Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/491350
STiR tea & coffee industry international 43 employing 500. It has a popular coffee brand and Higgins & Burke™ tea a major food service brand dating to the company's founding in 1912. In August 2012 the firm launched its RealCup™ capsules, an independently de- veloped Keurig-compatible single-serve system. Mother Parkers is beloved by a large and loyal clients that include Martinson® Brown Gold® and Marley Coffee®. The company has produced 250 million Keurig-compatible plastic pods and has expanded its distribution to grocery and office supply stores in the U.S. and Canada. RealCup™ capsules can be found in Home Depot and the technology is licensed by Peet's Cof- fee & Tea. Peet's tested single-serve for five years before investing in its own filling and packaging equipment, introducing in June 2013 five flavors leveraging RealCup™ technology. Last August Mother Parkers released a prototype RealCup™ brewer for food ser- vice and the office coffee market. Testing of the RC400 is underway and it will begin shipping in late February. "This new brewer represents a major innovation in single-serve cup brewers," said Rusty James, v.p. of foodservice sales at Mother Parkers. The brewer features larger size servings and pre-infusion technology. It has a water reservoir and can be plumbed to brew 4-16 oz. which is ideal for fresh brewed iced tea, explained James. The brewer is manufactured by Grindmaster-Cecilware in Louisville, Kentucky. "This commercial brewer delivers a better quality coffee than other brewers in the market today," said James. "Customers are excited they can repair this machine. In- stead of tossing brewers in the dumpster, customers will be able to replace parts down the road and keep the asset in place," he said. Bill VandenBygaart, Mother Parkers' v.p. business development, has fielded a lot of inquiries from roasters since single-cup sales topped $1.8 billion in 2012. Defining what clients desire in the cup is of critical importance, explains VandenBygaart. "If performance quality is very important, they should be very careful about the type of technology, primarily the filter technology," he advises. RealCup™ technology uses a patented non-woven fiber in a filter optimized for brewing performance, he said. The Rogers Family Co., of Lincoln, Calif., drew the GMCR's wrath by introducing Keurig-compatible Kups long before the patents expired, then successfully defended their alternate "ring" design in court becoming a major private-label supplier. Rogers has since invested in several $2 million Italian-made filling and packaging machines and makes Kups for regional and national supermarket brands including Safeway. Choosing a non-licensed alternative immediately saves 6.2 cents per cup in royalties but what invites competition is the fact that the latest filling and packing machines are fast- er and standardized with greater flexibility – resulting in costs much lower than GMCR. Chris DeMuth Jr., hedge fund manager at Rangeley Capital, calculated that this second-mover advantage enables newcomers to generate a 20% return on invested LBP's UpShot™ Solution uses Keurig- compatible polypropylene #5 cups with filter material integral to the design. SINGLE SERVE...SIMPLIFIED. The PBideas concept and product offering includes simple machinery and convenient packaging supplies for specialty roasters of all sizes. Single Serve...Simplified. 15300 Woodinville Redmond Road NE, Suite A • Woodinville, WA 98072 • www.pacificbag.com • bags@pacificbag.com • (800) 562-2247 Filter fits standard single serve in-home brewers. The filter design allows the consumer to smell their favorite coffee. Low supply minimums and equipment start-up costs.