K-Fee System, a German manufacturer of capsule based coffee systems, recently had a patent application publish for a biodegradable capsule. The company is well known in Europe and Australia, as well as in the United States due to a partnership with Starbucks. The fact that the company is making a move towards biodegradable packaging is important, as many other capsule based coffee systems have come under fire for the amount of plastic they use. This continues to expand K-Fee System's patent portfolio, which includes numerous other documents including one patent and five other applications relating to biodegradable packaging. The pod style biodegradable packaging market is dense, with companies such as Lavazza, Illycaffé, and Procter & Gamble having extensive portfolios as well.