Ethical Coffee Company sue Nespresso
The market for single-serve coffee is set for another shot in the arm after the Ethical Coffee Company (ECC) began proceedings in Parisian court to sue Nespresso for $170 million, claiming patent infringements and other damages.
The patent infringements relate to Nespresso introducing a ‘harpoon mechanism’ to their popular range of domestic coffee machines back in 2010, a move that stopped ECC’s third-party capsules from working properly. It is claimed that this is in violation of a European Patent that is held by ECC.
Many within the industry will surely be keeping a keen eye on this case.
…continue reading Ethical Coffee Company sue Nespresso
Nespresso opens up
People who have been using non-Nespresso branded capsules need worry no more.
After attempting to wrap their machines in a security blanket of patents, regulations and menacingly worded warranties, Nestle, the company behind Europe’s most popular home brewer, has decided to open up their products to third parties.
Under the agreement, which was initially announced last week by French anti-trust regulators, the company will now give competitors at least four months’ notice to any changes that they plan to make. They will also hand over any prototypes for new Nespresso brewers.
…continue reading Nespresso opens up
Nespresso unveil plan to be carbon neutral
Despite their convenience and brand appeal, mention coffee capsules and the conversation is sure to eventually meander towards the topic of their environmental impact. On a regular basis facts and figures get thrown about, documenting the problems that these hard to recycle objects cause.
Thankfully though, most of the major players in this market are aware of this and have released media-friendly sound-bites about what they plan to do or what they hope to do in the future. …continue reading Nespresso unveil plan to be carbon neutral
Eco-friendly capsules set to rise from New Zealand
Two young New Zealanders, Jayden Klinac,24, and Josh Cole, 22, formed their own business last year and are already well on their way to taking on the giants of the capsule market.
Their unique selling point is that their capsules are biodegradable, something which sets them apart from their multinational rivals and have won them numerous friends who share their green ideas.
After starting their company, Honest Coffee Company, in November, the forward-thinking duo have recently procured exclusive distribution rights that will see their mini-containers share shelf space with officially licensed products.
…continue reading Eco-friendly capsules set to rise from New Zealand
It’s a prosperous time for coffee capsule manufacturers
Companies involved within the coffee capsule industry are reaping the rewards of booming sales figures of Nespresso and Keurig compatible pods, numerous news reports have proclaimed recently.
One example of the sector’s strength is the recent expansion undertaken by the Mad Coffee Capsule who has launched a new manufacturing facility in the Wetherill Park area of New South Wales. According to the Australian edition of Bean Scene Magazine, the new 5,000 square-metre plant was constructed at a cost of AUD£23m.
…continue reading It’s a prosperous time for coffee capsule manufacturers
The coffee capsule market is likely to be key battleground for the major coffee companies
The big-money merger between Mondelez International and DE Master Blenders is set to shake up the coffee industry at a corporate level and whilst Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE), won’t come into existence officially until next year, current market leaders Nestle are already beginning to acknowledge that life is going to be that little bit more difficult with another superpower around.
JDE will harbour a number of high profile brands under its umbrella, and that is causing Nestle to look ahead with what appears to be a worried tone. Speaking about the merger, Nestle’s chief executive Paul Bulcke admitted that the market going to get tougher with the introduction of this new competitor.
Nespresso more open source in France
This story is not necessarily ‘new’, but it deserves receiving some, albeit belated, focus.
Nespresso no longer has a monopoly on coffee pods that they sell for their coffee making machines. They now have to create a little space for their rivals.
Parent company Nestlé has reached a settlement with antitrust authorities in France, agreeing to change their commercial behaviour in the country after evidence was found that they were trying to force their rivals out of the coffee capsule market.