Coffee company Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA (MZB-USA) has announced signing an agreement with Ultramar Caffè - La Natura Lifestyle in order to install a new packaging line.

This line is being installed to serve the US market’s demand for aluminium espresso capsules.

The machine will be established at MZB-USA's manufacturing facility in Suffolk, Virginia, US, also where its headquarters is based.

Associated installation work of the packaging line is expected to be completed by the second half of 2024.

Upon completion, the line is set to have the capacity to manufacture 100 million capsules per year.

The aluminium espresso capsules produced at this line will be used for MZB-USA's Chock full o'Nuts, Hills Bros, Kauai Coffee, and Segafredo Zanetti brands.

The capsules will initially be made available for the e-commerce and foodservice sectors.

MZB-USA said that this partnership will allow it to serve as a third-party supplier for significant brands which are seeking to expand and grow in this segment.

La Natura Lifestyle founder and chair Struggl Ewald said: “We are proud to partner with MZB-USA to offer the American consumer an innovative and sustainable single-serve product such as compatible aluminium capsules.

“Our commitment to sustainability and quality drives us to continuously find new ways to exceed our customers' expectations.”

MZB-USA offers a wide range of proprietary and branded coffee, tea, and drink mixes.

MZB-USA president Alberto Lusini added: “Enhancing high-growth segments with dedicated production capacity has always been a goal of MZB-USA.

“In the US single-serve coffee sector, Nespresso-compatible [Nestlé] capsules are the fastest growing product and our strategic partnership with Ultramar Caffè - La Natura Lifestyle will provide MZB-USA and our customers with a quick and profitable entry point for this increasingly popular format.”