As part of its commitment to a greener coffee footprint, F. Gaviña & Sons, Inc., makers of Don Francisco's Coffee and Café La Llave espresso, has expanded its recycling program with international recycling company TerraCycle to include coffee bags. Last year, the company partnered with TerraCycle as part of a zero-waste-to-landfill initiative aimed at providing consumers a free and easy way to recycle Don Francisco's and Café La Llave coffee pods and espresso capsules. To date, that program has kept over 500,000 coffee pods and capsules out of landfills, and more than $10,000 has been raised for charities.
"At F. Gaviña & Sons, Inc. we embrace our responsibility for environmental stewardship so that we can continue to provide high quality products to consumers today and tomorrow," says Lisette Gaviña Lopez, executive marketing director at F. Gaviña & Sons, Inc. "Our company's Direct Impact Initiative is built on the belief that promoting sustainability practices in our business decisions has a direct impact on the lives our coffee touches. But our business and community initiatives aren't enough on their own; the consumer is a critical part of this process, and our partnership with TerraCycle empowers them to participate in these efforts."
Through the Coffee Bag and Pod Recycling Program, consumers can recycle packaging from two F. Gaviña & Sons, Inc. brands — Don Francisco's Coffee and Café La Llave espresso, which include:
- Don Francisco's Single Serve Coffee Pods
- Don Francisco's Espresso Capsules
- Don Francisco's Whole Bean and Ground coffee Bags
- Café La Llave Espresso Style Single Serve Coffee Pods
- Café La Llave Espresso Capsules
The global coffee capsule market is estimated to reach over $14 million by 2027, According to a recent study on the coffee capsule market, with 64% of American adults consuming coffee every day — totaling about 400 million cups daily. With more consumers wanting quick and convenient brewing methods, single-serve coffee pods and espresso capsules have grown in popularity.
"At TerraCycle, we understand American's love affair with a great cup of coffee – we share the sentiment," says Tom Szaky, TerraCycle founder and CEO. "Through the Coffee Bag and Pod Recycling Program, coffee connoisseurs can enjoy their favorite pick-me-up and reduce waste, all without sacrificing the enjoyment of their favorite brew."
Consumers can recycle bags and pods in four steps. Participants can register online for the Coffee Bag and Pod Recycling Program at, collect used bags and pods, print prepaid shipping labels and mail in eligible items directly to TerraCycle for recycling. Once received, the coffee pods, capsule packaging and coffee bags are cleaned and separated by material type, melted and remolded to make new recycled products, while the residual coffee is sent to an industrial composting facility. The Coffee Bag and Pod Recycling Program also gives participants the opportunity to donate to select charitable institutions based on points earned for recycling.
In addition to taking advantage of its recycling program, F. Gaviña & Sons, Inc. encourages consumers to find new ways to reduce, reuse and recycle all coffee products. Cups, capsules, bags, cans and coffee grounds can also be upcycled in a variety of ways. Used coffee grounds can be reused to create homemade body scrubs, and even added to the soil on flowerbeds. "In fact, now that springtime is here, our cans of Don Francisco's Coffee can be repurposed to make pots for plants. And, because the cans are made of steel, they can also be recycled through most municipal curbside recycling programs," says Lopez.
In addition, F. Gaviña & Sons, Inc. also roasts coffees that are certified to Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade USA and USDA Organic standards, and roasts all its coffee in the company's zero waste-to-landfill plant in Vernon, California.
For more information, visit www.donfranciscos.com. To sign up and join the free recycling program, visit www.terracycle.com.
