Carte Noire Espresso N°9 Intense — 30 Nespresso-compatible capsules

The Carte Noire Nespresso-compatible range in ascending order of intensity, on the brand's scale from 1 to 13:

• n°6 Lungo — intensity 6/13, long coffee, pure Arabica from Central America, medium-dark roast, with caramel and floral notes. For a lungo of 100 to 120 ml.
• n°7 Espresso — intensity 7/13, smooth, balanced espresso, pure Arabica from Central and South America, medium roast, with chocolate and citrus notes. The everyday all-rounder.
• n°9 Intense (this product) — intensity 9/13, aromatic and full-bodied, pure Arabica from Africa and the Americas, intense roast, with roasted notes. The most full-bodied.

Recommendation: n°6 for a mild long coffee, n°7 for everyday use, n°9 for a full-bodied espresso.

Yes, Carte Noire remains a French brand, even though its ownership has changed several times since it was founded in 1978 by René Monnier (who also created Grand'Mère coffee in 1954):

• 1978 — founded by René Monnier.
• 1982 — acquired by Swiss company Jacobs Suchard.
• 1990 — Philip Morris, which incorporated it into Kraft General Foods, then Kraft Jacobs Suchard in 1993.
• 2012 — Mondelēz International, formed from the break-up of Kraft.
• 2016 — Lavazza (Italy), for approximately 750 million €, after the European Commission required the sale as part of the merger of Mondelēz's coffee business with Douwe Egberts.

The historic Lavérune factory (Hérault) still produces the brand's capsules, and roasting takes place in France; its pure Arabica positioning is maintained.

No — Nespresso® Original only. Carte Noire capsules follow the standard round Nespresso Original shape — compatible with Essenza Mini, Pixie, CitiZ, Inissia, Lattissima, Creatista, Prodigio. Not compatible with Vertuo (Next, Plus, Pop), which uses a different capsule system.

Carte Noire's original positioning since 1978 — René Monnier backed pure Arabica at a time when the market mainly offered Arabica and Robusta blends. Carte Noire was a pioneer of 100% Arabica, sold at a higher price than its competitors and positioned as premium coffee. Despite its intensity of 9 out of 13, n°9 remains 100% Arabica — its intensity comes from the dark roast rather than added Robusta, as in typical Italian Ristretto blends.

30 espresso per box. A household drinking 2 cups/day = ~15 days; a high-consumption household drinking 4 cups/day = ~7–8 days. Standard Nespresso-compatible capsule format, suitable for moderately high daily consumption.

Yes, the capsule is made of aluminium, a recyclable metal. In France, put it in the yellow packaging recycling bin, following your local council's guidelines; if possible, first empty out the coffee grounds, which can be composted.