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British coffee brand Halo launches the world's first rapidly degradable coffee capsule

Published: 2026-02-27 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/02/27, In recent years, the market of capsule coffee has developed rapidly, and it is estimated that by 2020, the sales of coffee capsules will surpass that of instant coffee and ground coffee. However, behind the popularity of coffee capsules is an environmental hazard: most of the packaging left after the use of coffee capsules has not been properly handled. Halo, a newly founded British eco-coffee brand, is determined to change this situation, they point out

In recent years, the capsule coffee market has grown rapidly, and it is expected that by 2020, coffee capsule sales will surpass instant coffee and ground coffee. However, behind the popularity of coffee capsules is an environmental hazard: most coffee capsules are left in packaging that is not properly disposed of.

Halo, a newly founded British eco-coffee brand, is determined to change this situation, pointing out that the number of coffee capsules containing aluminum or plastic produced every year is well over 20 billion, and the environmental pollution associated with it is not easy to underestimate. Halo is founded by Nils Leonard, a former creative executive at Gray London who was named Bloomberg's "Most Creative People of 2015." "In the next few years, proper disposal of coffee capsule waste will become a business imperative," Nils said.

To address this issue, Halo has launched the world's first "fully degradable capsule coffee", which is compatible with Nespresso, a home capsule coffee machine owned by Nestle.

Currently, there are not a few coffee capsules on the market claiming to be degradable, but these coffee capsules usually need to be sent to professional facilities for processing. Halo's coffee capsules, even if left in the kitchen trash, can be completely degraded in 90 days. The aluminum used in typical coffee capsules takes 150 to 200 years to degrade. Richard Hardwick, another co-founder of Halo and a former judge of the British Barista Championship, says he can even grow tomatoes in the degraded coffee capsule waste.

Halo itself is positioned as a high-end product, its coffee powder is blended from a variety of rare coffees such as Kopi Lawak Diamond, Panamanian Geisha, Royal Kona and Three Mountain, and then roasted by Italian Antica Tostatura Triestina coffee machine.

As a result, Halo's pre-sale price is relatively high: a box is priced at £ 10 and contains 10 capsules. The typical retail price for a Nespresso coffee capsule is about £ 0.3 to £ 0.4. In addition to home consumers, Halo is also targeting corporate customers like luxury hotels and fine restaurants, a platform Halo hopes to use to spread the idea of eco-coffee.

Richard Hardwick said: "Most people do not understand the damage coffee capsules can cause to the environment, aluminum and plastic coffee capsules are difficult to recycle, so most of the waste produced by coffee capsules ends up in garbage cans, and up to 75% of the total coffee capsules are currently sent to landfills." No one has been able to solve this problem before us. I have been in the coffee business for many years and this degradable coffee capsule is the best result I have ever made."

The other two Halo co-founders are Andrew Richardson, former Nespresso business director, and professional barista David Foster.

Halo coffee beans are sold exclusively through its website.