Recommended preparation
Recommended equipment: Vending machine · Manual spoon preparation
Usage & recommendations
B2B professional use — vending machines, meeting rooms, waiting rooms, 3-4 star hotels, train stations/airports, catering, fast-food chains with free coffee included. Yield ~250 cups per 500g box (standard dose 2g/cup) — intensive consumption.
Instant premium positioning : Carte Noire signature blend derives its balanced aromatic profile from its French roasting tradition (founded in 1978 in Paris, now part of the Lavazza group since its 2016 acquisition for approximately €700 million). Unlike discount instant coffees or store brands (Auchan, Carrefour, Leclerc), Carte Noire soluble coffee maintains a dominant Arabica balance, medium roast, and rounded notes —closer to traditional French coffee served in a cup.
Vending compatibility :
- Necta/Bianchi/N&W/Saeco Pro/Rheavendors vending machines — silo configuration "soluble coffee", standard FEM particle size.
- Large capacity thermal coffee makers — for use in communities/canteens (mixture in a pot with hot water).
- Manual preparation — 2 g powder + 150 mL hot water (85°C) + spoon. Ideal for troubleshooting broken espresso machines, meeting rooms, and events.
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Carte Noire Compatible Nespresso - Espresso Lungo No. 6 Classic x 30 capsules
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Carte Noire Nespresso-compatible – Espresso No. 9 Intense x 30 capsules
Carte Noire Professional Aromatic Coffee Beans 1 kg
Frequently Asked Questions
Instant coffee vs. espresso capsule coffee — what's the difference in a cup?
Two distinct categories :
- Instant coffee (this product) — coffee that is industrially pre-extracted and then freeze-dried/atom-dried into a powder. Dissolves instantly in hot water. Advantages : 5-second preparation, no equipment required, very low unit cost (~1-2 cents/cup), long shelf life in powder form. Limitations : no crema, reduced aromatic complexity, slightly "cardboard" notes perceptible to a trained palate.
- Capsule coffee / freshly extracted beans — ground coffee extracted to order under 9-19 bar pressure. Advantages : signature golden crema, preserved aromatic complexity (coffee oils, volatile esters), "authentic espresso" profile. Limitations : requires a dedicated machine, higher unit cost (~10-40 cents/cup depending on the capsule).
Choice : high volume without equipment budget = soluble; espresso quality with equipment = capsule/beans.
Compatible with my vending machine?
Yes, for most Ho.Re.Ca. vending machines configured for instant coffee : Necta, Bianchi, N&W, Saeco Pro, Rheavendors, Necta Kikko and compatible models. The Carte Noire complies with the FEM vending standard.
Preliminary checks :
- Instant coffee compartment — dedicated silo with auger. Separate from the chocolate or cappuccino silo to avoid cross-contamination.
- Dosage ratio — set machine to ~2 g powder + 150 mL hot water. Some machines dose 1.8 g / 130 mL (shorter coffee) or 2.5 g / 180 mL (longer coffee) — adjust according to cup test.
- Particle size — fine, non-granular powder. Carte Noire meets this standard (freeze-drying or spray-drying process).
Difference between Carte Noire soluble vs Carte Noire capsules/pods?
Our Carte Noire covers 3 distinct formats :
- Instant Coffee Carte Noire Pro 500g — vending B2B, quick manual preparation.
- Carte Noire ESE soft pods — Classic Balanced No. 5 (#60161), Aromatic Full-Bodied No. 7 (#60192), Intense Espresso No. 8 (#60184) — for 44mm ESE pod machines. True espresso quality with crema.
- Carte Noire Nespresso Original capsules (not listed Sub E) — for consumer Nespresso Original machines.
Signature Carte Noire is available with consistent profiles adapted to each system: solid/mono format for vending vs capsules/pods for espresso quality.
Carte Noire — history and positioning?
Carte Noire — A French coffee brand founded in Paris in 1978 by Jacques Faure. It positioned itself from the outset in the accessible premium segment of French coffee, popularized by its iconic television advertisements of the 1980s and 90s ("A coffee named desire") and its slogan "The Art of Coffee".
Business history :
- 1978 — created in Paris.
- 1985 — takeover by Jacobs Douwe Egberts (Dutch multinational coffee company).
- 2016 — acquisition by Lavazza for ~€700 million, a strategic operation to strengthen the Italian presence on the traditional French coffee market.
- 2026 — active range (ground, beans, Nespresso capsules, ESE pods, soluble this product), balanced French coffee positioning, medium roast, dominant arabica.
instant coffee Carte Noire targets the B2B instant premium segment — above discount instant coffees, below grand cru fresh espresso.
Instant coffee manufacturing process — freeze-drying or spray-drying?
Two industrial processes for manufacturing instant coffee:
- Freeze-drying — concentrated extraction followed by rapid freezing and then sublimation under vacuum (water passes directly from ice to vapor without a liquid phase). Advantages : optimal preservation of volatile aromas (low temperature), characteristic crystalline granular texture, superior flavor. Limitation : higher production cost.
- Spray drying — concentrated extraction followed by high-temperature spraying (~200 °C) in a drying chamber. The water evaporates instantly, and the powder settles. Advantages : reduced production cost, high industrial yield. Limitation : partial degradation of volatile aromas (high temperature), finer, more powdery texture.
The signature Carte Noire Pro typically uses a mix of both processes depending on the blends, with freeze-drying as the priority to preserve the high-end aromatic profile that differentiates it from the discount version.
Other formats and complementary drinks?
B2B Add-ons :
- Milk for reconstitution — Prolait skimmed milk 500 g (#70428) for coffee latte from the dispenser.
- Chocolate for vending machine — Ristora Chocolate 1 kg (#48970).
- Instant teas — Ristora mint (#48911), Ristora lemon (#48920).
- Sugar — Lavazza log sugar x700 (#34897).
- Cups — 20 cl cups x50 (#49256).
Verified reviews from our customers
Recent reviews
"The coffee is good, but delivery to the Netherlands takes a very long time! Local delivery drivers drag the package out for weeks!"
- Vladimir K.Verified Purchase
4/5The coffee is good, but delivery to the Netherlands is very long! Local couriers drag the package for weeks!
Review dated , following an experience on 03/03/2026
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All published reviews are collected and verified by Verified Reviews, an independent trusted third party certified by AFNOR according to the NF ISO 20488. See the certificate.
