The move towards a more sustainable future has inspired some of the wildest food ideas. From meat made from beetle larvae to lab-grown protein, it seems as if anything is possible when you have science, creativity, and of course, a lot of money. The latest sustainability-led innovation has the potential to shake up the coffee industry.
According to Reuters, Atomo Coffee is a Beyond Meat-backed company that has found a way to put an intriguing twist on your traditional cup of joe. Appropriately based in Seattle, which is considered by many to be the coffee capital of America, Atomo Coffee has invented the world’s first beanless coffee.
Enthusiastic investors have already given $51.6 million to the company. The beanless coffee is made using superfoods and upcycled ingredients that mimic the molecular structure of coffee. How closely it resembles the real thing? For over 50 million dollars, I’d bet it comes pretty darn close.
Atomo Coffee was inspired by a desire to reduce our carbon footprint. The world is heating up, which has impacted farming worldwide. As a result, coffee farmers that grow premium beans have begun removing nearby forests in search of more fertile soil. Studies have proven that by 2050, almost half of the land used to grow coffee will be unusable.
According to Atomo’s CEO and co-founder Andy Kleitsch, “Coffee is causing deforestation at a pretty alarming rate — almost up to ten (New York) Central Parks a day. We’re talking about a machine, a coffee machine that’s never stopping, always looking for more land, and that's what we’re trying to prevent.”
As an example of the advantages of beanless coffee, Atomo Coffee’s initial “proof-of-concept” cold brew resulted in a 93% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the traditional brewing method. It also uses 94% less water than regular coffee. If you’re still skeptical about beanless coffee, the company's new machine was named one of the 200 best inventions of 2022 by Time Magazine.
Atomo Coffee is currently only available in New York City, and for wholesale, or you can stop by Gumption Coffee in Midtown to see what all the beanless hype is about.
