An Australian mother has turned over $1million selling reusable coffee capsules for some of the most popular at-home machines, saving the average household $400 a year.
Kayla Mossuto, 34, launched Crema Joe in 2014 after finding out that in Australia alone we use an estimated six million coffee pods every day – and they just end up in landfill.
Even when these kinds of single-use products are recyclable or marketed as ‘biodegradable’ or ‘compostable’, not only can they be difficult to dispose of correctly, they use up energy and our environment’s natural resources.
Kayla Mossuto (pictured), 34, launched Crema Joe in 2014 after finding out that in Australia alone we use an estimated six million coffee pods every day – and they just end up in landfill
Even when these kinds of single-use products are recyclable or marketed as ‘biodegradable’ or ‘compostable’, not only can they be difficult to dispose of correctly, they use up energy and our environment’s natural resources
So Kayla, who lives in the Melbourne suburb of Mitcham, designed a range of reusable pod options for Nespresso, Aldi K-fee, Caffitaly, Vertuo, Dulce Gusto and Lavazza machines that can be filled with your favourite ground coffee.
‘Due to the high quality, our reusable coffee pods last years or even longer, saving the average household around $400 a year simply by making the switch to our refillable capsules,’ she told FEMAIL.
There is a quiz on the company website to help shoppers decide which option is the best fit for the equipment they already have and their lifestyle, making the choice even simpler.
‘We have our own line of coffee, which we developed specifically for use with our reusable pods, and have other accessories such as eco cleaning products for capsule machine owners,’ she said.
There is a quiz on the company website to help shoppers decide which option is the best fit for the equipment they already have and their lifestyle, making the choice even simpler
Just last year, Cream Joe customers helped the brand divert around 7.5million coffee pods from ending up in landfill.
Kayla doesn’t have a background in business but she has always considered herself to be ambitious and had dreamed of ‘doing her own thing’.
‘After coming out of 10 years spent as a designer in the advertising industry, having a little more flexibility for my young family has also been amazing, even if it is a little hectic,’ she said.
When COVID-19 hit the company’s retail offering continued to thrive, but they did have to rethink other aspects of the business.
They launched their own micro-recycling facility called Precious Plastic Melbourne.
When COVID-19 hit the company’s retail offering continued to thrive, but they did have to rethink other aspects of the business (Kayla pictured)
It allows consumers to hand over their plastic bottle caps so Crema Joe can produce items like the Face Mask ‘Ear Savers’ they developed during lockdown – a nifty little device designed to remove the irritation of face mask ear-loops.
While there are now a number of reusable pod options available on the market, it is true that ‘not all capsules are created equal’, Kayla said.
‘Over the past few years admittedly we have seen some lookalike products popping up. It is so encouraging to see that consumers are looking to make the switch to truly sustainable solutions.
In the last financial year Kayla and her small team of two part-time employees reached a new revenue milestone of $1million
‘We do encourage them to do their research before purchasing – simply selling an eco-friendly product doesn’t necessarily mean the business behind it is genuinely implementing sustainable and ethical business practices.
‘It’s also crucial that a reusable coffee pod adheres to strict food safety and durability standards, and is non-toxic with heat resistant components.’
In the last financial year Kayla and her small team of two part-time employees reached a new revenue milestone of $1million.
They are currently fulfilling 1,000 orders a month, which means she is running a very ‘busy little warehouse’, with more environmentally-friendly projects to come.