Portion dispenser for dispensing portioned beverage items

A portion dispenser system comprising a portion dispenser and at least one exchangeable cartridge, the portion dispenser configured for dispensing beverage items from the at least one exchangeable cartridge, the portion dispenser comprising:

• a frame with a receiving portion configured to receive the at least one exchangeable cartridge;
• a discharge opening next to the receiving portion and sized for allowing a beverage item to be individually discharged by gravity from the at least one exchangeable cartridge;
• a moving member assembly comprising a moving member and a moving member housing in which the moving member is configured to move therein;
• wherein the moving member is configured to provide a discharge chamber for discharge of the beverage item therein and to transport the beverage item to a dispensing area;
• wherein the moving member assembly is configured to connect with the at least one exchangeable cartridge, the moving member assembly comprising a member configured to open the at least one exchangeable cartridge to allow the discharge of the beverage item in the discharge chamber and configured to re-close the at least one exchangeable cartridge, wherein a closure cap is removably attached to a tubular storage member of the at least one exchangeable cartridge;
• wherein the moving member is axially or laterally arranged relative to the discharge opening and inside the moving member housing to move between an extended position in which the moving member comes at or next to the discharge opening to support the beverage item and a retracted position in which the discharge chamber is defined as a function of the retraction distance of the moving member relative to the discharge opening to receive the beverage item discharged from the at least one exchangeable cartridge;
• and
• wherein the moving member comprises a terminal portion configured to connect to the closure cap removably attached to the tubular storage member of the at least one exchangeable cartridge, and wherein the closure cap of the tubular storage member is configured to move with the terminal portion of the moving member between the retracted position and the extended position.