The capsules, which are the result of a joint development project between Nestlé and RPC Tedeco-Gizeh, are being produced on dedicated lines at RPC’s Bouxwiller factory in France.

The design and manufacture of the capsule had to meet two critical requirements – to ensure a long shelf life for the product and to be able to withstand the high pressure of the Dolce Gusto machine, distributed by Krups, which is the key to delivering each drink’s high quality taste. Regular coffee machines operate at very low pressure, whereas the Dolce Gusto machine uses up to a 14 bar integrated pressure system, which is normally only found in professional coffee shop machines.

The capsules are thermoformed in polypropylene with an EVOH barrier layer to provide protection against oxygen during shelf life. They have a diameter of 54mm and feature a hole in the base, which provides the exit for the beverage directly into the cup and means there is no contact with the coffee machine. The manufacturing process has to be extremely precise, with very small tolerances allowed, to ensure consistent and reliable operation of the capsules in the Dolce Gusto machines.

The outer layer of the polypropylene is supplied in a variety of colours to distinguish the different drinks in the range. Currently Nestlé is offering four coffees – latte macchiato, cappuccino, caffè lungo and espresso – and another variety, cioccolata, is soon to be launched.

The capsules have been designed to be easy to handle and their shape complements the unconventional round design of the Krups Dolce Gusto machine that distinguishes it completely from other coffee and drinks systems currently available.

RPC Tedeco-Gizeh has invested heavily in the project with the installation of the new forming lines, including full inline control of the manufacturing operation with a ten-camera inspection system and automated packing of the finished capsules into boxes.

“Dolce Gusto is truly a revolution in coffee making at home, giving consumers a better and more professional cup of coffee each time, thanks to our unique new system. It was therefore critical that the capsules were able to meet the requirements of this advanced technology,” comments Frederic Doleac, Packaging Development Manager for the project.

“With RPC Tedeco-Gizeh we have enjoyed a true partnership approach to the project. The company listened to and fully understood our requirements and delivered a solution that was not only technically advanced but also aesthetically pleasing.”

“Dolce Gusto is a very important new piece of business for RPC Tedeco-Gizeh,” comments sales and marketing director Frank Doorenbosch. “It ideally demonstrates our technical design capabilities and our ability to deliver a bespoke packaging solution for all types of products and markets by understanding our customers needs and innovating the solutions.”

Dolce Gusto has now been launched in Germany, Switzerland and the UK and will continue to be rolled out to other markets.