Single-serve coffee container


A single-serve coffee container is a method for coffee brewing that prepares only enough coffee for a single portion.
Single-serve coffee containers can both reduce the time needed to brew coffee and simplify the brewing process by eliminating the need to measure out portions, flavorings, and additives from large bulk containers. They can also help to keep the unused product fresher by individually packaging portions separately without exposing the entire supply batch to air and light. Paper coffee pods can be functionally identical to plastic and metal coffee capsules, if the paper pods are individually sealed in separate bags. At the same time, the disposable single-use products add to the global waste production.

Variations

Several different systems exist:
The plastic and metal coffee capsules typically are used in a non-removable receptacle on the brewing device. The capsules have an outer ring or rim that stays dry during use, allowing for removal and disposal after use without getting the user's hands wet or sticky. Handling of a used moist coffee pod is not necessary if the brewing device has a removable filter tray. This tray is removed after brewing and inverted to eject the used coffee pod.
Coffee pods, bags, and capsules can be sized for individual or multi-serving portions. In food service businesses, pods and capsules used with automatic brewing can help to provide consistency of product strength and flavor for customers.
Paper coffee pods such as those used in Easy Serving Espresso Pod or Senseo machines have the benefit of being a fully biodegradable product that can decompose naturally, while plastic and metal capsules such as those used in Keurig or Nespresso machines either aren't recyclable, or require additional processing to separate the plastic/metal container from the organic waste products.
Many capsule machines specifically warn the user to not disassemble the machine or put their fingers inside the capsule receptacle, as the devices commonly use sharp razor-edge tubes or prongs for piercing the coffee capsule during use.
Different single-cup systems are not interchangeable; some systems force machine owners to buy capsules from a single company, locking the machine owner into a single source of coffee. Coffee pods are made by a variety of manufacturers and are interchangeable between brand of pod and model of pod brewer most of the time.
SystemOwned byYear inventedMachine manufacturersCapsule / pod manufacturersMarketsTypeNotes
Espresso Point MAXILavazza1992The ECL branded as 1xLavazzaWorldwideCapsuleThe ECL used a bi-dose capsule system and had a double dispensing head that could brew two coffees at the same time.
Espresso PointLavazza1983Uno Per branded as 1xLavazzaWorldwideCapsuleThe single-dose capsule machine by Uno Per, acquired by Lavazza in 1989
EspressotoriaVittoria CoffeeOwn brandWorldwideCapsuleAustralian coffee brand that produces its own pods for its Espressotoria machines as well as Nespresso-compatible pods.
A Modo MioLavazza2007Saeco branded as Lavazza/Gaggia, ElectroluxLavazzaWorldwideCapsuleLavazza vertical
BLUELavazza2003LavazzaWorldwideCapsuleBLUE stands for "Best Lavazza Ultimate Espresso” - mostly used in business and vending machines
Bialetti DivaBialetti2013BialettiCaff dÕItaliaWorldwideCapsule
Bodecker BrewerBodecker Brewed2005TBDBodecker BrewedCanadaCapsule
Caffitaly Caffita System SPA2004Various inc. Princess of Netherlands, Tchibo, Gaggia until recentlyVarious, inc. Dualit, Gaggia, Ecaffe, CBTL, Gloria Jeans, MAP, WoolworthsCentral Europe, Northern Europe, Brazil, AustraliaCapsulePhysically compatible with K-Fee machines/pods
Delta QDelta Cafés2007Flama, branded Delta Cafés, Brasilia S.p.A, Casa BugattiDelta Cafés, TetleyCanada, Portugal, Spain, Luxembourg, Brazil, AngolaCapsule
Dolce GustoNestle2008Krups, Delonghi, branded Nescafe.Nescafe WorldwideCapsuleNestle vertical. Also brews cold beverages. Limited Edition machine designs also available. Rewards program.Capsule recycling programs exist in some countries.
Easy Serving Espresso Pod Italian ESE Consortium for Development1998 and previousVarious including Delonghi, Dualit, FrancisFrancis, Handpresso, Kitchenaid, Krups and SaecoVariousWorldwidePodOpen, generic standard not tied to particular vendors, pods fit most traditional espresso machines. Not all pods are 44 mm.
Flavia Beverage SystemsMars, Inc.1984Flavia Flavia United States, United KingdomCapsuleThe "fresh pack" is the brewing vessel, so that the drink is not tainted by previous user. Controlled by Mars.
FolgersFolgers1953None neededThe J.M. Smucker Co.United StatesBagFolgers coffee singles, instant coffee
iperEspressoIlly2007FrancisFrancis, Gaggia, CuisinartIllyWorldwideCapsuleRecyclable
K-Cup Green Mountain Coffee Roasters1992Many: Keurig, Breville, Cuisinart, Insignia, etc.Many, including Green MountainUnited States, CanadaCapsuleMy K-Cup available as a reusable filter for using any filter coffee prior to the Keurig 2.0 system.
Compostable K-CupOneCoffee2017Many: Keurig, Cuisinart, BUNN etc.Many, including OneCoffee and Club CoffeeUnited States, CanadaCapsuleA soft-bottomed pod compatible with any Keurig machine, including 2.0.
K-FeeKRÜGER Group2010Aldi Expressi, K Systems GMBH PreferenzaK-Fee, Paulig Cupsolo, Starbucks VerismoUnited States, Europe, AustraliaCapsulePhysically compatible with CaffeItaly machines/pods
Nespresso
Nestle1976Eugster/Frismag branded as Krups, Magimix, Siemens; Delonghi make Latissima modelNespressoWorldwideCapsule In 1976, Eric Favre, an employee of Nestlé, invented, patented and introduced the Nespresso system Nestle-controlled system
Nespresso VertuoLineNestle2014NespressoUnited States, Canada, France, United Kingdom, AustraliaCapsuleNestle-controlled system
Coffee Pods-2001 Bunn, Philips, Melitta, Grindmaster, Cuisinart, CafeXpress, etc.Douwe Egberts, Café Liégeois, Reunion Island, Wolfgang Puck, Melitta, Fratello Coffee Roasters, etc.WorldwidePodNot owned by a specific corporation. Many more manufacturers of pods and brewers exist. Also biodegradable.
T-Discs Kraft2004Bosch branded as TASSIMOVarious subsidiaries of Kraft. United States, Canada, Mexico, EuropeCapsule

Environmental impact

Environmental activists have said that single-use coffee pods are harmful, as they are often composed of a mix of plastic, aluminium, and organic material which makes them difficult to recycle. In early 2016 the German city of Hamburg banned coffee capsules from state-run buildings on environmental grounds. There are some capsules that are plant-based and that can be compostable as bio-waste.