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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

#321

Post by bambax »

Not a connoisseur by any means but a drinker of expressos.

Where I can I drink Nespresso, meaning I have machines at home, at work, in summer homes usually, etc. Many hotels also have a Nespresso machine in the room nowadays.

In rental homes, and esp. when you go skiing and the apartments you find yourself in are very small, there sometimes isn't any Nespresso machine. There I usually buy the likes of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052OOLZY

and while it's nowhere near "good", it's "good enough" to get one started in the morning.

So, what's the market for Sudden? Apparently it's only available via subscription, so the casual user isn't included. Are you claiming to be better than Nespresso? That would be interesting -- hard to believe at first, but exciting if true.

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

#323

Post by brusch64 »

elxavit0 wrote: post #308
brusch64 wrote: post #296

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't like your subscription model and I don't like how your positioning yourself in the market. It feels like the Nespresso (I think that's Keurig in the US with a similar model) of instant coffee. But I would like to test a couple of cups of your coffee with friends. I never drank a good instant coffee so I really wonder how a good instant coffee tastes.

I'm not a fan of this model (yet) either. It's a big reason why I haven't cycle-"automated" other services I use. But if there's an on-demand sales model available, I'd love to try it out as well. I enjoy good coffee, but I also drink lots of bad coffee - I'd go broke on coffee alone otherwise.

I am the same.. as soon as something is a subscription model I am asking myself if I really want it.

But a cup of great instant coffee could be awesome. Especially when you are camping or on music festivals. These were the only times I was using instant coffee. If their price point stays the same you won't save much on their model.

From a price standpoint I don't know if there is something much cheaper than buying coffee beans and making your own coffee.

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

#328

Post by jrfarina »

stevejb wrote: post #315
RussianCow wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't have any evidence to support this other than anecdotes, but I would bet there is a much larger group in the middle than you imply. Plenty of people (myself included) appreciate good coffee without being fanatical about it. If you can offer the same taste as pourover without the work, I think you can capture quite a significant portion of the market. But then again, I could be overestimating that based on my o…

I start my day really early and work from home. My first cup of coffee is typically instant, and I can make this very quietly without waking up my family. I make a french press or pour over as my second cup once the kids are awake. I would buy the best instant coffee I can.

How would a French press wake up your kids?

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

#329

Post by jfindley »

freese wrote: post #129
bigtunacan wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Keurig is several orders of magnitude better than instant and can be bought for as low as 50 cents a cup. At Sudden's 8 cups for $19 it is CHEAPER for me to buy a quality pour over at the local cafe where they charge $2.25 a cup. Also this appears to be targeting "coffee snobs"; most of that crowd isn't interested in instant coffee.

We started by targeting "coffee snobs" but we're now realizing that they indeed are not the best segment for us. We're shifting our focus toward more everyday coffee drinkers who are still interested in great coffee. Edit: Definitely makes sense for you to go to your corner coffee shop. However, Sudden offers you an option to drink kick-ass coffee when you don't have access to any other option

I would definitely buy this, and know of around 20 other people who probably would do also, but only if it was available as a one-off. I appreciate why you're chasing subscriptions, and I wouldn't have a problem with paying (some) premium for one-off orders, but I honestly think that buy not offering any non-subscription packages you're leaving a lot of money on the table.

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

#330

Post by shiven »

RussianCow wrote: post #183
truthexposer wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who is your target? If people want good tasting coffee, like a connoisseur, one would like the option of selecting the type of bean, where it is sourced from, how it's roasted, how it's ground, how it's brewed etc. People even vehemently oppose and stand by brewing methods, which to an ordinary person who doesn't care about coffee, wouldn't care about. And if someone is buying instant coffee anyways, I doubt they car…

I don't have any evidence to support this other than anecdotes, but I would bet there is a much larger group in the middle than you imply. Plenty of people (myself included) appreciate good coffee without being fanatical about it. If you can offer the same taste as pourover without the work, I think you can capture quite a significant portion of the market. But then again, I could be overestimating that based on my o…

Coffee paraphernalia I use semi-regularly:

- Electric percolator with pre-ground Starbucks light-roast coffee (used to be Intelligentsia Honey Badger, before they souled-out to shitty Peet's).

- IKEA steel french press

- Nespresso (Original - not the supersize American version)

- Hario coffee hand mill for coffee beans (much rarely than before for time-availablity issues)

But, my go-to coffee on many days is the Folgers/Nescafé instant coffee.

If your instant coffee is really better (and I mean really) than what's on the market, and you can maintain consistent quality over time, I am in your target demographic.

Sign me up with a sampler!

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