The Nespresso Route to a Perfect Espresso.

The advanced technology of the Nespresso coffee system was initially aimed at the office coffee service (OCS) sector. The target was to take the espresso concept several stages further, brining to perfection the marriage of aroma, body, taste and crema of a freshly-ground gourmet coffee.

In 1986 the first machine models were manufactured in Switzerland by Turmix. Since then, another decade of research and design development of research and design development has established a new era of encapsulated coffee.

Working as a separate operating unit within the Nestl[acute{e}] group, Nespresso is among the fastest-growing divisions in the company. Nespresso's headquarters are located on the outskirts of Lausanne, about ten miles from the group head office in Vevey, Switzerland.

In an interview with the director general of Nestl[acute{e}] Coffee Specialties S.A., Henk Kwakman, explained the concept behind the advanced technology of the Nespresso machines. Until he assumed his present position, Mr. Kwakman was commercial manager for all Nestl[acute{e}] consumer products in Holland, after which he moved to the business unit at Vevey where he was in charge of marketing for Nescaf[acute{e}] worldwide.

"In the Nespresso system there is a choice of eight coffee varieties, selected to meet the tastes of international connoisseurs. These varieties range from Ristretto, Arpeggio, and Roma in the strong Italian espresso tradition, through Capriccio, Livanto, and Cosi to the light and mild Volluto. A decaffeinated option is also available. When Ristretto was launched, it was recognized as the best espresso in 1997 by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters.

"At the production center in Orbe, Switzerland, the freshly roasted and ground coffee is hermetically sealed in aluminum capsules, each holding a precise 5.5gm. These capsules ensure that all the delicate aromas -- and coffee has 800 or 900 aromas, many of them quite volatile -- are preserved perfectly. The aluminum capsules can be returned after usage, for 100% recycling."

"We place great emphasis on the most speedy distribution to the customer, to ensure the continued freshness of the coffee. After roasting and grinding, the been doubles in volume, and there's still gas in the coffee, which continues to work even when packed hermetically in the capsule. After a few months there would be a slight loss of quality. So, as the whole concept is based on ultimate quality, we try to keep the distribution pipeline as short as possible."