The coffee capsule and pod market has grown explosively over the last few years, with a wide range of espresso capsules, coffee pods, and corresponding brewers on the market.
But as we’ve outlined before, coffee pods and capsules are not universally compatible because they are different products, each compatible with their own unique machines.
For businesses interested in private label coffee pods or capsules, making a decision on which format to use can be a confusing challenge. Read on to answer these questions and learn more.
Private label coffee capsules are bespoke capsules manufactured by a wholesale coffee roaster – like Metropolis – or co-packer on behalf of other businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, retailers or other coffee brands.
The advantages to private label coffee capsules are clear: when you work with a private label manufacturer, you don’t need any of the infrastructure, equipment, or expertise. You provide the specifications, and they handle everything else.
This is especially important for coffee capsules, which are impossible to manufacture without exactly the right setup. Working with a private label supplier makes the entire process doable.
So, how do we do it at Metropolis?
First, we work with you to understand what you want from your espresso capsules: flavor, body, intensity, format… Using either your coffee or ours, we grind to the perfect size for capsule extraction using a commercial roller mill, before filling, nitro-flushing and sealing the capsules using our state-of-the-art equipment.
Once we've filled and sealed the espresso capsules, we pack them in boxes with your branding, complete with any relevant certifications like Organic, Fair Trade, or others.
After you or your customers use the capsules, disposal is also straightforward. Our commercially compostable capsules are certified by both the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) and the Composter Manufacturing Alliance (CMA). This means that they pass the strictest standards for composting in the US, and you can dispose of them at any commercial composting facility in the country.
While many consumers and businesses use the terms “coffee capsule” and “coffee pod” interchangeably, it’s important to remember that they are completely different products.
So, what’s the difference?
Let’s start with coffee pods. In the US, this term is most commonly used to refer to K-Cups. People use pods to brew filter-style coffee and they often have plastic cup-like bodies with foil lids. This product makes something more like a cup of drip coffee.
Conversely, when we talk about “coffee capsules” or “espresso capsules”, we mean Nespresso capsules. These can belong to one of two product lines: Nespresso original line or Vertuo.
Nespresso original line capsules are by far the most common of the two. The material for these can range from aluminum or plastic to plant-based sustainable materials, as there are thousands of third-party Nespresso-compatible capsules available on the market.
Unlike K-Cups, each capsule contains between 5g and 7g of finely ground coffee and is hermetically sealed to prolong freshness. Nespresso-compatible capsules make something more like a shot of espresso.
Nespresso compatible capsules and K-Cups are not cross-compatible. Coffee pod brewers won’t work with Nespresso original line capsules and vice versa.
This means that for private label customers, the right machine depends on the format your supplier uses. For example, at Metropolis, we manufacture private label coffee capsules which are exclusively compatible with Nespresso original line machines.
Once you have your private label coffee capsules, brewing them is simple. The only requirement is a Nespresso original line brewer.
Despite their name, several brands manufacture these brewers around the world, as Nespresso no longer holds the patents to the capsule design and brewing process.
The process is simple:
Once brewed, the coffee can be served as-is. However, it also works perfectly as the base for a cappuccino or latte – and you can even serve it cold over ice.
In addition to private label coffee capsules, we also offer co-packing for coffee capsules. This is where you supply the coffee and we handle the grinding, filling and sealing. We package the capsules with your branding and and relevant certifications.
We also offer our best selling Metropolis Coffee blends in capsule form:
Interested in learning more? Check out our wholesale co-packing and private-label espresso capsule solutions today.
Certified compostable facilities may not exist in your area. To find a composter near you, visit www.findacomposter.com or www.compostnow.org on all packaging and marketing materials.
Metropolis espresso capsules are made under license from Smile Beverage Werks, P.B.C.
Metropolis Coffee is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Nespresso. Nespresso is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé.
Metropolis Coffee
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