Organic, fair trade, and now add compostable to Peace Coffee’s selling points. The Minneapolis-based socially-minded coffee company marked Earth Day by launching single-cup pods made of 100% biodegradable plant-based material.

The pods, or K-cups, are designed for use with Keurig coffee machines and come in two of Peace’s most popular blends: Tree Hugger and Birchwood.

“We are a brand that prides itself in walking the walk,” said owner and CEO Lee Wallace. “We worked for nearly a year to bring this to market and hope to expand compostable packaging to more of our portfolio as it’s the right thing to do.”

Peace Coffee is a certified B Corp with sustainable practices and fair trade sourcing key to its mission. Since closing its local coffee shops in 2020, Peace expanded its roasting capabilities to grow its national presence. With $10 million in annual sales, Peace is now sold in 2,400 stores including Target and natural and specialty grocers, plus a strong e-commerce business.

Coming out of the pandemic, Wallace said Peace is leaning into foodservice sales to offices. “We see employers rethinking the amenities they offer returning employees. They want to take their offerings premium, and that’s driving growth.”

Wallace also credits Target for the company’s expanding national presence. “They have encouraged us to take a “walk before you run” mentality, and we have steadily built our store count with them, year over year. I think this incremental approach is really important for many emerging brands, especially with large retailers. You can make sure you are supporting the stores you get into and focus on making them successful before you expand into new stores.”