Keurig unveils new pressed coffee rounds to replace single-serve plastic pods

Keurig is putting the "round" in coffee grounds with its newly unveiled sustainable redesign of its popular single-serving beverages.

Keurig Dr Pepper, the beverage manufacturer's parent company, announced a new era of its "Keurig single serve brewing system, including a completely reimagined coffee system" which includes plastic- and aluminum-free ground and pressed coffee K-Rounds.

In a press release Wednesday, the company called the new K-Rounds "a revolutionary new form of single serve coffee" made from "expertly roasted coffee beans that are ground, pressed and wrapped in a proprietary, protective plant-based coating preserving the coffee's flavor and aroma, eliminating the need for plastic or aluminum."

"K-Rounds plastic-free pods will work in the new Keurig Alta brewer as part of a reimagined Keurig system that allows consumers to make a variety of hot and cold barista-style beverages," the statement continued.

The Keurig Alta system is currently in undergoing development "in various beta testing phases with the first starting as early as fall 2024."

As the brand learns insights from retailers and coffee partners throughout these trials, Keurig said it will work to "optimize the system before making it available for broader sale to consumers."

"Thirty years ago, Keurig changed the way consumers brewed coffee, with the introduction of the K-Cup pod single serve coffee system. Today, we are applying all our expertise to create a revolutionary new system that will redefine how consumers will brew coffee for decades to come," Chairman and CEO Bob Gamgort said in a statement. "Our ambitious agenda reflects our commitment to providing variety, quality, value, and sustainability to the 45 million North American coffee consumers who currently use Keurig brewers and the millions of potential new households who will discover the benefits of a perfect cup of coffee prepared effortlessly in their home."

The new K-Rounds will come in different sizes for specific types of coffee beverages, each "marked with a code that the Keurig Alta brewer automatically reads to determine the pressure and extraction profile needed to get the full flavor, aroma and richness of each coffee variety."

Once brewing is completed, the plastic free rounds are disposed of like normal coffee grounds, which the company said will be compostable.

For anyone with a stash of the existing pods, the new Keurig Alta brewer will have an option to brew them as well.