Nordmann News & Events News World’s first biorefinery for coffee opens in Denmark
15 April 2024

World’s first biorefinery for coffee opens in Denmark

Nordmann partner Kaffe Bueno has opened the world’s first coffee biorefinery in Rødovre, Denmark. With a starting capacity of 500 tons of coffee grounds per year, the company has reached an important milestone in sustainable innovation. With its special upcycling technology, Kaffe Bueno manufactures unique products such as KAFFIBRE® and KAFFOIL®, KAFFAGE™ and KAFFAIR™ from the health-promoting compounds found in spent coffee grounds in order to support applications in food and cosmetics.

With the newly opened biorefinery, Kaffe Bueno is working to reduce the massive CO2 emissions generated every day from brewing three billion cups of coffee across the globe.

coffee essence in a brown bottle

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Background

When brewing coffee, less than 1% of the health-promoting compounds in coffee beans actually end up inside the cup – the remaining 99% remain in the used coffee grounds. Kaffe Bueno upcycles these ancillary products using environmentally friendly technologies to produce its four product lines (KAFFIBRE®, KAFFOIL®, KAFFAGE™ and KAFFAIR™).

Products for the food and cosmetics industry

KAFFIBRE®

KAFFIBRE® is a gluten-free, low-fat and caffeine-free fiber derived from processed coffee grounds. The product is rich in both proteins and insoluble fiber and can be used to produce baked goods such as pizza dough, pasta, bread and/or biscuits, as well as snack bars and sports nutrition items. KAFFIBRE® is slightly nutty and/or chocolatey in taste, as the coffee’s natural flavor largely remains intact in the extracted material.

 

KAFFIBRE® (INCI: Coffea Arabica Seed Powder) is used in the cosmetics industry as a natural exfoliant. It is a popular substitute for plastic microbeads, for example, and serves as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to other natural exfoliators. With a particle size of less than 150 µm, KAFFIBRE® can be used in a wide range of facial and body care applications.

KAFFOIL®

KAFFOIL® is a 100% natural, sustainable lipophilic extract made from processed Arabica coffee grounds. The innovative product is used in food items, drinks and sweets, providing a pleasant coffee taste. It is also rich in polyphenols, tocopherol and essential fatty acids.

 

In the cosmetics industry, KAFFOIL® (INCI: Coffea Arabica Seed Oil) is a valuable active ingredient and an excellent carrier oil for cosmetic formulations. The non-invasive, environmentally friendly extraction process during production enables the preservation of the entire spectrum of bioactive molecules. The product is very suitable for facial oils, shampoos, conditioners, hand creams, lotions, soaps and even sunscreens.

 

There are two versions: KAFFOIL® in its raw form, a dark, viscous and fragrant oil, and KAFFOIL-R®, a semi-refined version that is much lighter in color and aroma and serves as a sustainable alternative to argan oil. It increases the shine of the hair, helps prevent hair breakage and helps repair damaged hair.

Products for the cosmetics industry

KAFFAGE™

KAFFAGE™ is an upcycled amphiphilic active biopolymer. Its polyphenol content offers unmatched multifunctionality and performance. Packed with hydroxycinnamic acid, it facilitates a high level of antioxidant activity and reduces UV-induced glycation in human skin.

 

KAFFAGE™ absorbs UVA, UVB, and UVC radiation as well, making it a natural SPF booster. Having natural emulsifying properties also makes it easy to incorporate into skincare formulations.

KAFFAIR™

Similar to KAFFAGE™, KAFFAIR™ is an active upcycled biopolymer recommended for scalp and hair treatment. KAFFAIR™ induces the expression of human growth factor genes FGF7, VEGF, and IGF1 in human dermal papilla cells, which strengthens hair follicles and helps prevent hair loss (in vivo studies ongoing). In addition, KAFFAIR™ can be used to remove environmental pollutants from human hair through its strong metal-chelating properties. Although it features natural, coffee-derived hues, it does not dye hair.

Distributed in Austria, Germany and Switzerland as well as in other countries in Europe. 

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