The nation’s favourite coffee shop, Costa, has launched a new initiative from today that allows customers to request used coffee grounds from their local Costa store to use in their gardens as a natural plant fertiliser.
Unbeknownst to many, used coffee grounds contain many essential trace elements which make up a highly successful and natural fertiliser. These free, used Costa coffee grounds will be available from all stores nationwide from Monday 13 July.
Kerry Parkin, Head of CSR at Costa said: “This is yet another example of Costa’s ongoing commitment to making our business more sustainable. Our new Costa ‘Grounds for Grounds’ initiative is one of the many ways we are diverting waste from landfill whilst giving back to our customers.”
Other unused grounds will continue to be collected by waste specialist Biogen, converting the grounds to bio-gas, used to power some of Costa’s eco-friendly duel fuel vehicles.
“We are constantly looking for new ways to improve our environmental footprint, whether it be recycling our coffee bean sacks to use as carpet underlay or building our first ever eco store. We are committed to constant improvement in this area and it just so happens that in this instance it can also improve our customers gardens.”
The grounds can also be used to naturally balance compost piles and will be available in old coffee bean bags deriving from both the Costa Mocha Italia and Old Paradise Street blends. Customers can also bring in their own container to collect their grounds.
Kevin Fortey, record breaking giant vegetable grower said: “I have been using Costa’s coffee grounds on my small holding for some months now and I’ve seen a huge improvement in the quality of my vegetables.
Coffee grounds are an excellent source of slow-release nitrogen, calcium and magnesium that are greatly beneficial for the growth of plants. As well as a soil conditioner they have been used to protect the plants from snails and slugs and this has helped save me money and get the best out of my vegetables.”
Customers can request the Costa Grounds for Grounds service nationwide from baristas in their local store and can find out more by visiting www.costa.co.uk/responserbility/environment.
