A single-serving coffee pod includes: a hollow capsule having an opening at a first end thereof and at least one smaller opening in a second end thereof opposite the first end; a filter disposed within the capsule; a plurality of whole coffee beans located within the capsule; and a removable covering disposed over the opening of the capsule.

Systems for controlled heating and/or agitation for liquid food or beverage product creation are disclosed. A dispenser for producing a food or beverage liquid product from a frozen contents in a receptacle includes a chamber configured to hold a receptacle containing the contents and a dilution liquid inlet configured to supply a dilution liquid to the interior of the receptacle. The dispenser also includes a perforator configured to perforate the receptacle and form a product outlet from the receptacle for the liquid product and an agitator configured to impart motion to the receptacle and/or the contents in the receptacle that increases a flow path from the liquid inlet to the product outlet taken by at least a portion of dilution liquid, when supplied, relative to a flow path from the liquid inlet to the product outlet taken by the portion of dilution liquid without the imparted motion.

Capsule for the preparation of a beverage comprising a container and a beverage ingredient contained therein, wherein the container comprises a code adapted for being identified or read by external reading means, wherein the code is arranged on the container to be read while the capsule is rotated around an axis of rotation traversing the capsule.

A portion capsule for producing a beverage includes a base element having a cavity in which a beverage raw material is provided and which is closed by a membrane fastened to the base element.

The invention relates to a cartridge system (1) for producing a drink in a drink preparation machine, comprising a cartridge (2) that has a reservoir (6) filed with a drink substance (7), and a cartridge receiver (10) that can be reversibly connected to the cartridge, said cartridge receiver (10) comprising a mixing chamber (8) and a cartridge discharge device (34) which causes at least partial transfer of the drink substance (7) from the reservoir (6) into the mixing chamber (8), and said cartridge receiver (10) comprising a fluid supply (12) which opens into the mixing chamber (8). The invention also relates to the cartridge receiver (10) of the cartridge system (1), the drink preparation machine, and the corresponding method for producing a drink (70).

A container for a foodstuff or beverage preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material and including a code encoding preparation information. The code has a reference portion and a data portion, the reference portion including an arrangement of at least two reference units defining a reference line r, the data portion including a plurality of adjacent sectors arranged on an encoding line D. Each sector is bounded by a first circumferential position and a second circumferential position on the encoding line D, and each sector contains a data unit arranged on the encoding line D between the first and second circumferential positions. The data unit is arranged a distance d extending from the first circumferential position as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information, whereby the encoding line D is circular and is arranged with a tangent thereto orthogonal the reference line r at an intersection point.

The invention concerns a beverage preparation machine (1) for preparing a beverage from a food substance contained in a capsule (13). The brewing chamber (35) comprises two chamber portions (34a, 34b, 12) relatively movable each other, means (7) being provided to apply a clamping force to said chamber portions in order to close the brewing chamber, the clamping means and at least part of the chamber portions (34a, 34b, 12) being connected to a frame structure (33) of the machine. A machine control unit (17) is also provided. The machine (1) comprises at least one sensor means (50) for sensing the deformations of at least a resilient deformable portion. The sensor means is connected to the control unit and, based on the sensed deformation of said deformable portion, carries out at least one of the following operation: controlling of a machine switching-on, a clamping means closure, a capsule presence in the brewing chamber, a fluid injection in the brewing chamber, a fluid temperature, detecting of the type of ingredient capsule amongst a set of different capsule types. Also a method to control a beverage preparation machine on the basis of the deformation of said resilient deformable portion is claimed.

Proposed is a cartridge system for making a beverage, the cartridge system being insertable into a beverage preparation machine and comprising a cartridge that includes a reservoir filled with a beverage substance; and a cartridge receptacle; the cartridge receptacle includes a mixing chamber fluidically connectable to the reservoir, and a fluid feed line extending into the mixing chamber; characterized in that the cartridge system comprises an intermediate cap, the cartridge includes a first connection means, the intermediate cap includes a first mating connection means that is complementary to the first connection means, and the first mating connection means is connected to the first connection means.

Disclosed is a remote cartridge system for managing concentrate cartridges, both for beverages and cleaning, and the dispenser in which they are installed. Each cartridge contains specific cartridge information which is communicated to a controller of a dispenser allowing remote supervision of maintenance, inventory, cleaning and revision of firmware. The system has a web domain and a mobile app for a smart mobile device which are synchronized, the web domain communicating directly with the controller or indirectly through the smart mobile device.

Proposed is a cartridge system for making a beverage, the cartridge system being insertable into a beverage preparation machine and comprising: a cartridge that includes a reservoir filled with a beverage substance; and a cartridge receptacle connected to the cartridge; the cartridge receptacle includes a mixing chamber fluidically connectable to the reservoir, and a fluid feed line extending into the mixing chamber; the cartridge includes a cartridge wall, and the cartridge system includes a sealing element for closing the reservoir; characterized in that a seal between the cartridge and the cartridge receptacle is formed by a sealing means.