SEATTLE, March 9 (UPI) -- U.S. coffee giant Starbucks says it will begin selling its own single-cup coffee maker by the end of the year.
The high-pressure Verismo system will make brewed cups of coffee as well as specialized espresso drinks, including lattes, the company said Thursday in a release.
The Verismo machines, made by German company Krueger, will be available along with "Starbucks-sourced 100 percent Arabica coffee and milk pods starting" in time for the holidays, Starbucks said.
"We have long believed the biggest prize within the segment is a high-pressure system that would give us the opportunity to deliver Starbucks-quality espresso beverages at home and at work for customers who desire the Starbucks espresso experience outside of our stores," said Starbucks Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz said in a statement.
Starbucks did not release a price for the coffee machine. But the premium single-cup segment "is the fastest growing business within the global coffee industry," Schultz said.
