Food Academy

Bean Around

We are Sadhbh and Aisling Wood, two sisters from Dun Laoghaire. We are both full time business students who are passionate about the environment and sustainability. We started Bean Around in 2021 to make hand crafted, sustainable exfoliating coffee soap bars and body scrubs using 100% repurposed coffee grounds that are collected from local coffee shops and cafes in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.

How it all began. Our Dad suffers from psoriasis (a skin condition that causes dry, flaky, red and itchy skin). After trying lots of different treatments, which never seemed to work, he did his own research and created an exfoliating bar made with coffee grounds from our own kitchen. The soap bar worked and helped to effectively remove his dry, scaly skin patches and ease itching. More importantly, because the coffee grounds are soft – they provide a gentle but robust exfoliation. This really made a difference to his skin and for totally different reasons, to our skin too.

One evening, Sadhbh was getting ready to go out and needed to remove her fake tan – which she usually did in the shower using an exfoliating hand mitt. Her mitt had been thrown out and with no other alternative, she picked up one of Dads coffee soap bars and used it. She couldn’t believe how good it was at removing her fake tan and was far less ‘scratchy’ than her mitt. Although it was messy and difficult to use, it worked and she loved it! It easily removed all of her old tan and was gentle on her skin, leaving it feeling so smooth We then decided to develop and make our own uniquely textured and fragranced exfoliating bars - Bean Around was born.

The Super Valu Food Academy programe has given us a valuable insight into what is required to develop a ‘home-made’ product into a potential business supplying one of Irelands major retailers. The programme provides an incredible opportunity for small business owners to receive focused mentoring and understand the large retail environment.

Bean Around prevents waste by reusing a resource that is normally thrown away. Our exfoliating soaps and body scrub products are sustainable and offer consumers a real choice to shop ‘Green’ and extend the life and use of our planets resources. Bean Around is at the fore front of the emerging circular economy and offer products that provide consumers with the opportunity to take active steps to help the planet by their shopping choices. Published scientific research also suggests that rubbing coffee grinds on the skin can reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Unlike salt and sugar exfoliating scrubs, coffee grounds don’t dissolve, resulting in better, longer exfoliation using less product (and less packaging). Our packaging has been minimised and is 100% recyclable. When it comes to sustainability and helping the planet – we are told that we need to consume less. Our products allow consumers to help the planet by consuming the same - but differently.

It feels good that we are able to make something new out of something that is normally thrown away. We hope that our products make our customers feel good too.