SDG Awards 2024

Finalist Profile

Welcome to the SDG Awards, a distinguished recognition program honoring the remarkable contributions of individuals, organizations, and initiatives in championing the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Finalist Profile

Coffee Resurrect

About Company

SDG Awards 2024

Category - SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Upcycling coffee waste into valuable products like oils, fibers, and flour.

➜ Upcycling coffee waste into valuable products like oils, fibers, and flour.
➜ Reduces waste and minimizes environmental impact, preventing methane emissions from decomposing coffee grounds.
➜ Employ green chemistry and biotechnology to create sustainable, eco-friendly ingredients for personal care, nutraceuticals, and food.
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1. What is the local impact your organization has achieved regarding your selected SDG? (No Word Limit)

According to legend, it was an Abyssinian shepherd who discovered the stimulating properties of coffee. Historically, the beverage, which only Muslims were initially allowed to consume, later served to link the country's different communities. Today, coffee is omnipresent in the daily lives of Ethiopians and is the focus of a highly codified ceremony on feast days. While drinking coffee is something widely celebrated, discussions about the massive amounts of waste coffee production leaves behind are not heard quite often. However, the huge amount of residue generated annually in the production and consumption of coffee requires innovation and a waste management plan. Countries’ coffee waste figures are actually comparable to the amount of coffee the country exports and imports. The processing of coffee generates significant amounts of agricultural waste, ranging from 30 to 50 percent of the weight of the total coffee produced. As is known, coffee beans contain several classes of health-related chemicals, including phenolic compounds, melanoidins, diterpenes, xanthines, and carotenoids. The wastewater coming out of the coffee industry has a high concentration of organic pollutants and is very harmful for surrounding water bodies, human health, and aquatic life if discharged directly into the surface waters. Hence, it is essential to treat and manage the coffee waste, and therefore, the coffee industry is responsible for the generation of large amounts of residue. Spent coffee grounds, coffee silver skin, coffee pulp, and coffee husk are the main coffee agricultural and industry residues. For example, over 9 billion kg of coffee are consumed annually worldwide, and 99% of that becomes spent coffee grounds, which are currently treated as waste. Most of it ends up in landfills, where it decomposes and releases methane, a greenhouse gas 86 times more harmful to the environment than CO2. The yearly environmental impact of coffee waste decomposition is equivalent to 10 million car emissions. We utilize sustainable industrial biotechnology to convert coffee waste in Africa into all-natural ingredients for personal care, food, and beverages. Our inaugural offerings include an award-winning, eco-friendly, active, and multifunctional coffee oil, flour, and fiber, all derived from recycled coffee grounds.  At COFFEE RESURRECT, we prevent these materials from ending up in landfills through collecting this optimal raw material from our industry partners and small-scale coffee growers.  We then convert them into flour, fiber, and oil using a proprietary, environmentally friendly process. This innovation recycles and then upcycle what was previously regarded as waste into nutrient-dense food ingredients, versatile personal care and cosmetic ingredients. In contrast, most products on the market are obtained from green or roasted beans, which end the coffee lifecycle and create significant waste each year.  As a result, we've become a significant player in the circular economy, using coffee by-products to promote a more sustainable future for all. Our coffee oil and flour in food and beverages are suitable and key ingredients for gluten-free, high-protein recipes, high-fiber content used in any bakery, confectionery, pizza and pasta, sports nutrition, and healthy snack bars. Can Be Used as Flavors or Textures, Preservatives and Food Additives, Natural Food Coloring, Our coffee oil and fiber are ethically and sustainably sourced inputs for personal care and cosmetics manufacturers to make sun care, aging treatments, skin barrier enhancement, anti-cellulite, night and day creams, serums and face oils, lip balms, shampoos, conditioners, and scalp revitalizers, hand creams and lotions, scrubs, soaps, and cleaning gels and cleaners with natural exfoliating agents. It's anti-inflammatory properties, caffeine, and collagen-boosting effects make it a valuable ingredient in skin-firming products. Coffee flour and coffee oil are the new superfoods. It has more protein than kale, more iron than spinach, two times more protein per gram than brown rice flour, more fiber per gram than whole grain wheat flour, fewer calories per gram than buckwheat flour, less fat per gram than coconut flour, and more potassium per gram than a banana, and could help solve the global hunger crisis. At 23.61 million, the number of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity in Ethiopia reached an unprecedented level in 2022. This includes an estimated 10.73 million people who did not have the means to cover their minimum food needs. More than 70% of the Ethiopian population regularly consumes injera, a pancake-like flatbread with a slightly spongy texture traditionally made of teff flour, for their diet purposes. Coffee flour and oil can also have a positive impact as they are introduced into the local food supply. If we try to keep 30–50% of the product in its place of origin in order to provide the local community with a more affordable food source, commodities like corn and wheat are not generally grown in the same area as coffee, so these goods are expensive in our farmer communities. We’re hoping to make these products an affordable and more nutritious alternative, which can have a huge impact on these regions’ local food systems and their people's well-being. We protect the health and well-being of residents in nearby areas where these coffee wastes are sent to landfills and allow companies and countries to benefit from our virtues for longer—all through a way of being corporate socially responsible as well. Representing the story of Ethiopian coffee, we are committed to unveiling the health benefits of coffee while ensuring minimal harmful emissions and maximizing the usability of coffee by-products. By enhancing the economic lifespan of coffee, we aim to reciprocate the farmers to whom we owe its existence. Along this journey, we are determined to shift mindsets radically and demonstrate that materials can retain significant value, even after serving their initial purpose. First of all, impact! So, we save the planet and save on costs… pretty good, right? 

2. What is the global impact your organization has achieved regarding your selected SDG? (No Word Limit)

As coffee is one of the most valuable primary products in world trade and also a central and popular part of our culture. It is grown in about 80 countries and is one of the world’s most popular beverages and the second-largest traded commodity after petroleum. As coffee consumption is on the rise, and the global coffee production creates an excess of 23 million tons of waste per year. Humanity is facing a crisis on multiple fronts. Our planet is projected to heat up by 1.5°C by 2050, probably sooner, and around half the world’s population is already dangerously exposed to the current and predicted impacts of climate change. We are aiming to make a positive impact on the climate by redirecting coffee waste away from landfills. For every ton of coffee grounds we repurpose, we prevent the emission of 340 cubic meters of methane, a potent non-CO2 greenhouse gas that traps 86 times more heat in the atmosphere than CO2. Based on our simple emission calculator to put this number as we abated 342,000.0 tons of CO2 per year at our very first pilot stage with 2.00 years of impact per unit sold, the emissions reduction potential between now and 2032 is approximately 2,067.930 up to 3,000.830 GT. Most importantly, we influence our customers with our value propositions, products, and services. We have made significant strides in fighting the climate crisis, enduring environmental challenges, food scarcity, severe malnutrition, and child wasting through our nutrient-dense ingredients and functional food that can be used for baking, cooking, and mixing drinks. Over 2.5 billion individuals globally are affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies due to imbalanced diets. Additionally, chronic and acute malnutrition remains a significant risk to young children's lives, increasing their susceptibility to various diseases. Africa is grappling with an unprecedented food crisis—exacerbated by conflicts, climate change, and economic shocks. Currently, hundreds of millions are experiencing acute food insecurity. In 2022, globally, 148.1 million children under the age of 5 years of age were stunted, 45 million wasted, and 37 million overweight. Stunting has been declining steadily over the last decade, with 148.1 million, or 22.3 percent of children under age 5 worldwide affected in 2022. Nearly all children affected lived in Asia (52 percent of the global share) and Africa (43 percent of the global share). In 2022, an estimated 6.8 percent of children under 5 were affected by wasting, of which 13.6 million (2.1 percent) were suffering from severe wasting. More than three-quarters of all children with severe wasting live in Asia and another 22 percent live in Africa. Current levels of overweight have persisted for the last two decades in almost every region. There are now 37 million children under 5 living with overweight globally, an increase of nearly 4 million since 2000. Our efforts also address global sanitation shortfalls and combat premature aging through our personal care ingredients [Coffee fiber and oil]. Furthermore, we aim to assist small-scale coffee farmers, women, and industry participants in the value chain by creating additional sources of income. Along this journey, we are determined to shift mindsets radically and demonstrate that materials can retain significant value even after serving their initial purpose. That is why we measure our progress by the quantity of spent coffee grounds and other coffee byproducts that we upcycle. This innovation is here to take the coffee industry by storm and accelerate millions of farmers in Africa and beyond on the way to creating a real difference for our world by sustainably innovating through coffee waste. 

3. What is the scalability of your innovation and how do you plan to achieve it? (No Word Limit)

We already have a flexible strategic plan and roadmap, which helps us prioritize, adopt, and simply iterate when it’s needed. We're focusing on these four key levers. Geography: which markets we are in and where to expand next, Channel: how we sell to consumers; customer: the types of customers we target; and category: our product offering. In ongoing geographical expansion, Kenya and South Africa are under our radar, not only for sourcing a large amount of raw material we need but also to increase our production capabilities. In response to changing market demands, our in-house research and development has been introducing new novel products such as lipids, proteins, sugars, polyphenols, tocopherols, and antioxidants, not only inside spent coffee grounds but also derived from a variety of coffee by-products. Our ability to scale is not only in geographical expansion but also in increasing production capability in volume, which is highly efficient because we are maximizing output while minimizing waste and costs. For instance, one 50-liter Vessel coffee bio-refinery can process approximately 319 kg of coffee grounds per day. Only in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, there are over 300 principal coffee bars/cafés, 210 hotels, a lot of offices, and beside not considering the hospitals, universities, canteens, and airport, there is over 3000 kg huge amount of consistent and high-quality raw material we are able to source to ensure production and to produce a bulk of ingredients for personal care, nutraceuticals, food, and beverages. Based on the above assumption, we have the ability to expand and scale through technology that can streamline the production process and increase capacity. Growing consumer awareness about the harmful effects of synthetic chemicals used in personal care, food products, and toiletries is expected to propel the demand for organic ingredients.The main driver of this demand is the growing consumer awareness of all natural end-products. Our vision extends beyond coffee waste. We aim to transform the food supply chain from linear to circular, continuously researching ways to upcycle food waste and reduce our environmental footprint.

4. What is your organization’s unique strategy for using technology to achieve your selected SDG? (150 Words Limit)

We prevent these materials from ending up in landfills by collecting this optimal raw material from our industry partners and small-scale coffee growers. We then convert them into flour, fiber, and oil using a proprietary, environmentally friendly process. This technique recycles what was previously regarded as waste into multifunctional ingredients. Our coffee flour and fiber are derived from pre-consumed coffee waste that has already been processed for oil extraction.  In the agriculture industry, vegetable oil is typically extracted via the chemical solvent (hexane) method, which then requires further refining steps to remove solvents from the oil. But we use an advanced technology called "supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction." This complex technology further emphasizes our environmental friendliness because of its ability to produce extracts free of solvent residue.  Moreover, user testing has indicated that products crafted from coffee waste provide enhanced nutritional value and texture compared to those derived from green coffee beans.

5. What challenges did you encounter while working for your selected SDG, and how did you address them? (150 Words Limit)

While many environmental organizations focus on transportation and energy consumption as the main contributors to climate change, the world food system is actually one of the most significant drivers of greenhouse gas emissions. The world has a shortage of know-how on the potential of upcycling beyond to reduce the carbon footprint. In order to create awareness, we have launched the 5th coffee movement campaign since 2021 and participated in numerous podiums in Africa, Europe, the U.S., Russia, Australia, and Saudi Arabia. As we require a substantial initial capital investment in CAPEX to expand research, development, and operations, with a significant portion of future investor capital earmarked for this purpose.  We are training and upskilling our existing employees to fill emerging roles and developing a hiring campaign that will show how much working with us and relaying our company mission is their best time through different scouting tools like the Y Combinator matching platform and LinkedIn. To attract investors, we focused on a few products that we can easily sell to generate cash flow in conjunction with raising funding.

6. How did you engage local communities and stakeholders in your work, and what was their feedback? (150 Words Limit)

Over the past 21 months, we have dedicated resources to lab-scale feasibility studies, methodologies, and pilot programs. Our aim is to enhance the oil extraction process and ensure the sterilization of fiber and flour from recycled coffee grounds that are used in oil extraction. This includes the installation, training, GMP compliance support, and facility layout in collaboration with our strategic partner, United Science LLC, as part of our expansion plans. We've forged partnerships with above 300 instant coffee producers, industry stakeholders, and 10 small coffee farmer unions in our region. We have been working hand in hand with local stakeholders such as WFP and UNICEF Ethiopia for a common goal. We received numerous accolades, top 100 EWC, Top 30 finalists UAE FoodTech,, African winner in Best GreenTech at the GSA, Top 5 Sustainable Food Awards and winner Sustainable Beauty Awards. Continually showcased our products at the Y Combinator and tested our product concept at In-Cosmetics Global, BIOFACH, and VIVANESS

7. Which organizational skills and resources did you use to deliver goods/services without harming the environment or society? (150 Words Limit)

Choosing to be more eco-friendly not only benefits the climate but also boosts our employees' productivity, enhances the efficiency of our operations, reduces our business running costs, and, perhaps most importantly, enhances our brand's image. Our regenerative approach spans from sourcing raw materials to processing and producing our ingredients, all the way to distribution, favoring a circular economy over a linear economic model. We employ state-of-the-art technologies and systems to ensure that our key performance indicator is the closure of material loops and the reduction of our ecological footprint. For instance, we utilize waste coffee grounds instead of coffee beans as our raw materials. Supercritical CO2 extraction leads to more cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions, cutting solvent reuse and changeover by 394 times and reducing energy consumption by 16 times, while also integrating alternative energy sources. Our commitment, skill, and understanding of the core principles of circularity, such as circular design choices and the slowing, narrowing, and closing of resource loops in technical and biological cycles, play a crucial role.

8. In your view what roles do businesses, governments, and civil society should play in achieving the SDGs, and how can they collaborate effectively? (150 Words Limit)

The diverse roles and responsibilities associated with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicate that these objectives cannot be met in isolation. Integration and collaboration among various stakeholders are essential. Although partnerships currently exist, there is a demand for initiatives to strengthen them. Multi-stakeholder platforms are recommended as a means to bolster partnerships and offer guidance on successful collaborations for the SDGs. Partnerships aimed at supporting the SDGs must be established with accountability and should prioritize the well-being of people and the planet.

9. What advice do you have for individuals or organizations aiming to create positive change and support the SDGs? (150 Words Limit)

Here at Coffee Resurrect, we believe in collaboration and cumulative knowledge. So, putting entrepreneurs and the environment together can create entrepreneurial judgment," which is based on unique information that the entrepreneur exploits to create a "market-making" firm. The market-making entrepreneur then proceeds to erect barriers to entry with a view to maximizing returns. We are passionate about creating local solutions to solve global problems. We deliver high-quality products and services to our customers while never compromising on our commitment to create a positive social and environmental impact. We advocate this approach so it can help practitioners and policymakers to evaluate the contribution of current circular economy approaches to the SDGs and guide them in the design of better strategies for leveraging the potential of a circular economy as a transition tool to advance the SDGs.

10. How would winning this SDG Award help you enhance your impact and expand your project? (150 Words Limit)

As finalists from last year, we recognize the significant advantages this opportunity presents. The SDG Award will enable us to network with individuals, organizations, and potential partners who share our vision, thereby cultivating new partnerships and collaborations. We intend to use this platform to gain visibility, draw investors, and serve as a conduit for our expansion into Europe. We are eager to investigate the possibility of partnering for EU grants, which would unlock further funding and support for our initiatives aimed at creating positive change collectively.

11. What are your future objectives regarding your selected SDG? (150 Words Limit)

We aim to combine public and private efforts to enhance resource efficiency, radically alter consumption and production patterns, improve waste management, and shift towards a circular economy model. We contend that it's time to reevaluate coffee trade practices. More equitable distribution, direct trade relationships, and transparent pricing may unlock a fairer and more sustainable industry. Farmers face escalating costs and climate challenges, with minimal financial return. Meanwhile, roasters and coffee brands are under pressure as profits dwindle, yet speculative traders profit without handling the beans. What if this could be transformed? As other food wastes acknowledge the coffee industry's significant waste problem, where the average individual contributes 50 grams of coffee waste daily, equating to 0.0935 kg of CO2e, we set a future goal to double our effort in harnessing coffee's health benefits while minimizing harmful emissions and maximizing the utility of coffee by-products.