Innovation & Technology

Foodtech Innovators Spill the Beans on Climate-Proofing Coffee

These two startups are fundamentally changing how coffee is produced — by eliminating the need for beans altogether, and repurposing food waste along the way.

By Roberto Guerra | Published 4 months ago | About a 5 minute read

Image: Atomo Coffee

The time has come when we can no longer ignore our unhealthy relationship with one of our favorite beverages: Coffee.

According to Oxford University’s Our World in Data, coffee is one of the top-five crops when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. And coffee cultivation requires enormous amounts of land, which contributes to deforestation — approximately one square inch of rainforest is destroyed for every cup of coffee consumed — particularly, in tropical areas where most of the world’s species can be found.

So, as is the case with a growing number of other popular commodities, coffee — and coffee lovers — will soon have to adapt for it to remain a staple in our climate-changing world.

The industry has already set to work on this front — Starbucks has been busy developing climate-resistant coffee tree varietals and researchers at VTT have added the brew to the growing list of foods that could pivot from land-grown to lab-grown cultivation.

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And, of course, the startup world is brewing solutions of its own: Sustainable Brands® (SB) spoke with two companies that are fundamentally changing how coffee is produced — by eliminating the need for beans altogether, and repurposing food waste along the way.

Prefer

L-R: Prefer co-founders Jake Berber and Ding Jie Tan | Image credit: Vulcan Post

Founded in late 2022, Singapore-based bean-free coffee startup Prefer makes coffee without coffee beans to future-proof coffee from climate change.

As co-founder and CTO Ding Jie Tan told SB: “We ferment bread, soy and barley to create coffee flavors — to create an affordable, delicious and sustainable alternative.”

Tan elaborated on some more facts by expressing how While 1 kg of coffee generates 29 kg of CO2-eq in greenhouse gas emissions, “By early estimates, Prefer generates ~10x less,” Tan said. “We also upcycle food manufacturing byproducts — thus, reducing food waste.”

For now, Prefer products — including its bottled Oat Milk Latte — can be found at over 20 cafes across Singapore. In February, the startup landed a $2M boost in investment funding — which the company says it will use to increase the capacity of its production facility and expand throughout the Asia-Pacific region, initially focusing on Singapore and the Philippines.

Atomo

Image credit: Atomo Coffee

Meanwhile, Seattle-based Atomo Coffee has also gone the bean-less route: Founded in 2019, the startup has developed a sustainable alternative that’s “sourced from widely available, upcycled ingredients and farm-grown superfoods,” COO Ed Hoehn told SB.

“Traditional coffee is in trouble,” Hoehn said. “Global demand continues to grow while supply is predicted to drop significantly over the next 30 years. Atomo is positioned to be a game-changer in the coffee market as we are not under the same supply chain constraints and pricing impacts of traditional coffee. Initially, we are seeing great interest — particularly among eco-conscious consumers and those interested in innovative food products.”

As Hoehn explained: “Instead of traditional coffee beans, we use a combination of upcycled and superfood-based ingredients and cutting-edge food science to create the taste, aroma and mouthfeel of conventional coffee.”

Hoehn said Atomo’s development process began by “identifying the key compounds in other farm-grown ingredients that contribute to the distinctive flavors and aromas of coffee. These compounds are then derived from sustainable, natural sources like date pits, chicory, fenugreek and sunflower seed extract — which we bring together to essentially recreate the green coffee bean profile.

“We then roast the ingredients in a coffee roaster to craft the complex profile of a perfect cup of coffee. This approach not only provides a great coffee experience but also significantly reduces the environmental impact associated with traditional coffee farming.”

The company validated the environmental benefits of its bean-less coffee over conventional through a partnership with HowGood — an independent research company and SaaS platform that provides sustainability intelligence for food companies — which confirmed that Atomo’s regular espresso has 83 percent less carbon emissions and uses 70 percent less farmland compared to conventional coffee.

In late 2023, Atomo received a multimillion-dollar investment from Japanese beverage giant Suntory — so, expect to see more from the brand soon. In the meantime, Atomo espresso can be found at cafes and shops across the US and its ground “Remix” drip coffee (a blend of 50 percent bean-less coffee and 50 percent Arabica) is available for purchase through its website.

Challenges

One of the greatest challenges to alternative coffee production goes beyond the technicalities of producing it at scale: Consumer acceptance could prove an even bigger hurdle.

“Educating consumers and industry stakeholders about the benefits and unique qualities of bean-less coffee requires considerable effort,” Hoehn admitted. “We must navigate these challenges carefully to continue to achieve widespread acceptance and integration of bean-less coffee into the market.”

Tan acknowledged a similar challenge for Prefer: “Consumer acceptance and awareness remain one of our biggest obstacles. While coffee substitutes are not new, our approach to bean-free coffee is relatively novel. We've been working to educate coffee drinkers about Prefer.”

The future of coffee

Whether or not the coffee industry embraces bean-less ways of producing one of the world’s favorite beverages at the scale needed to ensure its availability in a climate-changed future remains to be seen; but considering the ever-increasing incidences of massive crop shortages and deaths (including coffee beans), it seems to have no choice but to adapt.

“The coffee industry is deeply rooted in tradition, yet increasingly influenced by sustainability and innovation,” Hoehn pointed out. “This dual identity can sometimes create friction as we introduce revolutionary products like our bean-less coffee, but it also presents a unique opportunity to preserve the future of coffee in a way that honors its rich history while embracing necessary change.”

Roberto Guerra

Roberto Guerra is a bilingual writer, editor, entrepreneur, corporate engagement and communications specialist, and US Air Force veteran with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Universidad de la Sabana (Bogota, Colombia) and an International Master in Sustainable Development and Corporate Responsibility from EOI Business School (Madrid, Spain). Born in New York and raised in Florida, Roberto is former managing director for the Spanish-language version of vegan business magazine "vegconomist" and is also author of three novels. He has lived, worked and studied on four different continents.

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