Investment & Fund Management

Kaffe Bueno, a bioscience company based in Copenhagen, faced significant challenges in the competitive landscape of sustainable product development. The company aimed to transform coffee waste, which is typically treated as refuse, into valuable products such as oils for cosmetics and food, and fibers for exfoliation. This innovative approach not only addresses the environmental impact of coffee waste—equivalent to 10 million car emissions annually—but also seeks to replace unsustainable petrochemical ingredients in various applications.

To overcome the high capital expenditure and competition from cheaper petrochemical alternatives, Kaffe Bueno secured an equity investment from The Yield Lab, a venture capital fund focused on sustainable investments, which is backed by the European Investment Fund (EIF) under the EU’s Investment Plan for Europe. This funding was crucial for advancing their product development and scaling their operations. With a small team of seven employees, Kaffe Bueno is working on expanding its product lines to target health issues such as cancer and obesity, while also planning to build a bio-refinery to enhance their production capabilities.

The investment not only facilitated product innovation but also allowed Kaffe Bueno to contribute positively to the coffee farming community by directing 1% of their profits to educational projects for young coffee farmers in Colombia. This holistic approach underscores their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, aiming to change the perception of coffee from merely a beverage to a sustainable health elixir.