Stone Creek Launches Compostable Coffee Pods
Escape Pods promise more flavor and less environmental impact than your standard single-use pods.
Stone Creek Coffee on Downer Ave. in 2018. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Escape Pods have landed at Stone Creek Coffee.
The cafe and roastery debuted a new line of single-use, Keurig-compatible coffee pods on Earth Day, promoting them as not only more flavorful than standard single-serving pods but also more environmentally friendly.
Stone Creek Coffee Escape Pods. Photo courtesy of Stone Creek Coffee.
Available in three of Stone Creek’s signature blends, each Escape Pod holds 70% more coffee and comes in a plant-based, commercially compostable shell that fully breaks down at commercial or industrial composting facilities.
Drew Pond, Stone Creek co-owner and director of development, said the pods are engineered to maximize taste, sustainability and ritual. “Escape Pods are fast, but they’re intentional. Efficient, but proud. Escape Pods are real coffee for real life.”
Escape Pods are now available for purchase both online and in-person at Stone Creek Coffee, which operates nine cafes throughout the Milwaukee area. Each box contains 12 pods and retails for $25.
The current lineup includes Boneshaker, Cream City and 3 Volcanoes — light, medium and dark roast coffees, respectively.
Keurig launched the first single-use coffee pods, branded K-Cups, in the late 1990s. The concept — especially popular in office settings — inspired myriad spin-offs from industry giants like Starbucks, Dunkin’ and Folgers.
Milwaukee’s own Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. followed suit last October, introducing two of its signature blends in single-serve pods. Anodyne’s version contains 40% more coffee than typical single-serve options and is recyclable, according to a 2024 news release. The launch came after Anodyne’s 2023 acquisition by FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective.
As part of its eco-friendly commitment, Stone Creek composts its coffee grounds and food waste through a partnership with Compost Crusader. To date, the cafe reports 150,242 pounds of waste diverted from landfills, 6,760 gallons of gas emissions prevented, 991 seedlings planted and 149,040 miles of driving emissions offset.
For more information visit the Stone Creek Coffee website.
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