Steeped Wins Innovative Business of the Year

Now in its ninth year, the NEXTies, presented by Event Santa Cruz, honors some of the area’s best and brightest. Out of 1,700 nominations this year, the NEXTies honors 16 individuals, businesses and nonprofits that focus on progressive, community-building work.

2018 MOST INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: STEEPED COFFEE

Launched to the public through a Kickstarter campaign, the brainchild of Josh Wilbur is a single-use coffee in a renewable and biodegradable Steeped Bag, with the ritual of tea. While it may sound simple, it actually took Wilbur years to develop a coffee steeping bag. The packaging is all compostable, and the coffee is ethically sourced—providing the purest and most Santa Cruz way of getting that warm cup of specialty coffee.