These two startups are fundamentally changing how coffee is produced — by
eliminating the need for beans altogether, and repurposing food waste along the
way.
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.
Preserving rice for generations to come through regenerative water-use practices
Hear how Mars and its Ben's Original brand are working with Delta Harvest to greatly reduce water use in rice cultivation while improving crop yields, at the SB Regenerative Ag Summit — Thursday, Oct. 17, at SB'24 San Diego.
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.”
Published Jul 15, 2024 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST
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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