America collaborated closely with Cambio Roasters to devise a recyclable and compostable packaging solution tailored for Keurig brewing systems. This innovative approach guarantees reliability throughout the aluminum K-cup supply chain, from material sourcing and production to post-brewing recyclability.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Cambio Roasters. We share a strong commitment to advancing sustainability in the food and beverage industry and a sense of urgency to drive meaningful change,” Stauffer expressed. “It’s been an incredible journey since Kevin and his team approached us with the vision of creating the first aluminium K-cups. The process involved extensive work on both packaging materials and equipment design, along with numerous tests, until we achieved the ideal solution for these innovative cups. We’re excited to be part of such a groundbreaking product.”
Headquartered in Germany, Waldner has spearheaded numerous initiatives over the past 50 years aimed at enhancing environmentally friendly practices within the food packaging industry. This includes developing technologies designed to minimize waste and boost efficiency. The company specializes in custom-engineered food and drink packaging systems and is globally recognized for its precision in filling accuracy and cutting-edge sealing technology.
