EcoBean: turning coffee waste into valuable chemicals

EcoBean was founded in 2018 after a chance conversation between Kacper Kossowski and Marcin Koziorowski – over a coffee, of course.

Kacper had spent two decades in the coffee industry and had seen firsthand how much valuable coffee biomass was going to waste. “I left to pursue the dream of giving coffee a second chance,” he said.

Marcin was the perfect partner in waiting, having spent 15 years supporting scientists in commercialising their ideas.

For many people, a cup of coffee is an essential part of the morning ritual. Some even give their used grounds a second life in the garden, where nitrogen helps plants thrive. But the vast majority of spent coffee grounds goes to waste – despite being rich in valuable chemicals.

Polish startup EcoBean is on a mission to change that. Its technology creates a circular economy for coffee grounds, turning an overlooked by-product into a source of environmental and economic value.

Coffee is one of the world’s most popular drinks, prized for its rich flavour and energising caffeine kick. Research increasingly links moderate coffee consumption to multiple health benefits.(1) Coffee beans are rich in fibre, oils, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds.

Yet, in the journey from bean to cup, most of coffee’s high-value biomass goes to waste. As much as 90% of brewed coffee ends up as spent coffee grounds, and around 6 million tonnes of these residues are sent to landfill every year.(2,3) Historically, useful repurposing of coffee grounds has largely been limited to composting and fertiliser production.(4) This is not only a lost economic opportunity, but also adds to food waste – which accounts for around 16% of the EU food system’s environmental footprint.(5)

EcoBean aims to close this loop. The Polish startup has developed technological solutions that can transform coffee waste into high-value, bio-based ingredients, helping the coffee sector shift toward a circular economy.

Early in their journey, EcoBean partnered with the Warsaw University of Technology, a collaboration that proved crucial in refining their chemical conversion process. At their lab near Warsaw, the team conducted more than 8,000 experiments and worked with leading technology experts to perfect their approach.

Initially, EcoBean focused on collecting spent coffee grounds from retailers. However, the team has recognised an even greater opportunity to scale sustainably by collaborating directly with coffee processing plants. A single instant coffee producer can generate up to 40,000 tonnes of spent grounds annually – before the coffee ever reaches consumers.

EcoBean’s plug-and-play technology can be seamlessly integrated into production lines, converting this coffee biomass into valuable chemical compounds on site. Coffee processors can then choose to sell these bio-based products directly or through industry partnerships.

Companies installing EcoBean’s technology will also save money by reducing costs of waste disposal, which can also contribute to sustainability targets. It will take an estimated three years to start making a profit.

In 2025, EcoBean secured a strategic partnership with a major technical partner in the coffee production industry, paving the way for the large-scale rollout of its circular coffee solution.

Since forming, the EcoBean team has grown to 18 permanent staff and received certified B Corp status in 2024. The startup projects that it will process 194,000 tonnes of spent coffee grounds by 2030. That will lead to the avoidance of 430,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO₂e).

Part of this environmental benefit comes from cutting food waste. Even more significant, however, is the potential to replace existing products that often have higher environmental footprints. Many of the foods, fuels, and chemicals currently in use are derived from fossil fuels or resource-intensive crops.

Take antioxidants, for example. These are widely used in foods, cosmetics, and other industries to slow down food spoilage or the ageing of our bodies. Conventional synthetic antioxidants – often derived from petrochemicals – have a carbon footprint of roughly 15 kg CO₂e per kg. In comparison, EcoBean’s coffee-derived antioxidants have a footprint of just over  1 kg CO₂e per kg.

Similarly, coffee-derived oils for cosmetics can replace plant-based oils such as argan oil. Conventional oils often require significant water, pesticides, global distribution, and land that could otherwise be used for food production. By sourcing oils from spent coffee grounds, EcoBean offers a sustainable alternative.

Creating new markets for coffee materials is important at a time when the industry is under pressure due to inflation issues, shrinking margins, and compliance with EU environmental directives. Off-takers of these products can also benefit from a reliable year-round supply.

It also brings economic opportunities for coffee-growing regions, which face pressures from climate challenges. Indeed, EcoBean plans to work with facilities in Brazil and Vietnam, as well as in Europe.

Since forming, EcoBean has raised €4m through investment, grants and prizes.

Throughout its journey, EcoBean has been supported by EIT Food entrepreneurship programmes. Ecobean joined EIT Food’s Food Accelerator Network in 2022, followed by the RisingFoodStars programme in 2023. In 2024, they became part of the Food2Good project, designed to drive the circular economy forward.

EcoBean credits these connections with providing access to investors and industrial partners, helping to validate business models and advise on market pricing. Collaborating with EIT Food also allowed the team to test their antioxidants and ensure they met food-grade standards.

As EcoBean prepares to integrate its technology into coffee processing facilities worldwide, the company continues to refine its techniques at its research biorefinery in Warsaw.

Today, EcoBean can recover around €9,000 of value from every tonne of spent coffee grounds – a figure they believe could reach €20,000 as their processes advance. In the long run, developing pharmaceutical‑grade outputs could take that figure even higher.

More broadly, there are clear signs the coffee sector is evolving. Initiatives such as the Center for Circular Economy in Coffee – the world’s first pre‑competitive platform of its kind – are helping to accelerate innovation and collaboration. EcoBean is at the forefront that movement.

1. Harvard Health: Which is healthier: Coffee or tea? (2025)
2. Journal of Cleaner Production: Spent coffee grounds make much more than waste: Exploring recent advances and future exploitation strategies for the valorization of an emerging food waste stream. (2018)
3. WEF: 5 innovative ways your coffee grounds can be recycled. (2018)
4. Green Technologies and Sustainability: Spent coffee grounds: Insights and future prospects for bioenergy and circular economy applications (2025)
5. Eufic: Food waste in Europe: statistics and facts about the problem. (2024)