Pennsylvania Pod Maker Fresh Roasted Coffee Targets 100 Million Capsules

Fresh Roasted Coffee, the Sunbury, Pennsylvania, roaster that sells its own Nespresso-compatible capsules online, is scaling up capsule production and says its rooftop solar panels are paying for themselves, WNEP reports.

Founder Andrew Oakes told the station the panels went up about two years ago and saved the company $120,000 on electricity last year. He says that money helps keep prices down. The company, which has been around since 2009, has also added machinery and staff in recent months, according to the report.

The capsule numbers are the part pod owners will notice. WNEP says the company turns out about 6 million Nespresso-compatible capsules a month, expects to reach roughly 60 million for the year, and is aiming for more than 100 million next year. One line makes aluminum capsules and another makes compostable ones. Oakes says machines were modified in the past two weeks to run a new fully compostable hard capsule, which was about to launch. The company is also starting to make product for other brands.

Our take: solar panels don’t change what’s in the cup, but a US maker producing compatible capsules at this volume means more competition for Nespresso’s own, and that tends to help on price. Two things to check before you buy. Compatible capsules like these are generally made for Original machines, not Vertuo. And “compostable” often means an industrial facility, not your backyard pile, so read the box. Our guide to the best Nespresso-compatible pods covers what to look for.