Keurig K Cups
Keurig was founded by Olaf Keurig in 1992 and merged with the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Company in 2006. Keurig is known for their outstanding coffee makers and innovative coffee accessories. Keurig makes a coffee machine that brews a single cup of coffee in under a minute. It uses a pre-measured product called K-cups that are specifically designed for the Keurig coffee machines.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of their systems in offices, foodservice outlets, and homes across North America. It was in 1998 that Keurig teamed up with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters to pack their specialty coffee in the patented K-cup. Green Mountain eventually acquired Keurig in 2006 for over 100 million dollars.
All Keurig machines are made to brew just one single cup of coffee, tea, or any other hot beverage. These machines are extremely easy to use. Just turn the machine on and let it warm up, insert the K-cup, place a mug under the spout and allow the machine to dispense fresh hot coffee. Just throw out the K-cup once you are done. No need for coffee filters. You will have a hot cup of coffee in less than a minute. If you run the machine without the K-cup, you can get a single cup of hot water for your tea or hot chocolate.
The way the Keurig machines brew coffee is by simultaneously piercing the top and the bottom of the K-cup for the hot water to pass through it. There is a coffee filter at the bottom of the K-cup where the measured amount of hot water flows through. There’s also a specific brewing temperature that you can adjust although, the default setting has the most optimal temperature to brew the best single cup of coffee or tea.
If you want choice, there are literally over 200 different coffee companies that use the K-cups to bring their product to consumers. There is a tremendous range of varieties, flavored coffee, and roast and blend options to choose from. Keurig has affiliations with many coffee roasters, tea makers and other beverage makers. So, whether it’s a special coffee, tea or other hot mix, check out the hundreds of choices the Keurig family of products has to offer.
One of the biggest challenges that Keurig and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters have tried to tackle is the environmental impact of their coffee packaging and brewing systems. They are doing what they can to meet their own corporate standards, as well as, those from their shareholders to create brewing machines and packaging material that is friendlier to the environment and more sustainable. One big improvement to their packaging consists of using at least 19% renewably sourced bioplastic, which is derived entirely from cornstarches.
These manufacturers are committed to doing as much as they can to support sustainability on every level from “tree to cup”. This includes donations of over one million dollars to coffee growing communities, continuing to engage in Certified Fair Trade marketing of nearly 30% of their coffees, as well as, including solar power in some of their North American buildings. The Keurig and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters are companies worth taking another look at.