Dubai-based startup Bean & Beyond has partnered with RAW Coffee Company, a Dubai SME 100 company, to reuse the coffee waste in producing gourmet oyster mushrooms, locally in the UAE.
Ms. Anamika Agarwal founded Bean & Beyond, a local business that not only produces gourmet mushrooms but also takes active steps in being socially aware and going green. The steady rise in UAE’s coffee industry over the years meant plenty of coffee by-product availability. Bean & Beyond uses this by-product to farm oyster mushrooms, a delicacy enjoyed by many, now grown locally in Dubai using temperature and environmentally-controlled facilities.
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.
Kim Thompson Owner & MD RAW Coffee Company
“Partnering up with 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.”
Furthermore, DIY mushroom kits and coffee waste-based packaging options are in the pipeline as future projects. As a start-up, Bean & Beyond has experienced mushroom growth in a short span of time and has formed successful partnerships with top coffee organizations in the region.
RAW Coffee Company implements several sustainability initiatives such as zero plastic, no chemicals, and free water. This business partnership further propels RAW’s vision of sustainability for the industry.
