HAMBURG, Germany – This simple, hygienic hot beverage system, preparing products precisely as they are needed, is attracting more and more users around the world; there is a global boom in single-portion systems for making coffee and tea.
That is why this subject will play a major role at this year’s COTECA from 24 to 26 September 2014, both with exhibitors and at the supporting specialist conference.
Dan Bolton, a Canadian expert known for his knowledge of the coffee and tea markets, says that in some European countries more than 50% of private households own a single-serve coffee machine; in Canada the figure is about 20% and in the US 15% of households.
Apart from the capsules, the machines which use them are also a large growth market, with benefits for retailers and specialist stores. These machines can be used not only for making coffee – they can also make tea, so many of the big tea companies have jumped on the bandwagon and are marketing a range of different tea varieties in these handy single portions, as a lifestyle alternative to tea bags.
Global growth market for roast coffee
$10.8 billion worth of coffee and espresso capsules were sold worldwide in 2013.
And in Germany, too, pod and capsule systems are continuing their rapid growth, according to the German Coffee Association. Sales of coffee in capsules were up 27% in 2013 versus 2012, to 12,700 tonnes.
All the big coffee roasters are now selling their own pod or capsule ranges, often in connection with the appropriate coffee machines. Since the expiry of several Nestlé patents, there are more and more manufacturers offering capsules which are compatible with the machines of the market leader.
Innovative packaging solutions in the market
The manufacturers are trying out various ways to deal with the problems of high-cost aluminium packaging and waste disposal. Visitors to COTECA will find innovative packaging solutions made from renewable raw materials, and branded products for retailers.
Caffè Chicco D’Oro from Hamburg likewise offers coffee and espresso in capsules for the retail trade. “We benefit from the rapid growth rates, which are currently in the double-digit range; but that is still not much compared with the international market – there is a lot more potential for sales here,” says Michaela Bliesch, Marketing Manager of Caffè Chicco D’Oro Germany.
Tea capsules enrich the tea market
Seeing this enormous global growth market in the coffee sector, the tea sector is getting ready to follow with single-serve portions in capsules.
The special advantage of making tea with capsules rather than with the globally widespread method of tea bags is that it enables people to make tea rapidly and with optimal results – this method practically eliminates common mistakes such as using the wrong water temperature or making the brewing time too long or too short.
In addition, tea capsules can be used without difficulty in the coffee capsule machines available in the market, assuming compatibility with the respective system.
“Tea in capsules will establish itself in Germany, too. This new medium enables the tea industry to develop new, additional market segments.
This is the beginning of a long-lasting, accelerating trend,” says Kalle Grieger, tea expert at Hälssen & Lyon, in his assessment of the potential for tea in capsules.
Nestlé was the first mover with the Special-T system, but is now facing competition from other well-known tea companies such as Teekanne, which has developed its own “easy Tea” capsules for brewing with Nespresso coffee machines, and is marketing them in Austria and Germany.
Single-serve at the COTECA Conference
The two-day specialist conference at COTECA will feature leading coffee and tea experts on 24 and 25 September, and they will include analysis of the single-serve trend from various angles.
Dan Bolton, a Canadian coffee and tea expert, will give an overview of the international market for coffee capsules in his presentation on 24 September, indicating the latest figures and consumption data. Dr. Martin Bussmann from BASF will address the subject of coffee capsule packaging.
The company has launched a biodegradable plastic system based on renewable raw materials as an alternative to coffee capsules made of aluminium. The tea section of the Conference will also address global demand for capsules, a subject with plenty of potential for discussion.
