Nestlé, Nespresso Secure Review of K-Fee Coffee Pod Patents

Nespresso USA Inc. convinced an administrative tribunal to review two K-fee System GmbH patents related to single-serve coffee capsules and a beverage system.

The Nestlé SA subsidiary provided “a reasoned explanation supported by factual underpinnings” as to why one would have combined prior art references to create the inventions claimed in US Patent Nos. 11,230,430 and 10,994,923, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board said in two decisions granting inter partes review on Wednesday.

K-fee, a subsidiary of Kruger GmbH & Co. KG that makes coffee and espresso pods, sued Nespresso for infringing three patents in January 2022. The US ...