Breakfast remains one of the most established habits among Italian consumers. According to NielsenIQ, more than 80% of the population regularly has breakfast, with the related market now worth approximately €9.2 billion.
Alongside the stability of this daily ritual, however, consumption habits are evolving. Convenience, preparation speed, and perceived quality have become key factors influencing consumer choices, contributing to the growth of single-serve coffee systems.
Among the most significant trends is the strong growth of coffee pods, currently the most dynamic segment within the coffee market: +37% in value and +21% in volume, together with a substantial increase in the consumer base. Capsules are also continuing to strengthen their presence in Italian households, recording growth of +13% in value and +9% in volume. At the same time, sales of coffee pod machines are increasing (+25.3%), confirming a market that continues to expand its user base.
The direction is clear: consumers are looking for simple, fast solutions capable of delivering consistent quality, bringing the at-home coffee experience increasingly closer to that of a café. At the same time, the market is becoming more segmented. On one side, premium products and high-value blends are growing; on the other, solutions that guarantee convenience, accessibility, and ease of use are gaining strength. This evolution affects not only the final product but the entire production chain.
The growth of coffee pods and capsules brings new requirements in terms of quality, production efficiency, and sustainability. For roasters and manufacturers, the choice of filter materials has become a strategic element, capable of influencing both production performance and the quality of the final beverage.
When it comes to coffee pods and capsules, filter paper is not simply a component of the product, but one of the elements that contributes to the correct extraction of coffee. Parameters such as porosity, permeability, basis weight, mechanical strength, and heat-sealing properties directly affect water flow, brewing time, and the aromatic profile in the cup.
Carte Dozio solutions for the single-serve coffee market
For years, Carte Dozio has supported manufacturers and coffee roasters with a complete range of specialised materials for the single-serve coffee sector, developed in collaboration with Magnera, an international reference company in filter papers for food and beverage applications.
The product range includes heat-sealable filter papers for coffee pods and single-dose systems, high-performance materials for capsules, and solutions designed for high-productivity automated production lines. Each material is selected according to the characteristics of the final product and the specific requirements of the manufacturing process.
The market’s growing focus on sustainability also makes the choice of materials from responsible supply chains increasingly important. For this reason, the new generations of filter papers are designed to combine high technical performance with a lower environmental impact, using natural fibres and production processes focused on sustainability.
Sustainability and performance: an increasingly strategic combination
The growth of coffee pods demonstrates how consumers are increasingly oriented towards practical and accessible products. At the same time, attention to environmental issues and the quality of materials used continues to increase.
For manufacturers, this means integrating sustainability, food safety, and technical performance within the same project. The challenge is not choosing between quality and sustainability, but developing solutions capable of delivering both.
In a market that continues to grow and evolve, filter material has therefore become a strategic element for differentiating the final product and meeting the expectations of increasingly aware consumers, who value both the quality of the coffee experience and the impact of their choices.
