Every great idea starts somewhere — sometimes, even in a small college town’s favorite Starbucks.

What began as humble conversations between Hidden Leaf’s founders has grown into a shared mission with lofty goals. Today, that mission continues to transform waste into renewal and communities into collaborators.

Recover the Grounds. Regenerate the Earth.

At Hidden Leaf, we believe that waste isn’t the end of a story; it’s the beginning of a new one.

What started as a simple effort to collect spent coffee grounds (SCG) from Starbucks stores in Greenville, North Carolina has grown to be a regenerative movement that’s reshaping how communities think about sustainability, waste, and the circular systems that connect us all.

Each year, the U.S. generates tens of millions of tons of compostable materials such as food scraps, paper, and cardboard, and much of it still ends up in landfills. For example, around 66 million tons of wasted food were generated in 2019, with about 60% landfilled, while paper and paperboard accounted for 67.4 million tons, much of which met the same fate. Coffee grounds are compostable, and diverting organics through composting helps reduce methane emissions and return nutrients to the soil (U.S. EPA, 2023)

Through our collection and recovery programs, we give these materials a second life. Spent coffee grounds and other organics are gathered, stabilized, and redirected to local composting sites. In the near future, we plan to expand distribution to regenerative farms and research labs. The results include healthier soil, cleaner air, and a growing network of partners redefining what community impact can look like.

Grew on the Farm. Built on the Foundation.

Our story began with Hidden Leaf Farm, a small but mighty space designed to test and demonstrate regenerative agriculture in action.

At the farm, we’re preparing to explore composting, biochar production, and renewable energy—real-world examples of what it means to work with nature, not against it.

From there, the Hidden Leaf Foundation emerged to expand our impact beyond the fields. We now collaborate with local businesses, universities, and environmental advocates to prove that sustainability can be scalable, circular, and community-driven.

Why It Matters.

We’re not just farming; we’re building a future where organic waste becomes opportunity.

Our mission is to create systems that give back more than they take by restoring soil health, strengthening local economies, and inspiring education around regenerative practices.

Hidden Leaf is proof that meaningful change doesn’t require massive scale. It only requires commitment, collaboration, and care.