Coming truly “full circle”, Swedish roaster Löfbergs is collaborating with 3D print entrepreneur Sculptur to transform coffee production waste into brand new coffee stations.
The collaboration is part of Löfbergs’ Circular Coffee Community initiative and pursuit of zero coffee waste by 2030. The world’s first 3D printed waste-based coffee station is already in operation and more are underway.
“Our goal is to make all activities related to growing, processing and consuming coffee 100 percent circular, eliminating all waste throughout our supply chain by 2030,” says Lars Aaen Thøgersen, the company’s recently appointed Chief Innovation and Circular Transformation Officer.
“Our new coffee station is a prime example of circularity, upcycling leftovers from the processing of our own primary raw material, coffee, to create a brand-new and related sustainable product.”
Lars also considers the coffee station an example to follow when it comes to collaboration.
“We are very well aware that we cannot achieve our ambition of circular transformation and eliminating all waste by ourselves. We need playmates and partners for developing both ideas and products,” he says.
Therefore, Löfbergslaunched The Circular Coffee Community (CCC) inviting customers, suppliers, researchers, and others to take part in the circular transformation of the coffee industry.
Sculptur specialises in 3D printing using recycled materials. CEO Glenn Mattsing is excited to be part of the Circular Coffee Community and joining forces with Löfbergs.
“Using silver skin, which is a bi-product from the coffee roasting process and polypropene we have been able to create a durable material and a cool design for the coffee stations. Further development will allow us to use polypropene from recycled coffee big bags making the coffee stations close to 100 percent circular,” he says.
The first circular coffee station is already set up at the Lilla ICA Lindvallen supermarket in Sälen, Sweden.