Nespresso

Nestlé Nespresso S.A., also called Nespresso, is a company owned by the Nestlé Group, based in Switzerland. The company makes coffee machines and coffee pods. The word Nespresso is a portmanteau (combination) of the words "Nestlé" and "Espresso".

How it works

Nespresso machines use special coffee pods to make coffee and espresso. Coffee pods are little containers with 5 to 7 grams of ground coffee, and sometimes extra flavorings like caramel or chocolate. When you put a pod into the coffee machine and turn it on, the machine pokes the pod to open it and then runs hot water through it to make a single cup of coffee.

Types of machines and pods

Nespresso makes a few different types of coffee machines and pods, including the OriginalLine, VertuoLine and Ez-press. The patents on Nespresso machines and pods started to expire around 2012, and other companies started making coffee machines and coffee pods that are compatible with the Nespresso system. This means that you can buy a coffee machine from a different brand that fits Nespresso pods, and coffee pods from a different brand that fit into a Nespresso machine.

Company

The company was founded in 1986. By 2011, income from Nespresso sales were more than 3 billion Swiss francs, which is more than 3.7 billion US dollars. The company also has its own stores, called Nespresso Boutiques, and a customer program called Nespresso Club. George Clooney has been starring in ads for Nespresso since 2006.