In response to the current push for sustainability in the coffee industry, Jet Technologies has teamed up with Australian coffee roaster, Grinders Coffee, to change up its packaging so that it meets the requirements of the RED Group’s REDcycle initiative.
In September 2020, REDcycle expanded the range of plastics it accepted to include multiple layers – meaning coffee packaging made up of plastic layers could meet the criteria.
As part of the new project, Grinders worked alongside Jet Technologies to improve the sustainability profile of its products – switching out its old coffee packaging for fully recyclable coffee bags.
A range of Grinders coffee products are now eligible to be recycled at REDcycle drop-off and collection points, which are found at many major supermarkets across Australia.
“We now have seven products in the Grinders Coffee range that will participate in the recycling project, with each product labelled to identify its compatibility with REDcycle,” Grinders Coffee head of supply chain Nitin Hurgobin said.
“The REDcycle program is a true product stewardship model where manufacturers, retailers and consumers are sharing responsibility in creating a sustainable future, and we are very happy to be able to participate in it by improving the recyclability of our own coffee packaging.”
Hurgobin added that by working together to initiate their participation in the REDcycle program, both Jet Technologies and Grinders are paving the way to encourage more businesses in the packaging space to recalibrate their sustainability profile to support organisations such as RED Group.
“The coffee industry has long been heading into the direction of recyclability, with the focus up to this point being on removing single use take-away coffee cups and sustainable agriculture of the coffee product,” he said.
“However, coffee packaging has been an ongoing challenge due to the types of materials traditionally used not being recyclable. REDcycle has really worked to tackle this issue by diversifying its recyclability standards, as well as making collection points more accessible to consumers, and we are seeing a lot more environmentally-conscious consumers as a result.”
Additionally, Grinders has switched to compostable coffee capsules as part of the new initiative.
“As a leader in the Australian coffee industry, Grinders is making meaningful changes when it comes to sustainability, which goes much farther than just adding a label,” Jet Technologies director Daniel Malki said.
“Grinders has really looked at the whole sustainability picture – from the ingredients in its coffee right through to the packaging used to store and keep it fresh, and we hope many more businesses in the coffee industry follow in their footsteps.”
