Who Produces the Keurig Coffee Pods?

[alamogunr]

As the title asks, I am interested in knowing if each coffee manufacturer produces it's own Keurig pods and pay Keurig a royalty. Or does Keurig produce them all using each particular recipe and paying the brand a royalty?

The reason I ask is that we have been using a particular brand of pod and recently had a quality problem. The top foil wasn't sealed well and leaked grounds under pressure. After being accustomed to being able to drink the coffee "to the last drop" this was disappointing. I sent the brand a message from their website asking about the lapse in quality and have received no answer after 2 weeks.

We are now in the process of evaluating various brands of Keurig pods. It shouldn't take that long since all flavored coffees were eliminated before we started.

[jmort]

A Pod and a K-Cup Aren't the Same Thing?

K-Cups versus PodsThere's a whole bunch of confusion these days about what to call the various types of single-serve coffees (and teas). If you're reading this, it's likely because you want to know about Pods and K-Cups.

If you are like most folks, you're probably thinking "What do you mean? A pod and a k-cup are the same thing, right?".

Wrong. The short answer is that pods will not work in K-Cup machines and vice versa (K-Cups will not work in pod brewers). They are not interchangeable... unless you have an adapter or were smart enought to buy a coffee maker that brews both right out of the box.

So, let's define a pod and K-cup:
A Pod is coffee or tea that is sealed inside filter paper. They have a round, flat shape and are usually soft and pliable. They are sometimes individually wrapped in foil or just packed loose in a larger resealable bag. Pods are also known as coffee pads.
A K-Cup is is coffee or tea (and recently hot chocolate and cappuccino) that is sealed in some kind of cartridge, generally a plastic cup. The cartridge has a plastic ring covered with a foil top. The inside of the capsule is lined with a filter material and keeps the coffee contained while brewing. When you place a K-Cup into a compatible brewer, there are two needles that puncture the lid and the bottom of the cup. Water flows into the top, extracts the coffee, and out the bottom (the bottom needle punctures the plastic cup, but not the filter paper... usually).E.S.E. pod with appropriate portafilter
http://www.coffeeteawarehouse.com/coffee-k-cup-vs-pod.htmlhe Easy Serving Espresso pod (E.S.E. pod), is a small packed coffee pod with a paper filter covering for use in a non-grinding espresso machine. The E.S.E. standard was created by Italian Illy in the 1970s and is maintained by the "Consortium for the Development and the Protection of the E.S.E. Standard." It is open to all coffee roasters and machine manufacturers, making it the self-acclaimed "only open system available to the sector for espresso coffee prepared with paper pods".[1]
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy_Serving_Espresso_Pod

A lot of companies make private label coffee pods and K-Pods. I like the opend source pods. Plastic sucks. Easy search for K-Cup manufacturers.

[429421Cowboy]

Have you looked at the refillable K-cups? The wife and I got a Keurig for a wedding gift and she's mainly the one that uses it since I have cut back on my coffee quite a bit. I have seen the refillable ones, they go for about $19 or so, then you fill them with whatever grounds you like and go from there. Haven't used one yet so I can't say how good they are, but its an option?

[Omega]

Have you looked at the refillable K-cups? The wife and I got a Keurig for a wedding gift and she's mainly the one that uses it since I have cut back on my coffee quite a bit. I have seen the refillable ones, they go for about $19 or so, then you fill them with whatever grounds you like and go from there. Haven't used one yet so I can't say how good they are, but its an option?I have a couple, not a fan because after use you have to rinse them out, or at least dump out the contents before making another. They do have mini-filters for them, but that just makes the concept mute IMO.

I like Walmart brand Donut Shop coffee k-cups, cheaper than other brands and not half bad quality and flavor.

[alamogunr]

Thanks for all that information. I will only refer to K-Cups from now on. I'm not sophisticated enough to care about expresso. Fifty+ years ago you drank expresso, grew a beard and let your hair grow and never washed it. Those times are long gone for me.

I guess what I'm hearing is that K-Cups are manufactured by each brand and a royalty paid to Keurig(Dr. Pepper). We are trying various brands of K-Cups now to determine which we like and don't let the grounds escape and run down into the cup.

I had already found out that the Keurig 2.0 machines would not let me use the Keurig cup that I used my own grounds in. Until I investigated I did not realize that there was a major revolt against Keurig. I think they deserve every criticism they get. When this one breaks(I expect it anytime), I will be doing my research before buying a new maker.

[Tom W.]

My second Keurig quit working properly. ( Lori took the first one to school with her.) I e-mailed then called, sent pictures because one type would do just fine and the others, that Keurig sent, was hit and miss. They sent me a new one with my promise to send a part from the machine postage paid to a recycling plant in Massachusetts. That was over a year ago and all is fine now. I managed to get two of the little screen filter things but neither fits the machine that I have at home.

I like it because I don't waste a lot of coffee with it. I'll brew 8 oz. of strong coffee, wait for it to reset, and brew 4 oz more of regular brew, all with the same pod. I still keep a jar of freeze dried instant coffee in the cabinet just in case, but that instant stuff is awful!

[bedbugbilly]

I think we've had three of them - we liked them but it seemed liked they only lasted so long and then told a dive. Can't help you on who makes the coffee inserts but I often wondered if they didn't come from that same factory but with different labels/coffee. We used the refillable cups for a while and they worked OK but then the machine took a nose dive. We were careful to use distilled water from the grocery store in them as our water had a lot of iron in it. I liked being able to brew just one cup at a time - but we went back to a Mr. Coffee or similar after the last Keurig decided to go to the happy hunting ground. The machines aren't cheap, the coffee for them isn't cheap and I was tired of buying a product that had a "life" to it - much shorter than any other coffee maker we've had in the last close to 50 years. IIRC, my wife got the refillable cups at Bath and Beyond.

[Love Life]

My brother has a keurig, and I really don’t like it. Doesn’t brew a full cup (at least not my cup). I still use a 12 cup pot that my dad gave me when I joined the Marines. So I’ve had it for 15 years now. He had it in the Army for at least 10 years that I can remember. Brews fast and hot!!

[Ed K]

Question: Who Produces the Keurig Coffee K-cups?

Answer: A company that has duped the public into paying $40/lb for coffee!

[Big Tom]

There is machinery available you can buy to build up your own production line (https://coffeetec.com/collections/k-cup-sealer) and I assume that the plastic cups can be bought from several manufacturers who in best case pay a royalty to Keurig.

The wife and I drink some coffee a day (about 6 cups each) and we trashed the Keurig for cost reasons a few years back and got one of the machines that grind the beans and brew a fresh coffee on a push of a button. That got me into another hobby as well and now I roast my own beans - cheaper than bought coffee and a coffee that tastes so much better than anything I could buy...

[Thundarstick]

Moka pot, but I only drink one cup in the morning.

[Pressman]

I love mine. I have learned that I have to keep the filters clean and clean the needle thingy when it quits pumping out coffee. Use good, clean water is key.
I almost never buy the pods, to expensive and not always available in the brand and grind I like. The fill-it-yourself device is wonderful. And a lot cheaper.
I begin the morning by emptying the 12 cup maker then switch to the Keurig for all day long coffee when I need it. I can get two cups of coffee from a single scoop of coffee.

It's the next best thing to sliced bread in my kitchen.
Ken

[Mal Paso]

I fixed that sliced bread problem. Bought a mixer with a dough hook and can make whole loaves.

I've been using Krups grinders and Melita type filters for 40 years. Costco quit carrying filters, probably to support the k cups Section, so now I'm paying 2 cents each, double the price. I don't see giving up more counter space or money for something as easy as coffee.

Thanks for the posts. I wondered about the k cups.

[farmbif]

those little cups cost a bunch compared to a big bag o beans, i'm hooked on sams club columbian in a french press, rather save my $ for powder, primers an new shootin irons

[Springfield]

Big Lots K-cups for me, lots cheaper. I only drink 1 cup a day so a regular coffee maker is a waste.

[seetrout]

I like Walmart brand Donut Shop coffee k-cups, cheaper than other brands and not half bad quality and flavor.

If you look closely at the bottom of the walmart brand K-cups it says something to the effect of...any quality concerns should be addressed to ..... Green Mountain Coffee. Blah, blah...therefore Walmart K-cups must be re-branded green mountain.

[Omega]

If you look closely at the bottom of the walmart brand K-cups it says something to the effect of...any quality concerns should be addressed to ..... Green Mountain Coffee. Blah, blah...therefore Walmart K-cups must be re-branded green mountain.

Hmm, did not know that, I like green mountain. I've purchased their branded coffee before, and it was decent.

[Walks]

I guess I'm just cheap.
I refuse to buy a 12oz cup of coffee for 3 bucks, when that same 3 bucks will get me about 5 40oz pots of coffee at home.

It's the same with K-cups. I gotta stand there and wait 2 minutes for each cup of coffee, at a dollar a cup. About 10 minutes to fill a thermos.

Just another way to rip off the American Consumer by big business.

[David2011]

We use a regular pot most of the time but also have a Kuerig for occasional use. I agree the K-cups are ridiculously expensive so we got the refillables as well.

Dark Roast Green Mountain is one of my favorites; will have to try to find the WaMart equivalent.

[alamogunr]

I fixed that sliced bread problem. Bought a mixer with a dough hook and can make whole loaves.

I've been using Krups grinders and Melita type filters for 40 years. Costco quit carrying filters, probably to support the k cups Section, so now I'm paying 2 cents each, double the price. I don't see giving up more counter space or money for something as easy as coffee.

Thanks for the posts. I wondered about the k cups.

I also use the Milita filters in my coffee maker. I used to wait until Kroger or some other chain had a BOGO sale but that wasn't reliable so I bought a half dozen boxes from Amazon. I'm fixed for quite awhile.

My wife prefers the Keurig coffee and I drink it later in the day, so we go thru quite a few K-cups. I also buy those mail order and have the cost down to about 50¢. I'm now looking into grinding my beans hoping for better tasting coffee.

[beemer]

I bought the K-Cups at Ollies for around $25 for 80. Nothing really great just coffee. I started using the refillable cups and bought some coffee at Aldi's, I picked whole beans by mistake. I think 12 oz. for $5 or so. The beans were shiny with oil and smelled great, decent coffee. I'm not a coffee snob but I do like it.

A good many years ago my Mother gave me a old coffee grinder so I dug it out, cleaned it up and started grinding. I do one spoonful at a time as I do about 3-4 cups a day. That was a while back and I still buy the beans, don't need to just enjoy doing it that way.

[GhostHawk]

Been there, done that, was not impressed.

Last 2 years I grind my own blend fresh every morning. Run it through an aeropress.

(Think french press but without coffee sitting on the old grounds)
Coffee blends vary by season. Favorites are Pedro's Pride and Mississippi Grog both from Amazon. Add a bit of whatever hazelnut is cheap and call it good. But that is just me.
Small town country boy turned coffee snob.

[Handloader109]

I make 8 cups in morning. Drink 6 of the 8, wide usually get a cup. We have a large Keurig, and it died last month. Hadn't used it a lot, my daughter used it for tea a good bit. Called Keurig and they sent me a new one. So great. I usually use it about 2 or 3 times a week in the late afternoon for a hot drink. No issue with that small a use, but I'd never do 6 cups in morning thru it.

[fiberoptik]

I agree about Pablos Pride. Good stuff! I like dark roast. I used a 4 cup dripmaker, which fills my mug. I didn’t like running out of filters. Tried a keurig with the little refill cup, didn’t make it strong enough for me, & too much hassle. Tried going back to a small percolator, took too long. Back in Michigan I use a fast electric percolator. Here in Fl. I started using a French Press. No filter to buy, fast cleanup, and I can make cold brewed coffee in it. Filled to the line maxes out my mug. Happy camper!


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[Idaho45guy]

I bought the dual Keurig that has the K-cup on one side and a regular coffee maker on the other. Was perfect for my girlfriend and I as she hated my cheap Folgers and I refuse to pay for expensive coffee.

I also bought the refillable K-cup and it works fine for my two cups in the morning each day. I refill it with Folgers. I don't understand the problem with using them. You pop it out when it's done brewing, tap the old grounds into the garbage can, rinse for 3 seconds, re-fill, and you save 300% of your cost over regular K-cups. Not sure what to tell someone who thinks an additional 30 seconds between cups of coffee is not worth the huge cost savings.

[Nazgul]

I have a Kuereg, an expresso maker, and an old school Mr Coffee. Use them all. The Kuereg gets the pods about half the time, grind my own beans and use the filter cups the other half.

Take the Kuereg to the camper for hunting season, just too convenient. Have a pour-over setup in the camper as well.

I am somewhat of a coffee snob, like it strong. For economy I like Bustelo, usually $3/lb at Walmart. It is good expresso type coffee.

Bottoms up!! Don

[RKJ]

I use the refillable cups and Folgers coffee and it tastes fine to me. I dump the old and rinse the cup out and go. I'm probably getting a ton of germs but we used to go months just rinsing out a coffee cup while in the Navy, so my palate is most likely shot anyway.

[Frosty Boolit]

I know this doesn't answer the original question but I drink my coffee black and absolutely love the Aldi brand instant coffee. The decaf is more flavorful but I usually drink the leaded stuff. As far as I know, you simply cannot beat the cost at $2.49 a jar that can last me for weeks, drinking at least 40oz of coffee a day.

[Pressman]

Frosty Boolit, you have got to have a cast iron stomach. The acid in that stuff would have me in the hospital. I like my coffee strong, and black but it must be low acid.

[almar]

Who Produces the Keurig Coffee Pods?

Evil people.

[Kevinakaq]

I am actually the ops manager for the company that produces the machine that makes KCups. We developed the entire system originally. These machines are vigorously tested and have well above 99.9 percent quality rate…. To pass a FAT involves an very rigorous testing ritual. Having said that there are other producers out there….

[alamogunr]

I use the refillable cups and Folgers coffee and it tastes fine to me. I dump the old and rinse the cup out and go. I'm probably getting a ton of germs but we used to go months just rinsing out a coffee cup while in the Navy, so my palate is most likely shot anyway.

We have one of the refillable cups but when our first Keurig gave out, the replacement would not accept the "do-it-yourself" cups. Lots of protest online about that change. Did Keurig backtrack and redesign so they could be used?

[gwpercle]

My Daughter wants and is getting one of the Keuric K-Duo , single serve & carafe coffee maker for Christmas . It says uses ground coffee or K Cup Pods , multi brew sizes , 60 oz. single serve , 12 cup glass carafe , pause and pour ! The box is 2' x 2' x 18" and heavy ... If all this thing does is make coffee ... it's way over built ... a coffee drip pot or my little Mr. Coffee will do me just fine .
This things the size of a dishwasher ...All I can say is it better make the best cuppa Joe in the world .
She's going to open her present Christmas morning and make coffee ... we shall see how much better it is than Mr. Coffee !
Gary

[Baltimoreed]

I’ve tried over 50 different brands, flavors, types of ground, etc coffees since my retirement and have yet to find one that I really like. I buy a 11-12 oz can or bag at a time, use it up and try another. Don’t like it strong or bitter, use s&l and international delight 0 sugar. I’m not a coffee snob as I seem to like the Dunkin Donuts flavors better than the others. I have repeated DD Turtle Love dark roast. Currently I’m finishing up a can of Don Francisco’s med roast. Nothing special. Also don’t do the starbucks thing.

[Duckiller]

Who spends a $1.00 for a k-cup? I pay about $0.35 for my coffee at Costco. Run and 8 and a 6 oz through one pod strong for my morning coffee.

[Geezer in NH]

If you look closely at the bottom of the walmart brand K-cups it says something to the effect of...any quality concerns should be addressed to ..... Green Mountain Coffee. Blah, blah...therefore Walmart K-cups must be re-branded green mountain. Not rebranded just made by on contract.

[BrassMagnet]

Many customers refused to deal with Keurig after they tried to force us to only brew coffee with their logo. I'll never buy another Keurig brand machine. Some people cut the Keurig logo off a K-cup and glue it to the sensor. Presto! All are now brewable in a Keurig machine.
Icoffee makes a nice machine and it lasts.

[Rockzilla]

Peet's Major Dickason Dark Roast Coffee - is my "rocket fuel...."
Think Who owns Peet's bought Keurig a few years ago, Green Mountain
I use a metal reusable "basket" along with natural filters, grind my coffee
sort of fine..makes great coffee

-Rock

[alamogunr]

Many customers refused to deal with Keurig after they tried to force us to only brew coffee with their logo. I'll never buy another Keurig brand machine. Some people cut the Keurig logo off a K-cup and glue it to the sensor. Presto! All are now brewable in a Keurig machine.
Icoffee makes a nice machine and it lasts.


Just Googled Icoffee. All say "Out of Stock" "Don't know when it will be available".

Our Keurig won't physically accept the do-it-yourself device. Must be one of the first machines that wouldn't. Doesn't bother me too much. I just have to keep SWMBO supplied with Tully's Italian Roast.