3D-Printed Lattes, The Tasty New Exclusive For Lufthansa Customers

Let the latte art appreciation begin! In an exclusive partnership with Lufthansa, a Tel Aviv-based startup is giving lounge visitors the chance to print their perfect cup of coffee.

Coffee lovers rejoice! Thanks to the innovative efforts of Steam CC, a Tel Aviv-based startup, it’s now possible to create customized latte art. The company debuted the technology behind this artistic advance — Ripples — during New York’s CE Week, naming German flag carrier Lufthansa as a launch partner.

Ripple Makers will be introduced into Lufthansa’s First and Business Class lounges later this year. The airline will be the first global brand to offer “Rippled” beverages to its customers.

Ripples is an app-enabled concept, which works by allowing customers to either choose their own design from a library of hundreds of images and messages or, if they prefer, to create their own distinct latte designs chosen from the photos on their mobile device. Once selected, the pattern is transmitted to a Wi-Fi enabled 3D printer, which then prints the pattern using natural coffee extract. Each Ripple is produced within 10 seconds.

Using Ripples, coffee drinkers can edit their design, playing with the contrast and cropping the image as they please.

Steam CC believes opportunities for creating personalized content with Ripples are unlimited, and even though it’s significantly more high-tech than a traditional espresso maker, the Ripple Maker is small and easy to use. The Ripples app is free to consumers, with no in-app charges or monthly subscription, while the Ripple Maker is priced at $999.

“We are excited to unveil he Ripple Maker and proud to announce Lufthansa as our first global brand,” said Yossi Meshulam, CEO of Steam CC, the parent company of Ripples in a statement. “Our mission is to add meaning, depth and joy to the coffee experience, cup by cup. And this aligns so beautifully with Lufthansa’s commitment to ‘Nonstop You’.”

[Photo: Richard Drew/AP]