Abstract: A die-cut lid for closing a container is formed from a flexible composite sheet material. The lid comprises a functional area bearing human-readable and/or machine-readable data. One or more rigidifying indentations are provided on the lid to promote flatness of the functional area in a resting state of the lid. The one or more rigidifying indentations can be in the form of one or more encircling indentations that border the functional area; and/or a planar indentation that encompasses the functional area.

Abstract: A method of dispensing a beverage comprising: a) inserting a beverage ingredient tablet (20) into a beverage preparation machine (30); b) measuring a characteristic associated with the thickness of at least a portion of the beverage ingredient tablet (20) to identify the beverage ingredient tablet (20); c) configuring one or more dispense parameters of the beverage preparation machine (30) based on the identification of the beverage ingredient tablet (20); and d) operating the beverage preparation machine (30) to dispense a beverage by contacting the beverage ingredient tablet (20) with an aqueous fluid.

Abstract: A die-cut lid (20) for closing a container is disclosed; the lid being formed from a flexible composite sheet material (30). The lid comprises a functional area (70) bearing human-readable and/or machine-readable data with the lid comprising one or more rigidifying indentations (50) to promote flatness of the functional area in a resting state of the lid. The one or more rigidifying indentations are selected from the group of: i) one or more encircling indentations that border the functional area; and/or ii) a planar indentation that encompasses the functional area. A lidded container (1) comprising such a die-cut lid and a method of forming a die-cut lid are also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of dispensing a beverage comprising: a) inserting a beverage ingredient tablet (20) into a beverage preparation machine (30); b) measuring a surface finish of at least a portion of the beverage ingredient tablet (20) to identify the beverage ingredient tablet; c) configuring one or more dispense parameters of the beverage preparation machine (30) based on the identification of the beverage ingredient tablet (20); and d) operating the beverage preparation machine (30) to dispense a beverage by contacting the beverage ingredient tablet (20) with an aqueous fluid.

Abstract: A die-cut lid (20) for closing a container is disclosed; the lid being formed from a flexible composite sheet material (30). The lid comprises a functional area (70) bearing human-readable and/or machine-readable data with the lid comprising one or more rigidifying indentations (50) to promote flatness of the functional area in a resting state of the lid. The one or more rigidifying indentations are selected from the group of: i) one or more encircling indentations that border the functional area; and/or ii) a planar indentation that encompasses the functional area. A lidded container (1) comprising such a die-cut lid and a method of forming a die-cut lid are also described.

Abstract: A die-cut lid (20) for closing a container is disclosed; the lid being formed from a flexible composite sheet material (30). The lid comprises a functional area (70) bearing human-readable and/or machine-readable data with the lid comprising one or more rigidifying indentations (50) to promote flatness of the functional area in a resting state of the lid. The one or more rigidifying indentations are selected from the group of: i) one or more encircling indentations that border the functional area; and/or ii) a planar indentation that encompasses the functional area. A lidded container (1) comprising such a die-cut lid and a method of forming a die-cut lid are also described.

Abstract: A method of dispensing a beverage comprising: a) inserting a beverage ingredient tablet (20) into a beverage preparation machine (30); b) measuring a characteristic associated with the thickness of at least a portion of the beverage ingredient tablet (20) to identify the beverage ingredient tablet (20); c) configuring one or more dispense parameters of the beverage preparation machine (30) based on the identification of the beverage ingredient tablet (20); and d) operating the beverage preparation machine (30) to dispense a beverage by contacting the beverage ingredient tablet (20) with an aqueous fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of dispensing a beverage comprising: a) inserting a beverage ingredient tablet (20) into a beverage preparation machine (30); b) measuring a surface finish of at least a portion of the beverage ingredient tablet (20) to identify the beverage ingredient tablet; c) configuring one or more dispense parameters of the beverage preparation machine (30) based on the identification of the beverage ingredient tablet (20); and d) operating the beverage preparation machine (30) to dispense a beverage by contacting the beverage ingredient tablet (20) with an aqueous fluid.