Nestlé's coffee factory in Tutbury, UK, obtained 47 percent of the required steam from a biomass boiler using used coffee grounds in 2025. A year earlier, this was 37 percent. Nestlé UK announced this on August 18. The increase is the result of adjustments to the process, allowing the factory to utilize 97,7 percent of the used coffee grounds as fuel.
The residual stream is generated during the production of Nescafé. After use, the coffee grounds are pressed to remove moisture and then transported to the biomass boiler. The steam generated there is returned to the production process. Without this route, the material would have to be disposed of as waste. Nestlé has been utilizing the residual stream in this way since 2015 and places it within a broader ambition to reduce waste and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest.
Less exhaust, less gas
The higher utilization is reflected in the waste figures. According to Nestlé, the amount of coffee residue still disposed of by the factory decreased by 94 percent compared to 2024. The company links this to a 12,9 percent decrease in associated greenhouse gas emissions between 2024 and 2025. The press release does not specify exactly which emission items fall under this category.
According to the company, the adjustment also proves beneficial financially. Waste processing costs decrease, and the conventional boilers at the site require less gas.
Mike Parr, responsible for industrial services at the site, places the results in the context of the factory's scale. According to him, on a site of this size, even a small improvement has a significant impact on energy consumption, waste, and emissions. He sees room for further steps. Yutika Patel, the factory's engineering manager, points out that the project demonstrates the value still contained in material that would otherwise be discarded, and that working more efficiently simultaneously makes the operation less vulnerable.
Cocoa husks as the next residual stream
Nestlé UK is now investigating whether the same approach is more broadly applicable. The company names cocoa husks from other Nestlé factories as a possible next residual stream to further increase renewable steam production. The company has not mentioned concrete plans or a timeline in this regard.
Source: Nestle.co.uk
Photo: Tamas Pap – Unsplash
