Legend has it that the first coffee consumers were goats – and that the energetic properties of coffee were discovered by Ethiopian farmers who noticed their goats were far more animated after consuming coffee cherries. Since then, consumption of coffee has spread to the human population – and if we are going to make a competition out of it – Finland wins, with each adult on average consuming 27.5 pounds of coffee a year…
Despite record-breaking coffee prices, the consumption of coffee worldwide is soaring, and with this soaring coffee consumption comes an environmental debt. Large-scale coffee farming leads to deforestation and the subsequent loss of natural habitats, soil damage, and water pollution, all of which contribute to climate change.
For these reasons, when We are Morrow presented an environmentally friendly solution at Agri-TechE’s REAP Conference in Newmarket this November, it is fair to say that everyone in the room was intrigued. Their solution? Coffee made from locally grown and up-cycled ingredients, such as fruit pips, peels and seeds, but crucially, not coffee beans. As We are Morrow explained during their presentation, they first identify the compounds that give coffee its unique flavour, aroma and colour, select ingredients that contain those compounds and then ferment, roast and malt these ingredients until a product is achieved with the right flavour compounds. This is impressive given that coffee is actually incredibly complex. The list of chemical compounds present in coffee runs to over 1000 with over 800 aromatic compounds. For this reason recreating coffee without the coffee bean is quite a scientific achievement. However, We are Morrow's technology is not only scientifically remarkable. As the coffee can be made from locally sourced waste or by-products, the environmental impact of producing coffee is significantly lessened.
The example set by We are Morrow is fortunately being reflected in the food market. As we – as consumers – become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of our food, the popularity of up-cycled food products is increasing at a significant rate. According to a recent market report, the up-cycled food products market was valued at $54.5 billion in 2022, and is forecasted to reach an impressive $94.6 billion by 2032. Examples of other up-cycled food products include snack bars made from spent grain, over ripe bananas and the pulp from pre-juiced vegetables and fruit. As such, we hope to see more and more of our food coming from up-cycled ingredients in the years to come. For now, however, we look forward to welcoming We are Morrow coffee into the coffee shops of Cambridge!
