Question

Topic: Strategy

New, Private-label Coffee

Posted by Anonymous on 2/23/2011 at 4:22 PM ET 500 Points
Greetings Guru's:
Developing presentation for a new, private-label coffee that will be sold through a religious-(Christian) "Networking Group". This group is not like a regular "networking" organization.

About 100 individuals from companies and NFP's "Get Together" and review a list of needs of various charitable organizations. Once the review is complete, the attending members either volunteer to locate the products or services or provide the products and services for the charities.

They have an agreement and are purchasing coffee directly from Costa Rica, and private labeling it.

Today, I was asked to volunteer to create a marketing plan for this coffee. As I walked through our local supermarket, I noticed that not only Starbucks on the shelves, but several other types/names of coffee. The shelves were packed.

Is the market saturated?
What ideas do you have to market this product, and promote the group, as well?

Randall
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by mgoodman on 2/23/2011 at 4:28 PM Accepted
    So who is the primary target audience for this brand of coffee? You'll need to identify a narrow segment if you expect to succeed in this crowded and competitive marketplace.

    And then there's the positioning benefit: You'll want to have something that distinguishes your brand from all the other competitors. If you try to be all things to all people, the monster brands in the category will bury you.
  • Posted by michael on 2/23/2011 at 4:35 PM Accepted
    Randall,

    I currently do work for an espresso caterer (name withheld on purpose) and have a family member (who is deeply involved in his church) that is buying beans and roasting them himself. In that, I think the market could be saturated.

    You are aware of all the networking scams (not saying that is the case) that flow thru local churches and leave a wake of "injured" sheep.

    This seems different in a way because it seems they're doing many things other than just coffee. So, I was thinking something more along the lines of a fundraising vehicle. This fits better with the NFP market. Homemadegourment.com started that way.

    Or...maybe I completely missed the question.

    Michael
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 2/23/2011 at 7:01 PM Accepted
    Dear Randall,

    Is this coffee Fair Trade coffee? https://www.transfairusa.org/

    Five years ago, this kind of question resulted in blank looks.

    But now, it ought to spark buying interest.

    A strong marketing POV here can be the micro loan, small producer support that Fair Trade offers.

    This would help to position and condition buyers' thinking (I'd buy it, and am a long standing supporter of Oxfam: one of the FIRST open supporters of Fair Trade).

    There ARE other coffee suppliers that tout Fair Trade, but not enough are banging the drum LOUDLY enough so as to get noticed by Joe Public.

    As for the market being saturated, no, I don't think it is, certainly not when it's a cause related product, as this is.
    Read more here: https://corporatecoffee.com.au/coffee-tips/44/195/

    I'll e-mail you off forum with a few additional thoughts.

    Gary Bloomer
    The Direct Response Marketing Guy™
    Princeton, NJ, USA



  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 2/23/2011 at 7:15 PM Accepted
    Randall, can they make the claim that it's raised by "believers" for "believers"? Can you some how brand it as the equivalent to Hebrew National Franks ("We Answer To A Higher Authority"). Instead of selling coffee that's necessarily competing based on ingredients/region, sell coffee that shows/supports one's values. Instead of selling the coffee on supermarket shelves, sell it in religious shops, etc.
  • Posted by cookmarketing@gmail. on 2/23/2011 at 9:20 PM Accepted
    Perhaps not saturated but "crowded". If a company is big enough (Krogers) they will not need you PL. If they are small enough to need you PL services, then the market will be too small.
    Another option is to PL your own brand. I've done it before and it can be done. Not knowing your physical location; let's say Georgia? Come up with two - three (your own) PL; Georgia Breakfast Blend, Georgia Peach, Southern Blend etc. Markets will be large enough, labeling becomes the logistics
  • Posted by michael on 2/28/2011 at 11:49 AM Member
    Hey Randall,

    I attended this with my client when it was in Chicago. Might be worth a trip to San Diego.

    https://www.coffeefest.com/


    Michael
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