Abstract: A beverage pad (100) for use in a beverage preparation machine for preparing a beverage comprises an amount of extractable and/or soluble beverage preparation product in a compacted puck (130) enclosed between two sheets of filtering material (110, 120) sealed to each other at a periphery edge of the pad. A first sheet of the two sheets has a bottom portion, side portion and a first edge portion. A second sheet of the two sheets comprises a central portion and a second edge portion. The edge portions of the sheets are sealed to each other forming the periphery edge of the pad. The side portion, bottom portion and central portion define a space holding the compacted puck (130) of extractable and/or soluble beverage preparation product which has a uniform thickness.

Abstract: A capsule for preparing a beverage comprises a substantially rigid capsule body with a circumferential wall and a base wall that border an inner space filed with a beverage ingredient. An open filling side of the capsule at an end of the circumferential wall opposite the base wall is covered with a lid of fluid tight material. The lid is provided with a preformed outlet opening suitable for draining the prepared beverage from the inner space when the capsule is used in a beverage preparation device. The outlet opening is fluid tightly closed by a removable cover element extending over at least part of the lid.

Abstract: An insert for a flow wrapped packaging assembly has a bottom wall (18) and a peripheral wall (20) extending from said bottom wall to define an interior volume (21) for containing product (14). The insert has a tongue (20) at a top end of the peripheral wall which is movable between a closed position in which it at least partially closes the interior volume at the top end of the insert and an open position in which it does not impede access to the interior volume. The insert (12) can be top-filled when upright with the tongue open and then moved to a horizontal orientation for flow wrapping using a HFFS process with the tongue closed to prevent the contents spilling out. The insert is particularly suitable for enabling a plurality of disc-shape products, such as beverage pads, to be flow wrapped using HFFS processes.

Abstract: A capsule for preparing a beverage comprises a substantially rigid capsule body with a circumferential wall and a base wall that border an inner space filed with a beverage ingredient. An open filling side of the capsule at an end of the circumferential wall opposite the base wall is covered with a lid of fluid tight material. The lid is provided with a preformed outlet opening suitable for draining the prepared beverage from the inner space when the capsule is used in a beverage preparation device. The outlet opening is fluid tightly closed by a removable cover element extending over at least part of the lid.

Abstract: A capsule, a system and a use of the system for preparing double beverages like a double espresso, a double lungo and a double ristretto are provided. With the capsule, system and use, a high quality double espresso, double lungo and double ristretto can be brewed in an on demand apparatus. The capsule has a shape and configuration which is easily acceptable for the average user whereas the brew which is obtainable with the capsule meets high quality standards. To that effect, the capsule has a frusto-conical capsule body with a radial flange at one end, a foil lid closing off the body and connected to the flange, and a coffee bed which is accommodated in the internal space bounded by the capsule body and the foil lid and which has a weight of 9-13 g and a (height)/(maximum width) ratio within the range of 0.9-1.2.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, there is provided a method for producing an at least partially wrapped food item (60), the method comprising: forming a depression in a sheet, the sheet comprising a plastic material (80); dispensing deformable food material into the depression (82); at least partially solidifying the food material to form the food item (84); using the sheet in which the depression is formed as at least part of a wrapper for the food item (86); and in at least one part of the method, providing a rigid support (70) for the depression.

Abstract: A sealed package (100) comprises a storage volume (110) for contents and at least one sealed region to be opened (120), the sealed region being bordered on at least one side by an outer edge (121) of the package and having first and second ends; wherein the sealed region to be opened comprises a first line of weakness (123) which extends from a first point on the sealed region inward of the first end to a second point on the sealed region inward from the second end; and wherein the sealed region to be opened comprises at least one additional line of weakness (125, 126).