Advertorial: Nespresso - The little known story of the right green coffee bean

How Nespresso creates the highest quality coffee

The origin of the coffee is equally important because it is here, at this single moment, that the first green beans are selected by the characteristics which will ensure they can complete the demanding journey to become a Nespresso Grand Cru. The most exquisite coffee is drawn from green coffee beans which are a single colour, with no spotting or obvious markings. Taking this further, these beans must not be too immature and therefore astringent in flavour, equally they cannot be too ripe and therefore fermented in flavour. This is a key moment in the supply chain of a Nespresso Grand Cru, the moment at which quality is brought to bear.

To best understand what a significant challenge it is to find the highest quality green coffee, it’s best to ask Alexis Rodriguez, Green Coffee Quality and Development Manager at Nespresso. He will quickly tell you that only between one and two percent of the world’s green coffee supply will find its way into the jewel coloured capsules which contain Nespresso Grand Crus to provide the best in-cup result. Nespresso maintains a zero defect policy on all the green coffee it sources; if it doesn’t meet the profile, it’s out. Achieving the highest quality coffee experiences is never coincidental at Nespresso. Of course the zero defect policy applies from coffee sourcing all the way through to processing and fabrication.

In order to reach the green coffee beans which will meet the aroma and flavour profile demanded by Nespresso, we look to the terroirs which have the perfect agricultural conditions and the most skilled farmers to produce the highest quality coffee.

By understanding the scope of a terroir Nespresso can source the beans which have just the right sensory profile it needs to create its highest quality Grand Cru blends. Knowing, for example, that higher altitudes produce harder and denser green coffee which in turn has a more acidic flavour profile helps to ensure the right coffee profile can be created. Taking this a step further, Nespresso has developed single origin coffees like the Ristretto Origin India, an intense coffee with spicy notes of cloves, pepper and nutmeg. Ristretto Origin India also demonstrates clearly that the commonly-held perception that the best coffee is made from 100% Arabica coffee beans is simply not the case. This powerfully intense coffee benefits from the inclusion of a small amount of the finest Robusta, grown under the shade of large trees and alongside pepper and other spices.

The Nespresso credo is that lovers of coffee should be able to choose between more than just one coffee variety, and this coffee should have the perfect in cup aroma.

Thus Nespresso coffee experts have created many different sensory experiences based on coffees from different countries of origin, including pure origin which are profoundly linked to their country of origin, thus reflecting the soul, climate, flavours and nuances.

Another factor which affects the sensory profile of the Grand Cru is the way in which the coffee is processed. The result varies depending on whether the green coffee is treated through a wet method which brings out the aroma and reduces bitterness, or whether they treated through the dry method which produces a milder result, or a semi-washed process which results in a balance between body and acidity.

Finally, Nespresso understands the vital role coffee farmers’ play in providing all the quality green coffee that it needs. In 2003 Nespresso launched its AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program in conjunction with the non-profit organization, the Rainforest Alliance. There is very simple logic at the heart of this program. By providing training, information and skills, Nespresso ensures that the quality of coffee produced by the collaborating farmers can only improve. The farmers in turn see a better return from their harvest.

All these efforts allow Nespresso to meet the demand from its customers for its Grand Cru coffees. With such a small portion of the world’s green coffee suitable for the creation of Nespresso Grand Crus, locking down supply is vital to ensure the future of the farmers it works alongside and Nespresso itself. With the highest quality coffee assured, Nespresso customers can continue to be delighted by new, innovative coffee experiences as they are rolled out.