Nestlé UK achieves 47% of biomass boiler energy at Tutbury from used coffee beans
In the UK, Nestlé UK has significantly improved the efficiency of its coffee production by transforming a by‑product of Nescafé manufacturing into a clean source of energy, helping to reduce waste and lower operating costs at its factory. Since 2015, Nestlé UK has recycled coffee beans during coffee production – and using them as a biomass fuel to help generate steam at its Tutbury site. Without this process, the used coffee beans would need to be disposed of as waste.
Once the coffee beans have been used the waste is pressed to remove moisture. It is then sent to a biomass boiler to create steam used in the coffee manufacturing process. The initiative forms part of Nestlé UK’s broader commitment to supporting Nestlé’s road to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050 and minimising waste across its operations.
In 2024, the factory’s biomass boiler generated 37% of the steam required at the Tutbury site. Following improvements to the process, this increased to 47% in 2025, enabling the factory to use 97.7% of its used coffee beans as fuel. As a result, the volume of unused coffee waste sent off site fell dramatically – a 94% reduction since 2024, supporting a 12.9% reduction in related greenhouse gas emissions between 2024 and 2025. The improvements have delivered clear environmental and financial benefits by reducing both waste disposal costs and the volume of gas required for conventional boilers.
The success of the initiative has prompted Nestlé UK to explore whether other by products, such as cocoa husks from other Nestlé factories, could be used to further increase renewable steam generation in the future.
Category: Fuels
