Lavazza brings coffee-only espresso tablets to U.S. market
Lavazza is launching its Tablì system in the U.S. as the Italian company seeks a bigger foothold in single-serve coffee.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Lavazza is bringing a new single-serve espresso system to the U.S., adding another challenger to a category long led by Keurig Dr Pepper. The Italian coffee company is betting that tablets made only from compressed coffee can appeal to drinkers who want convenience with less packaging waste, CEO Antonio Baravalle told CNBC.
The system, called Tablì, uses puck-shaped tablets that Lavazza says are made from 100% coffee, with no gelatin, coating or binders. The tablets work only in a Tablì machine made by Lavazza.
Lavazza introduced Tablì last year and first rolled it out in Italy, according to CNBC. In the U.S., the launch lineup will include espresso, double espresso, decaf espresso, super crema and lungo, a longer espresso-style drink made with more water.
Baravalle told CNBC that creating a tablet sturdy enough to ship and use in a machine required a complex manufacturing process. The product grew out of Lavazza’s 2020 purchase of Italian startup Caffemotive, CNBC reported.
According to Lavazza, Tablì took five years to develop, involved more than 15 patents and required a new production site in Gattinara, Italy. The company plans to officially launch the system in the U.S. in August.
U.S. growth is a bigger priority
Lavazza is pushing Tablì into the U.S. as North America becomes more important to its business. The company said its North American turnover, or revenue, rose 26.9% in 2025.
Baravalle told CNBC that Lavazza is investing heavily in the U.S. because it sees the country as a major opportunity. He said the company wants to eventually build a €1 billion, or about $1.15 billion, business in the U.S.
Lavazza, which remains privately owned by the Lavazza family more than 130 years after its founding, reported net profit of €92 million on net revenue of €3.9 billion in 2025, according to its latest annual report. In the U.S., the company generates more than $100 million in annual dollar sales through retailers including Target and Walmart, CNBC reported.
Keurig remains far larger in the U.S. single-serve market. Keurig reported $3.99 billion in annual net sales for its U.S. coffee business in 2025, and most of its coffee revenue comes from K-cups, CNBC reported.
Euromonitor International data cited by CNBC showed Keurig with about half of the U.S. market for fresh ground coffee pods. Nespresso, owned by Nestlé, has about 7% of that market, according to the same data.
Lavazza also sells K-cup pods in the U.S. through a partnership with Keurig. Baravalle told CNBC he does not expect Lavazza to overtake Keurig or Nespresso, saying the goal is to find its own place in a market with two much larger rivals.
Sustainability is part of the pitch
Baravalle told CNBC that Lavazza believes sustainability remains a major consideration for many coffee buyers, though he said its importance varies by country. The single-serve market has faced scrutiny for years over pod waste.
Keurig previously said all of its K-cups had been recyclable since the end of 2020. In 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Keurig with making misleading statements about pod recyclability; the company agreed to pay $1.5 million without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings.
Keurig’s website now says consumers should check local recycling rules and that the pods are not recycled in many communities, according to CNBC. Nespresso offers a free mail-back program for its aluminum pods.
Keurig is also preparing its own plastic- and aluminum-free product. CNBC reported that the company plans to launch K-Rounds this fall, using a plant-based coating to preserve ground coffee inside a puck-shaped pod, through a partnership with Delica Switzerland.
Lavazza is taking preorders on its website for a $99.99 bundle that includes a Tablì machine, a 60-count variety pack of tablets and a milk frother. Baravalle told CNBC in May that Lavazza was still studying consumer willingness to pay and said the company would keep its premium positioning.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.