The coffeemaker company, renowned for its convenient pods yet criticized for their environmental impact, has launched plastic-free pods that provide a single serving of coffee in a small disk of ground coffee wrapped in a plant-based coating.
According to a spokesperson, “K-Rounds are Keurig’s first and only plastic-free single-serve coffee product, marking a significant step towards a plastic-free future for the industry.”
While packaging concepts are still being explored, a leading contender is a cardboard tube.
The development of K-Rounds is the culmination of a multi-year project led by Keurig Dr. Pepper’s research and development team, in partnership with Delica Switzerland. Delica Switzerland utilizes a similar plastic-free coating and application process for its CoffeeB system in Europe.
K-Rounds are available in various sizes, flavors, and coffee styles, including American-style, low-pressure drip coffee, espresso-style with a foamy “crema,” French press, and others.
When used with the new Keurig Alta system, unveiled in New York this month, K-Rounds enable the preparation of multiple beverage styles, including chilled coffee and espresso—options not previously offered by Keurig.
The Alta system allows adjustment of brew parameters such as flow rate, steep time, temperature, and water mass to create a range of beverages. It remains compatible with traditional K-cups.
Also debuting this year is QuickChill, delivering freshly brewed, flash-chilled coffee that brews hot and emerges cold, alongside new compact brewers priced under $50, the company’s most affordable brewer yet.
These innovations respond to consumer trends, notably Gen Z’s demand for cold and specialty beverages, as well as sustainable purchasing choices, according to the company.
These introductions form part of Keurig’s new long-term strategy “to steer the entire single-serve industry towards sustainability,” though the company acknowledges this transition won’t happen overnight.
This fall, Keurig will launch a beta program for these technologies, starting with the Brew+Chill device and then the Keurig Alta. The company plans to gradually expand the number of beta testers across the U.S. and Canada to gather feedback and optimize the systems, inviting consumers to participate as beta testers.
Following refinement based on customer feedback, Keurig intends to make the Keurig Alta and K-Rounds available for broader consumer sales.
