Nestlé Launching the Roastelier, a Countertop Roaster for Coffee Shops

The Nestlé Roastelier machine is pictured in the background. Nestlé press photo.

Swiss multinational food and drinks conglomerate Nestlé is trudging into the smallest commercial roasting category there is with the launch of the Roastelier, a small-capacity countertop roaster for individual coffee shops.

Debuting in Greece and Scandinavia before it is rolled out to other European markets later this year, the Roastelier is an air roaster designed to fit atop the bar, while giving shop owners and customers easy access to the roasting production process.

Nestlé is pitching the Roastelier system as a complete sourcing, roasting and quality control solution for coffee retailers. The company is offering users green coffees from its existing global supply chain, including ideal roast profiles and other quality- and profile-related information as determined by roasting professionals at Nestlé. 

While the system is being promoted by Nestlé-owned brands in the Greece and Scandinavia markets, the company has not yet publicly disclosed the cost of the Roastelier units or its associated services, nor has it shared the machine’s technical specifications.

“The Roastelier solution includes a range of top grade arabica coffees sourced from select coffee growing regions around the world,” the company said, not elaborating on what “top grade” might mean. “These coffees are carefully assessed for many quality parameters within Nestlé’s factories and are then taken through the first step of roasting using their proprietary knowledge and equipment setup — referred to as ‘Prime Roast’ — to ensure consistently good results batch after batch.”

A promotional video for the Roastelier shows a touch-screen display at the base of the machine through which users can identify the individual coffee, and select a pre-determined profile based on roast depth level and brew method. Users can ostensibly develop and store their own roast profiles, as well.

“We have developed Roastelier in less than twelve months, capitalizing on our R&D expertise in beverage system technologies,” said Reinhold Jakobi, head of Nestlé Professional’s Strategic Business Unit. “With this artisanal on-site roasting solution, baristas can now offer hassle-free, freshly roasted coffee, with hundreds of personalized blends at their fingertips, to cater to the increasing diversity of consumer tastes and desires. This significantly enhances both authenticity and ‘coffee cred’ at their outlets. The novel solution will help passionate baristas become master roasters.”