Over Fall break, my mother asked me if I wanted to go Wegmans. “Sure” I said, thinking that this would be like any other trip to the grocery store, but boy was I wrong. While we were there, I noticed a guy my age that was handing out samples of coffee. I went over and talked to him, and he introduced himself as Jake Decicco, an entrepreneur who was selling “the world’s first super coffee.” It turns out that Jake’s youngest brother created this coffee blend of coffee, maple syrup, coconut oil, and whey isolate in his dorm room at college. He then asked his brothers to join him in creating this company, which they agreed to. Jake then told me that just last week he had been on shark tank, and that the episode was yet to air.
This was absolutely amazing to me. Here was Jake, who started a coffee business with his two brothers, that started in his dorm room. Recently I had begun a coffee project in my one class, and also had my brothers ask me if I wanted to start a business together as well, and here was proof that it was possible right in front of me. In their own product, they used a very important rule of marketing, which is that if you can’t be the first, find a way to be the first to do something. Since coffee has been around forever, Sunniva decided to be the first super coffee. This differentiates their product from other coffee products. It’s amazing that they came to this product and business by messing around with protein and coffee in their dorm room.
During the off-season, I tend to lift early in the morning. As a result, I am both tired and in need of some good protein from my lift. I would definitely turn to super coffee to get a start on my day. I know of many others who also wake up very early to go lift and would need this product every morning. One of my coaches was at the gym as early as 5am to get her lift in. What was said about the marketing principle is certainly true too. This differentiation aspect of coffee and protein can make this super coffee incredibly successful.
Although I am not an active coffee drinker, I think this product stems from a good idea that markets coffee in a different way. However, I am not completely sure that all future customers will understand what differentiates “super coffee” from coffee in general. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing how successful this product could become.
What an excellent innovation! The coffee market is often very crowded and hard to innovate. Yet, this young entrepreneur found his niche! This is a product that I would use, as an avid coffee drinker. I can’t wait!
I love that you introduced this post with a personal experience. It’s funny how you had a similar experience, meeting someone shortly after who had the same experience….and actually turned it into something. I love that you used Powell’s 2nd rule of marketing in the article as well.
It’s inspiring that Jake’s brother started something right in his dorm room. This gives hope to the rest of the college students that we can accomplish things in a tiny dorm room.