Calling coffee pilgrims everywhere! Nespresso

Did you know that a coffee pilgrimage helped give birth to Nespresso? The brand was the brainchild of Nestlé worker Eric Favre, who came up with the concept in 1975 while searching for the best espresso in Italy.

One day Favre was buzzing on the bean trail in Rome, when he noticed a crowd of locals queuing outside one particular coffee bar. The coffee was great, and he watched the barista’s tricks and tried to recreate them when he got home.

The project almost hit the skids at an early stage, as bosses feared it might dent Nescafé sales. But Favre didn’t give up. He kept working on Nespresso in secret and eventually persuaded the bigwigs to let him test the product with consumers.

After successful trials Nespresso was officially launched in Japan, Italy and Switzerland in 1986. But not many people were willing to fork out for coffee machines, which were pricy in those days, and Nespresso’s future hung in the balance.

Gradually the quality and exclusivity of the product, sold through the members-only Nespresso Club, won over coffee lovers.

Today, with A-listers George Clooney and Jack Black fronting ad campaigns, sustainably sourced coffee beans, capsules that are infinitely recyclable, and a wide variety of blends, the brand thrives in more than 60 countries.