SolaBev Recyclable Single-Serve Revolutionizes Ready-To-Brew Beverage Systems For Commercial Enterprises

April 9, 2015

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Every day, Americans consume approximately 400 million cups of coffee, a total of about 146 billion cups per year. The overwhelming industry leader in the single-serve category, Keurig’s K-Cup, produces so much waste that the disposed pods used in 2013 alone could circle the Earth 10.5 times, according to an NPR article that ran Jan. 28. Such a staggering figure drives home the pressing reality that new, more sustainable options are required for a busy society that seems to always be in need of a fresh cup of coffee.

Enter SolaBev – the new, fully recyclable, gourmet beverage system that previewed today at the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) trade show in Seattle. Boasting a capsule with the ability to brew up to 20 ounces per serving of coffee, tea, or other hot beverages, and offer other brands the choice to serve SolaBev’s product or their own, SolaBev is poised to revolutionize the way America drinks its single-serve products. The company has secured three well-known specialty roasters, Thrive Farmers, Salt Spring Coffee and Coda Coffee, as launch partners of the SolaBev system.

“We finally have a single serve option that addresses existing issues surrounding quality and sustainability,” comments Michael Jones, chief executive officer of Thrive Farmers. “SolaBev enables us to expand our offerings while staying true to the essence of our brand.”

Unlike Keurig and other popular offerings available on the shelf, the SolaBev system is designed for use exclusively in business environments ranging from offices to restaurant and hospitality settings. The logic behind this strategy is to offer a product that does not compete with the systems available for private consumers but that addresses the higher-volume needs of commercial enterprises.

“The inspiration for SolaBev was to create a product that allows specialty coffee roasters the ability to offer their coffee in a single-serve system,” explains Michael Szyliowicz, founder of SolaBev. “Our key differentiator is the capsule itself.”

“We spent almost two years developing a system that could brew the larger, better-tasting coffee that consumers desire in a recyclable capsule that everyone can feel good about,” continues Szyliowicz. “Every cup of coffee made in the SolaBev system is brewed to the SCAA Gold Cup Quality standards. Moreover, SolaCaps only work with our brewers, guaranteeing that drinks can only be made where intended. No other single-serve system today offers the open-source flexibility for customized private-label beverages with a patent-protected machine.”

SolaBev is a complete brewing system offering two machine models: the Mini and the Pro. Both custom-designed systems meet the challenge of repeated use over extended periods. The Mini is designed for use in hospitality settings, such as hotel rooms, while the Pro is designed for office and foodservice settings. The environmentally friendly capsules hold up to 25 grams of coffee or tea, and the showerhead diffuser screen guarantees that the coffee grounds or tea leaves will be completely extracted during brewing to maximize their flavors. Because the capsules work exclusively inside SolaBev machines, the design guarantees that the product cannot be repurposed for use elsewhere.

SolaBev also offers a range of hot drinks and has plans to introduce cold beverages. The current line offers a range of drinks under the SolaBev brand. Highly-rated, single-origin coffees include Ethiopian, Costa Rican and Colombian varietals as well as blends, flavored coffees and decaf options. Black and herbal teas are available, and instant drinks include cocoa mixes and lattes. All of these can also be privately labeled to allow roasters and hoteliers the ability to enhance their own brands with high-quality, single-serve options.

“We developed SolaBev based on decades of experience in specialty beverages. We understood the need for a more responsible solution that also met the increasing consumer demand for larger cups that could be personalized to each consumer’s individual taste. And that’s what we created,” concludes Szyliowicz. “No other system harnesses the full flavor of a drink, one cup at a time, like SolaBev.”

About SolaBev

Chocolatier and “beverage guru” Michael Szyliowicz is the creative, innovative spirit and driving force behind SolaBev (www.solabev.com), a boutique-style company that specializes in high-quality, single-serve beverage solutions for businesses. The Denver-based company takes pride in every aspect of its product, from the fully recyclable capsules to the larger cups to the exotic teas and gourmet coffees. SolaBev offers the most flexible and customizable single-serve system on the market today. It is the perfect answer for any office or food service or hospitality operator seeking to offer the very best to customers—whatever their needs may be.