A joint strategic partnership aimed at expanding the market for “K-Cup” compatible, compostable single-serve coffee pods in North America has US PLA specialist NatureWorks (Minnetonka, Minnesota; www.natureworksllc.com) teaming up with Italian coffee processor and packager IMA Coffee (Bologna; www.ima.it).

The companies said the multi-year partnership seeks to deliver a turn-key compostable coffee-pod solution to the entire coffee industry and joins NatureWorks’ expertise with compostable materials, formulations and processing technology with IMA’s competencies and application-specific know-how for coffee handling, processing and packaging.

The pressure on the single-serve coffee market to make progress towards sustainable packaging has grown significantly, the partners said, noting that while consumers appreciate the convenience of capsules, they see the packaging waste associated with the systems. “At NatureWorks, we’ve seen tremendous interest in compostable single-serve pods,” said Flavio Di Marcotullio, the company’s global industry manager. “Brand owners and roasters are responding to both consumer demands for more sustainable packaging and to circular economy directives.”