Buyer's Boutique
August 2009  www.specialty-coffee.com T he inaugural Tinker's Minute, an old-fashioned take on new products, was a smashing success according to organizers of the Las Vegas Coffee Fest in June. One-minute performances brought out the best products, companies and vociferous spokespeople says Tamara Smith, the show's vice president of sales and marketing. The winner was splick itTM, a mobile drink pre-order and payment platform. Second place went to designer breath mint HINT MINT and its new pocket-friendly packaging and pomegranate-açai flavor. And, Detpak took third place with its 100 percent compostable Rebbit Ripple Wrap cups. Accurately placing even the most complex latte orders and paying online or by text message make splick itTM an attractive convenience. Coffee, deli, juice bar and cafà retailers using the text-messaging/ Internet-based order system find it a simple and efficient way to improve their customer's buying experience and attract new customers. Splick-it is a logical solution to getting what you want faster, and with a lot less hassle, explains Founder and Chairman Rob Taylor. Text in your order and pre-pay directly from your computer or mobile device. Customers already text more than they talk, so this should be of tremendous value to them, he says. Text messages already outnumber phone calls and are growing at a much faster rate and not just among young users. Nielsen Media found 53 percent of SMS/text messaging is done by those 35 and older. Splick itTM, founded in January 2008, requires no upfront fees, complicated technical build-outs or extra equipment. Shop owners can use it to communicate discounts, promotions and incentives to boost sales and drive customer loyalty. Simply reducing wait time has a significant impact and the operational efficiency it has on the store order flow itself is a benefit. To learn more visit or e-mail info@splickit.com. Judges comment: Innovative and coffee shop tested, online and mobile ordering technology holds great promise and is quickly maturing as a way to ease the morning rush and to help shop owners develop a sophisticated understanding of customer needs. SPLICK ITTM MOBILE ORDERING SYSTEM Breath mint company, HINT MINT, which has earned coffee shops a mint with their Classic Green Tea-flavored mints, this summer introduced Natural Pomegranate Acai Sours. By blending two of the hottest super-antioxidant foods, Pomegranate and the Amazonian miracle berry Acai, not only is HINT MINT making a truly original, great-tasting flavor, but they are also delivering on the promise of all-natural, health-conscious foods, says Sales and Marketing Director Wendy Sims. Sour flavors outsell mints in the confectionary category and as an impulse opportunity HINT MINT's patented curved slide-to-open eye-catching red and midnight blue retro tins are irresistible, she adds. Mints and coffee go together like white on rice, jokes Sims. The business rationale is simple, she explains. They take up three inches of counter space and sell for $2.99. The typical shop can generate great margins on the $1.65 wholesale price, adding $150 per month on sales of four a day, 28 a week. What sells the mints is style. Actor Harley Cross, HINT MINT president and CEO, had perfected a masterful marketing image that speaks affordable elegance for the lifestyle-conscious. Sales growth at the 10-year-old company was 169 percent just 2 years ago with around 1.2 million units sold in the U.S. alone. The mint you slide from your pocket or purse should be as hip and as stylish as you are, says Sims. For more information visit or email info@hintmint.com Judges comment: Hint Mint is right on trend, stylishly packaged, with a pleasingly refreshing alternative to spearmint and peppermint that not only tastes great but contains a powerful antioxidant in a 10-calorie confection. HINT MINT POMEGRANATE AÇAI SOURS Detpak's Ripple-WrapTM Hot Cup has a unique corrugated wrap providing increased hand-comfort, heat insulation and premium brand presentation. The all-in-one design eliminates the need for a separate sleeve or jacket. The Ripple-WrapTM was created 12 years ago when my father, Rodney Detmold, saw the coffee industry start to boom in Australia, says Group Marketing Manager Zoe Detmold. Today millions are sold weekly in Europe and Asia. We distinguish ourselves on our strong position on social and environmental sustainability and take great pride in the quality standards of our plants and the expertise of our people, says Detmold. We have been thrilled with the response from the U.S. market, she says. People really love the feel of the corrugated cup, and the convenience of stocking a single product. Detpak's new RebbitTM Ripple-WrapTM cups have an environmental bio-lining making them 100 percent compostable in commercial facilities. As with all Detpak hot cups they are available in a range of size, color and print options. StixToGo of Bothell, Wash., is the exclusive North American representative for Detpak, an ideal partner to target the specialty coffee industry and provide local service and expertise for our growing customer base, says Detmold. For more information visit or e-mail service@ stixtogo.com Judges comment: Sustainable practices are embedded within this 60-year-old company's DNA. The firm's well-established reputation in Australia and fast growth in Europe combined with its broad line of products make it a welcome addition to U.S. shops seeking a rugged, environmentally friendly paper goods line. DETPAK REBBITTM RIPPLE-WRAPTM comp The w