In a German kitchen in 1908, housewife Melitta Bentz was starting her morning like many others: making a cup of coffee. However, instead of enjoying each sip of her brew, she was annoyed by the coffee grounds at the bottom of her cup and the chore of removing the particles after. After trying and testing many ways to get rid of the grounds, one day she punched tiny holes in a tin pot and in it placed a piece of blotting paper from her son’s schoolbook. The result: coffee that dripped through without the grounds. Bentz had invented the first paper coffee filter. Following in Melitta’s footsteps and her spirit for innovation, Melitta Professional was established to provide tailored coffee solutions for the out-of-home market. Eager to keep up with the times while keeping true to its origins, over the years the company has dedicated itself to developing coffee technology, focusing its attention on automatic coffee machines. “It’s fair to say we have evolved a lot since the 1900s. Filter coffee is still a huge part of our business, but at our core we predominantly focus on coffee solutions that make life easier and have succeeded in manufacturing high-quality automatic coffee machines,” says Stefanie Heidemann, Manager of Training and Market Intelligence at Melitta Professional.

In response to hospitality staff shortages, rising coffee prices, and to meet the everincreasing demands and taste preferences of coffee consumers, the team at Melitta felt it was time to add another model to its CT automatic machine series. “For years now, there has been a growing demand for individualised beverages. The CT8plus builds from the same concept as its predecessor, the CT8, but can manage up to four different kinds of beans at any one time. This enables the end user to be flexible with their beverage menu,” says Heidemann.
“Our technology is also very consistent. With the push of a button, the operator can complete an order and be confident the beverage will be of barista quality.” Heidemann emphasises that this type of convenience and adaptability frees up the time of those working in the hospitality sector, reducing pressure on staff to fulfil orders.
“We all know the industry is having a staff crisis and facing huge challenges in training baristas and getting enough staff. A fully automatic machine can help as it has the capability to produce high-quality drinks in a short period of time,” she says. “For example, in a busy café setting, the CT8plus can brew a beautiful coffee, giving the worker more time to do other tasks such as getting the pastries ready or cleaning the tables, or even just engaging in a conversation with the customer. It saves time and creates an enjoyable and less stressful environment.”
Building on the technology of the previous CT8 model, the engineering team at Melitta Professional wanted to give users more choice in beverages. Their solution was incorporating a variety of milk options as well as new and improved milk foaming technology.“

As milk varieties continue to expand, milk-based coffee is becoming more popular so it’s important to have a range of dairy and plant-based milks on demand,” says Heidemann. The CT8plus can process up to four types of fresh milk and milk alternatives. Operators can choose from including one or two TopFoam Plus milk systems, which deliver cold or warm milk foam automatically in three different consistencies without the need for manual readjustment. As a two-step version for manual latte art from the barista jug, the CT8plus is also available with the advanced Steam Perfect steam wand. “We have optimised the angle of the wand which helps control air pressure. It is also longer, so it reaches deeper into the milk jug to create dense and creamy milk foam. It requires no manual input, therefore it’s ideal for busy environments that want to achieve perfectly textured milk foam,” she says.
Another key feature the team focused on with the CT and XT series was the machine’s grinding technology. According to Ulrich Klocke, Head of Product Management Coffee Machine, grinding is at the heart of making a quality cup of coffee.
“Grinding discs play a very important role in any coffee machine. They take care of the grinding degree, which is what ensures consistency in the coffee,” he says. “In its lifetime, a machine will produce tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of beverages that should all be of the same quality. This largely depends on the grinding degree, which is why we paid extra attention to this feature.”
For all machines in the CT and XT series, the team developed tool steel grinding discs, an iron-based alloy selected for strength which, unlike standard stainless-steel discs, have sharpened edges. According to Klocke, this slices the beans instead of breaking them, to deliver exact grinding degree and optimal extraction time. “Grinding discs are like tyres on a car, after wear and tear the operation of the vehicle and driving changes. The same goes for the discs on a coffee machine, once the disc gets worn it begins to influence the grinding degree and therefore extraction and the taste of the coffee. This is what we don’t want. Therefore, we made sure the steel was robust and could last the test of time,” he says.

Understanding the demands of busy environments, the team at Melitta Professional also incorporated a selfcleaning system in all its fully automatic machines to free up more time for the end user. “We are always trying to improve. With the CT8plus, you have so many options to make different coffees, so it was imperative for us to ensure the cleaning process was thorough and safe to avoid any cross contamination,” says Heidemann. “To do this we developed a unique cleaning agent for both the coffee and the milk system. We realised it’s easier for clients to have one cleaner to ensure there is no mix up. It comes in tablet form, which makes it safe and easy to use.” To provide fast, convenient, and helpful information on the customer’s coffee business, wherever and whenever it is needed, Melitta Professional has integrated telemetric technology into its machines. To enhance this, it also established an intuitive online portal that presents the useful information to whoever needs it – be it the operator or the manager. Melitta ONSite app users can get push notifications giving advance warnings when bean or milk supplies are running low to avoid downtime and waiting at the machines. “Collecting data allows the end user to improve its day-to-day operation, reduce waste, and see what beverages are the most popular,” says Klocke.

“A couple of years ago, collating accurate insights wasn’t possible. You would have to manually take account of everything, which was time consuming and often inaccurate. Today, collecting data and insights is essential for any environment that produces a large quantity of a product and is why we have incorporated it into our machines.”

Dedicated to its philosophy in providing end-to-end solutions for the coffee sector, the team says it will continue to expand its range by combining its tried-and-tested technology with innovative ideas. “We will continue to build on the technology of our previous models, while also developing and implementing new functionalities into new machines,” says Klocke. “At Melitta, we improve and innovate as a company – it’s how we have continued to evolve successfully over the years.”