Single serve has taken the coffee world by storm. What began more than 20 years ago as a niche product has exploded, embraced by both consumers and businesses alike. As a part of this, much has been written about the industry leaders – the ubiquitous K-Cup – strengths and deficiencies.
The findings: sales are immense, with over 15 million brewers in use today. Most of those are in personal kitchens, with a healthy percentage found in the workplace too. What has prompted such remarkable growth? The success of single serve is all about the C’s. Convenience, choice, and consistency are the basis for the demand. Consumers can pick from an array of beverages all made with one machine. Dark coffee, light roast, decaf, hot chocolate, apple cider, green tea, English Breakfast, house blend…. the list is endless. And since each capsule makes a single cup, there is no waste or mess – a huge bonus for busy consumers. Moreover, every cup tastes the same with no more effort than the push of a button.
Single serve has firmly established itself among consumers and will continue to dominate coffee sales. The challenge for the industry now is expanding beyond the kitchen to maximize new opportunities and reach consumer “hold-outs.”