Premium coffee brand Nespresso said on the 23rd that it will focus on "expanding the coffee experience" this year as part of its brand strategy.
Park Sung-yong, head of Nespresso Korea, said at the "Vertuo World Media Day" held in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, that "since our 1986 launch, for 40 years we have focused on elevating the value of coffee so people can enjoy perfect espresso at home," adding, "the direction Nespresso will take this year is 'exploration.'" Park added, "the goal is for coffee lovers to press a single button to enjoy the infinite world of coffee, and to maximize that."
Park said last year's keyword for Nespresso was "collaboration." Through collaborations with Starbucks and Blue Bottle, the company broadened its product portfolio and, by working with distributors, expanded consumer touchpoints. Park said, "if last year was a stage to confirm possibilities, this year is when we will fully design and expand the coffee experience for a new generation."
Nespresso's core growth axis is the "Vertuo" system. Instead of the conventional high-pressure extraction method, it adopts a centrifugal extraction method. In particular, it recognizes the barcode engraved on the rim of the capsule to automatically adjust extraction time, temperature and speed. Vertuo launched in the Korean market in 2018.
Vertuo maintained the No. 1 position in the domestic capsule coffee market for three consecutive years and recorded about a 38% market share as of 2025. The company expects this growth trend to continue in 2026.
The analysis is that this growth aligns with the traits of Korean consumers. The barcode-based extraction system, recipes centered on double espresso, and the iced latte mode are optimized for Korea's iced coffee–centric consumption pattern.
According to a Nespresso in-house survey, consumers in their 20s to early 30s drink an average of 2.6 cups of coffee a day, and about 88% of those are iced coffee. Also, 56% of respondents said they want to try seasonal limited beverages. Decaf coffee sales also rose 42% year over year as of 2025. This shows that demand for new coffee experiences is rapidly expanding, centered on younger consumers.
At the center of this strategy is the new "Vertuo Up," launched in March. Reflecting the characteristics of the Korean market, it implements a preheating function within 3 seconds. It minimizes waiting time amid fast-paced lifestyles to enhance convenience. Through the "iced latte mode," all coffees can be extracted as a concentrated 80 ml. With a single button, various recipes are possible, and when combined with about 50 capsule varieties, up to more than 200 coffee recipes can be made, Park said.
At the briefing, a Nespresso coffee expert presented "Ruby Pomelogio" through a recipe demonstration. The drink features coffee extracted in iced latte mode, combined with grapefruit ade and fresh fruit, and a soft texture created using a nano foamer. By simply adding ice, it can be expanded into an iced Americano, or by adding milk, into an iced latte.
According to Nespresso, about 34% of Vertuo system users actively use iced recipes, and consumer response to the new product is positive. Preference for the new product concept is 82%, functional satisfaction scores 4.8 out of 5, and willingness to recommend is 93%.
Nespresso is putting "Vertuo World" at the center of its campaign this year. Kim Go-eun continues as a global ambassador this year following last year, and global pop star Dua Lipa newly joined this year. At the briefing, Kim Go-eun shared her coffee routine, and chef Son Jong-won appeared as a special guest to present dessert pairings.
Nespresso will also expand offline touchpoints. It is running a popup store at The Gave in Seongsu-dong through May 3. It allows visitors to experience and taste various Vertuo coffees and immerse themselves in the brand's world. Visitors can receive gifts through simple games and purchase Nespresso products.
Park said, "Vertuo is not just a coffee machine but a platform that symbolizes Nespresso's change," adding, "we plan to transition into a brand that proposes a broader and more flexible coffee experience."