Dubai start-up uses coffee waste to grow mushrooms

Dubai-based start-up Bean & Beyond has partnered with RAW Coffee Company to repurpose coffee waste that will be used to grow gourmet oyster mushrooms right here in the UAE.

When Bean & Beyond founder Anamika Agarwal noticed the steady rise in the UAE’s coffee industry over the years, she realised there would be plenty of coffee by-product available. So, Bean & Beyond decided to use this by product to farm oyster mushrooms in temperature and environmentally controlled facilities.

“I was always keen to work in the waste management industry. Hence, when my friend Sanghamitra Seal approached me with the idea of recycling coffee by-products in the UAE, it made perfect sense given the 1,000+ cafés present in this region alone. Kim [from RAW] was one of the first persons to believe in my idea and with her help, we have managed to divert more than 2,500 kgs of coffee by-products from her café in the last 7 months alone!”

The process starts with RAW collecting and supplying freshly used coffee grounds which are then transported to the facility to prepare the growing medium. In addition, the company is working on repurposing used mushroom substrate to be composted as a soil amendment and processed into cattle feed, both of which are in their experimental stages. Furthermore, DIY mushroom kits and coffee waste-based packaging options are in the pipeline as future projects.

“Partnering up with Anamika (Bean & Beyond), was a natural fit. Sustainable development is one of RAW’s core pillars and we continually try to implement viable practices, while aiding local businesses. If we can contribute to lessening the quantity of coffee biomass that is dumped in landfills in anyway, we will unquestionably lend our support,” added Kim Thompson, Owner & Managing Director – RAW.