Nespresso takes recycling up a gear

Nespresso has partnered with Swedish bike start-up Vélosophy to manufacture bicycles made from recycled aluminium coffee capsules. The bike, named the Re:Cycle, went on sale on the 12 August for €1290 (about US$1433). Vélosophy is producing 1000 of these limited-edition bikes from 300,000 recycled Nespresso capsules, or roughly 300 capsules per bike. Since the capsules are made from aluminium, Nespresso says the metal can be melted down and reused indefinitely. “Through our collaboration with Vélosophy, we’re illustrating to coffee lovers the potential of recycling their aluminium Nespresso capsules,” Nespresso CEO Jean-Marc Duvoisin says. “We have been inspired by working with Vélosophy, and I hope the Re:Cycle bicycle inspires people to recycle.” Jimmy Östholm, CEO of Vélosophy, says the company partnered with Nespresso because of its efforts to be environmentally conscious. “I see in Nespresso a strong commitment to sustainability, which is why this has been a dream partnership,” Östholm says. Nespresso has a long history of recycling initiatives. The company opened its first recycling scheme in Switzerland in 1991 and invests roughly CHf40 million (about US$40.96 million) a year in the program. Today, the scheme is available in more than 53 countries with more than 100,000 drop-off points to door-step collections and mail-back schemes. The design of the bike takes cues from the Nespresso pods that make it. The colour is inspired by Nespresso’s Arpeggio capsules, the bike’s bell is shaped like a pod, and the front basket has a coffee holder.  Vélosophy launched in 2016 with a focus on ethical production. The company claims to be the “only bicycle brand in the world [with] a one-for-one program”, where for each bike they sell or rent out, another is donated to a schoolgirl in Africa.  For more information, visit www.nestle-nespresso.com Follow Global Coffee Report on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for up-to-date news and analysis of the global coffee industry.