In February 2017, Nils Leonard, the former chairman and chief creative officer of Grey London, has launched a coffee brand that aims to shake up the coffee capsule market.
He entered the gourmet coffee business, with the first fully compostable coffee capsule, which is made from natural fibres including bamboo and paper that can be thrown in the home compost bin and will biodegrade within 90 days. In comparison: the existing aluminium and plastic capsules, can take up to 200 years to biodegrade.
In typical advertising gusto, Nils Leonard frames it as “the world’s best coffee in a way that’s best for the world.”
Halo capsules are compatible with popular Nespresso coffee machines, but at $12 for 10, they cost up to three times as much as their mainstream rival. The premium prices reflect the premium coffee they contain, including Kopi Luwak Diamond beans, which have not previously been available in capsule form.
Halo has signed deals with three hotel chains, and is available to buy online at halo.coffee, either as a single purchase or on a subscription model. It can be shipped anywhere in the world, and there is also a K-Cup version ready for the USA.