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Keurig Dr Pepper to launch plastic-free AltaRounds pods and Alta brewer at end-September

Keurig Dr Pepper will unveil the Keurig Alta brewing system and AltaRounds pods at the end of September 2026, replacing the plastic and aluminium K-Cup construction with a fully compostable pressed-coffee puck in a proprietary plant-based coating. The pods will be produced at the company's Spartanburg, South Carolina complex, and the Alta brewer will initially accept both existing K-Cups and AltaRounds. Development began with internal discussions in 2020 and 2021.

Why this mattersA plastic- and aluminium-free single-serve format from the category's largest player could accelerate a shift away from mixed-material coffee capsules across the sector.

• The Keurig Alta system and AltaRounds pods are to be unveiled at the end of September 2026.
• AltaRounds use no plastic or metal and are fully compostable, wrapped in a proprietary plant-based coating.
• Six Keurig-branded varieties launch initially, two espressos, a caramel option and light, medium and dark roasts, with participation from Peet's Coffee.
• AltaRounds will be produced at Keurig's Spartanburg, South Carolina complex, having been engineered in Burlington, Massachusetts.
• The Alta brewer is backward-compatible and will initially brew both K-Cups and AltaRounds.
• Keurig machines are in roughly 47 million households in the US and Canada; K-Cups launched in 1998.

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