A DORSET coffee company has reached the finals of the World Beverage Innovation Awards.

Dorset-based 918 Coffee Co came runner up in the World Beverage Innovation Awards with its ground-breaking Coffe-Eco System.

The business was a finalist in the Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative and narrowly lost out to international filling and packaging group KHS, who won for its very light PET bottles for refrigerated applications.

A spokesman for 918 Coffee said they were delighted to have reached the finals of the world-wide awards, which were recently held in Germany. The awards had 360 entries from 40 countries in 26 categories.

The innovative, ground-breaking process Coffe-Eco System from 918 Coffee roasts coffee beans using the organic waste left over from the roasting and brewing process and really caught the attention of the judges.

Co-founder of 918 Coffee, Chanel Cornelius said: “We are delighted to have been a finalist in the international beverage industry’s leading awards scheme so soon after launching our Coffe-Eco System and it is brilliant to have gained world-wide recognition of our product.”

Launching in September 2015, 918 Coffee Co developed, designed and patented its pioneering technology and process that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and creates a zero waste, carbon neutral roasting process resulting in a much reduced carbon footprint for the coffee.

This means that the coffee waste produced to make the drink is being used in a positive way to fuel an energy efficient green coffee roasting plant.

According to the International Coffee Organisation more than 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed every year around the globe and 500,000 tonnes of coffee waste ends up in landfill each year.

Co-founder of 918 Coffee, Justin Cornelius, said: “I couldn’t help notice that while measures are in place to make the industry more sustainable, protecting habitats and workers’ livelihoods through Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance, very little was being done after coffee consumption.”

Chanel Cornelius, who is also co-founder of the company, said: “Being as passionate about our coffee as we are about the planet is why we have spent so long developing and testing our new Eco Roast technology and the whole Coffe-Eco System.

“It will dramatically reduce the amount of coffee grounds and disposables being deposited into landfill and instead can be used in a positive way to fuel an energy efficient green coffee roasting plant.”