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Launch HN: Sudden Coffee (YC W17) – Instant coffee that doesn't suck

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Re: Launch HN: Sudden Coffee (YC W17) – Instant coffee that doesn't suck

#21

Post by huhtenberg »

Wasn't a problem with "bad" instant coffee largely solved by Starbucks VIA, which too utilizes a novel tech that produces very decent results? Even the mega snobs of /r/coffee were largely OK with it came out few years ago.

Also, re: this -

    Instant coffee is liquid coffee that’s been dehydrated.
    It’s normally made with the worst beans ... Next, the
    liquid is boiled down and finally dehydrated by spray 
    drying it with hot air.
From what I remember this is how Nestle was making its first version of instant coffee back in 1930s. It then switched to the freeze-drying method in mid 60s, which is still used to make Nescafe Gold.

It's very cool to see that you made your own brewing/dehydration tech, but twisting facts and bad-mouthing your competitors is not the right way to go about promoting yourselves.

Re: Launch HN: Sudden Coffee (YC W17) – Instant coffee that doesn't suck

#22

Post by alaskamiller »

I work in the coffee industry and saw Sudden pop up last year so was interested in the technique and hacked it out.

Freeze dried coffee is already what Folgers does and sell you. This is the more artisanal version of that since the big brands have big factories that can pump out plenty of instant coffee grounds.

So this is a ramped up volume play on existing techniques perfected by the doomsday preppers. Youtube search for freeze dried coffee and you'll plenty of people explaining how to do it.

The freeze drying machines sell for $600 to $1000 from a variety of vendors. I think I figured out which one Sudden is using, it's the low end consumer version from Salt Lake City. They just have 20 of these in a SF warehouse somewhere.

From there it's just a method of scaling expensive capital costs, labor intensive processes, and maximizing the calculation of yield, and marketing enough to convince people that $2.50 for freeze dried coffee in a tube is a good deal.

That only works when relative to the crazy world of craft coffee people charging $5 or $7 for a pour over with the Keurig pods at $1.50 anchoring the bottom and buying a big can of coffee to make your own at $1 a carafe.

Re: Launch HN: Sudden Coffee (YC W17) – Instant coffee that doesn't suck

#23

Post by zloof »

aquilaFiera wrote: post #17

I've been a subscriber for Sudden Coffee since Christmas and I love it. The coffee is definitely as good the corner cafe here in San Francisco. I love it because it takes me 1/10 the time to make a great cup of coffee in the morning. I just upped my subscription so I can get more every month. On top of that the customer service has been top notch so far with Kalle himself answering my questions. My initial worry was…

Thanks for the feedback! Glad you're loving it. I'm Kalle's co-founder/ wrote that blog post, so glad to hear it was helpful.

Re: Launch HN: Sudden Coffee (YC W17) – Instant coffee that doesn't suck

#25

Post by giarc »

startupdiscuss wrote: post #15
ryduh wrote: post #2

Hi Kalle, I love my daily pour over, so I might not be your target market, but I'd definitely be interested in purchasing a few coffees without a subscription. Have you thought about offering that?

Sometimes the market speaks REALLY clearly! (1) I, too, would love to try it out. This does mean that if it is not much better than my Keurig (wasteful) single use, I may not re-up. Would be interested to see. (2) Also, would be great if the trial packets were available someplace that already had my credit card (like Amazon). (3) Do you have half-cafs?

Regarding your Keurig comment. I really hated the amount of plastic waste going into landfills so I bought one of those plastic reusable cups. I wasn't impressed with the output or the work needed. I recently found Presidents Choice (large Canadian brand) has K cups for $0.50 a piece. They are compostable and made of spent coffee beans and other plant based material. If you are in Canada, go to your nearest superstore to test it out.

Re: Launch HN: Sudden Coffee (YC W17) – Instant coffee that doesn't suck

#27

Post by mythrwy »

Instant coffee can actually be good (although right now almost all of it is downright horrendous).

(sorry, have to mention competing product). Nescafe Tasters Choice in the single packs I find very acceptable and often prefer to brewed coffee.

So I'm pretty sure good instant coffee can be done. Be very interested to see what can really be done with an even higher quality product as this outfit appears to be doing.

Not crazy about subscription though. Understand it makes business sense from companies perspective but it doesn't from mine. Maybe this will work out nicely to where other distribution models make sense. Best of luck! I'm rooting for you :)

Re: Launch HN: Sudden Coffee (YC W17) – Instant coffee that doesn't suck

#28

Post by komali2 »

rhaps0dy wrote: post #11
33W wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same here - I'd pay $20 for a 5 count sample without a subscription.

What prevents you from subscribing and then unsubscribing just afterwards? (I don't know, maybe the webpage does, but there's no mention of minimum times anywhere and recurringcheckout has let me unsubscribe without problems in the past)

Nothing, but it's annoying, because it takes 2 transactions instead of 1.

Re: Launch HN: Sudden Coffee (YC W17) – Instant coffee that doesn't suck

#29

Post by giarc »

farorm wrote: post #7
ryduh wrote: post #2

Hi Kalle, I love my daily pour over, so I might not be your target market, but I'd definitely be interested in purchasing a few coffees without a subscription. Have you thought about offering that?

Thats the first thing they teach you at YC, always be having that recurring revenue.

They probably also teach you that any customer can turn into a recurring customer.

Re: Launch HN: Sudden Coffee (YC W17) – Instant coffee that doesn't suck

#30

Post by paulcole »

rhaps0dy wrote: post #11
33W wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same here - I'd pay $20 for a 5 count sample without a subscription.

What prevents you from subscribing and then unsubscribing just afterwards? (I don't know, maybe the webpage does, but there's no mention of minimum times anywhere and recurringcheckout has let me unsubscribe without problems in the past)

You have to call the New York Times to cancel your digital subscription. Why would I trust that some online coffee merchant I've never heard of isn't up to the same tricks?

https://www.nytimes.com/content/help/account/purchases/subsc...

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