Nespresso Story
The Nespresso Story is a story about the research and development team at Nestlé that created a simple but revolutionary concept during the 1970s. The idea was that anybody could make perfect espresso in their homes or offices, similar to the cups served at the highest-quality Italian coffee cafes.
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Nespresso History and Timeline
Only a handful of people know the real Nespresso Story. Before achieving success as a global leader in the industry, Nespresso went through many phases that helped shape and define the company we know today.
The Early Years: Introducing the First Machines
The founding Nespresso staff comprised just five employees. Once the company created their logo, they began testing their machines, coffee, and concept in select areas of Switzerland, Italy, and Japan. These initial test markets focused on the business sectors.
Nestlé SA introduced its first Nespresso machines between 1986 and 1994. The first machine designs included a handheld capsule holder, like the ones used by baristas who make traditional espresso.
Maximizing the customer coffee experience was always the goal of the company’s business model. Although these early years involved lots of experimenting and mistakes, the first superior-quality varieties of Nespresso capsules mirrored that objective.
1986 – Capriccio, Cosi, Decaffeinato, and Bolero are the first four flavors of the Grand Cru capsules.
1989 – The company introduced its Nespresso Club.
1991 – Household Nespresso systems launch throughout France and the United States.
Laying Out a Foundation
The Nespresso brand grew in popularity throughout Europe as the company established their customer base within the coffee community. By the end of the 1990s, they had reached a financial milestone called the “break-even point.”
Nespresso reached new heights when Aerolux manufactured its first coffee machine for aviation purposes. In 1995, they installed this machine on Swissair to continue branding the business towards a luxury and first class clientele.
1996 – To promote the brand and product line, Nespresso launched their first website, offering coffee expertise to their customers.
1998 – Nestlé officially changed the name of their company to Nestlé Nespresso SA.
1999 – Nespresso launches a new commercial product line targeting small and medium sized businesses, high-class restaurants, and premium hotels.
After their financial breakthrough, Nespresso continually introduced new machines and Grand Cru coffees, targeting both the consumer and business markets. Before the turn of the century, in 1998, Nespresso added an e-commerce platform to their website so that customers could order machines and coffee online.
Going Global
Nespresso became known to coffee drinkers outside of Europe, which helped the company grow and become more profitable. The profits were put back into the business so that it could keep coming up with new ideas and making things easier for customers. They released the first limited edition Grand Cru coffee in 2001. With each passing year, Nespresso reaches new customers across the globe.
For the first time, Nespresso developed an espresso machine that eliminated its manual capsule holder. Instead, the capsule is put into the new machines by a mechanism that looks like an opening jaw. The new and better design made the process easier and cleaner than it was with the old machines.
2000 – Nespresso opened its first concept store coffee boutique in Paris on the Rue du Scribe.
2001 – The springtime limited edition flavor is called Blue Batak from Sumatra.
2002 – To keep up with their growing brand, Nespresso opened their first production center, which operates in Orbe, Switzerland.
Nespresso worked with the Rainforest Alliance to be more socially responsible and improve the lives of farmers. They formed the AAA Sustainable Quality Program, which guaranteed the production of high-quality coffee while also helping the farmers.
Nespresso officially introduced the Essenza machine, which features a top-loading capsule slot. All of the machines that came after the Essenza concept were influenced by it, making it a turning point for their product line.
In 2004, Nespresso’s Grand Cru coffee line extended to 12 total recipes. The recipe increase came after introducing the Lungo product range besides milk and iced coffee formulas.
Affecting Coffee Culture Worldwide
Nespresso built its business on high-quality coffee and machines, which made customers loyal to the brand and led to long-term business success. In 2009, they launched a program called Ecolaboration to reduce their carbon footprint on the environment, which involved the proper disposal and recycling of their capsules.
Nespresso Club members chose the actor George Clooney to be a brand ambassador for the company. The first advertising campaign with the actor was released in 2006. The following year, Nespresso released their Latissima machine, which included new technology including fresh milk and other specialty coffee recipes with a simple button system.
2007 – Nespresso opened their first flagship boutique in Paris on the Champs-Elysées.
2008 – A new facility opens in Avenches, Switzerland, for production and distribution.
2011 – The Pixie machine is released, which is the company’s smallest and most energy efficient coffee maker.
Nespresso reached another milestone when it opened its 200th boutique in Shanghai. By the end of 2010, the number of boutiques had grown to 215 worldwide as more shops opened in major cities like Miami, Brussels, Sydney, New York, and Munich.
Becoming an Industry Leader
Nespresso achieved their goal of sourcing 80% of their product from farmers in the Sustainable Quality Program and cutting their carbon footprint by 20%.
The design team introduced the VertuoLine machine system, designed for the North American markets where consumers prefer larger cups of coffee.
2012 – The first Nespresso boutique opens in San Francisco, marking the company’s west coast expansion in the United States.
2013 – Nespresso introduces the Nespresso Cube, which is a concept involving automated retail for customer personalization and an innovative shopping capability.
2014 – In Vienna, the first Nespresso Café opens, introducing a premium coffee shop experience.
Nespresso continued advancing their Grand Crus product line with three new decaffeinated products. The new decaf blends, Vivalto Lungo Decaffeinato, Volluto Decaffeinato, and Arpeggio Decaffeinato, match the fragrance of the most popular capsules.
Today, Nespresso is a global trendsetter and leader in the coffee industry. The company continues to strive for innovation and excellence with their coffee and machines.