Tag Archives: coffee

This week, I started my research by Googling “what percentage of new products fail”. The featured snippets in search showed 80%. In other words, if you launch a new product, it will most likely fail. Some flops are now part of pop culture (Crystal Pepsi), some were just too “avant garde” (McDonald’s Arch Deluxe), others were painfully annoying (Windows Vista), and others just plain out dangerous (Samsung’s Galaxy s7). As it turns out, lack of preparation, speedy research & development to launch early and even sabotage from a competitor are all factors that contributes to most products failures. Good market research has always been a way to help with the preparation of a successful product launch. Nowadays, social media can replace old school focus groups in most companies and reduce the number of missed product launch, turn around quickly to avoid a disaster – or become Internet famous for the wrong reason.

Nespresso has been an extraordinary coffee provider for people in Europe since 1986. Even though it took them 15 years to come to the US and then Canada, their ability to adapt to the different coffee drinker (creating the “american size”) has enabled them to become a staple high standard brand in the US and now Canada. The company has proven to understand and care about their sustainability, both by developing a robust self sustaining program for their growers in Sudan and more recently with the development of their “Red and Green bag” recycling system. The program gives Nespresso club members a prepaid red postage bag for their capsules. The bags can then be dropped off at any Canada Post. The capsules are received, emptied and the aluminium is recycled while the contents can be composted.

Social Media’s Impact on the Supply Chain industry is deeper than you might think.  Many organizations are using the information gathered from social media to predict trends, ensure timely delivery of goods and source where a product is made.

  Through its innovative My Starbucks Idea, the company known for fresh roasted beverages, wholesome food on the go, and the decadent Iced Caramel Macchiato, is looking your way for their next great product idea.  

  Faster than pulling a corto shot of premium espresso, illy is driving employee engagement, and training their North American sales force by leveraging a simple yet effective social approach – online games.

My Starbucks Idea: Product Development Through Social Media

bmfwong   October 19, 2015

Organization Name: Starbucks Industry: Coffee Shop Web Reference: Forbes, Starbucks, My Starbucks Idea Starbucks is one of the most recognizable coffeehouse in the world. Their success has been attributed to their ability to stay consistent with their product offerings, storefront ambiance, and having a menu option that suits many people’s taste buds. However, Starbucks continues to push their competitive advantage over other national coffeehouses by… Read more »

Cristina Tortina’s Shop Changing the World One Cupcake At a Time

jmelich   November 7, 2014

Company Name: Cristina Tortina Shop Industry: Cupcakes Bakery Contact: Mary Iusso       Mary Iusso opened a cupcake bakery called Cristina’s Tortina Shop in Brampton, Ontario. Their tag line is “Showcase Capabilities”, and their logo is a drawing of Cristina their daughter, that features 3 cupcakes in a stack and 21 polka dots on Cristina’s apron. The polka dots… Read more »

Starbucks Coffee Turns Around By using Excellent Social Media Metrics

jmelich   November 1, 2014

Company: Starbucks Coffee Company Contact: Howard Schultz CEO Industry: Coffee House Description of how Starbucks Coffee uses social media metrics: Starbucks’ was founded in 1971 as a Seattle coffee bean company, the company has expanded rapidly due to Starbucks outstanding social media marketing, Since 1987, Starbucks has opened on average two new stores every day.  Starbucks had been a very profitable company… Read more »

Nestle Deals With Public Concerns Using Effective Social Media Engagement

jmelich   October 24, 2014

Organization name: Nestle Industry: Multinational food and beverage company Contacts: Paul Bulcke, Peter Brabeck Letmathe Description how social media is used in business performance: Nestle is a Swiss multinational food and beverage company headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland.  It is the largest retail food company in the world measured by revenues.  Nestle product include baby food, bottled water, breakfast  cereals, coffee,… Read more »

Tim Hortons “Brings It Back”

jmelich   October 17, 2014

Company Name: Tim Horton’s Industry: Coffee,  Fast food Company Contact: Paul D. House and Marc Caira Description of how social media is used in business performance: Tim Horton’s coffee was founded in 1964 by legend hockey player Tim Horton.  Tim Horton’s has been serving fresh coffee for over 50 years a multinational fast casual restaurant known for its coffee, specialty coffees,… Read more »