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Chapter 15

Single-serve coffee makers are an example of continuous innovation. Coffee lovers around the world have switched from drip coffee makers to the newer and more innovative sing serve ones. This change is classified as continuous because consumers have switched from one type of coffee maker to another, which they view to be more superior. There has been no significant change in customer habits, because they still continue to drink coffee, only using a better machine. Companies have taken advantage of the growing competition in the market for coffee machines that are the most efficient for consumers. Consumers prefer the single-serve machines because they are much faster, and they can have their coffee in a few seconds after the press of a button. Companies making such machines have experienced significant growth over the past few years compared to drip machines. Nespresso and Keurig are the most prominent players in the coffee maker market, and they are reaping big from their innovations. Nestle is a leading producer of coffee across the world, and producing efficient coffee makers is a practical step for the company. Continuous innovation involves marginal changes (Björk et al. 387), and this is how these companies have continuously grown their market margins by building upon the habits of their consumers.

The innovation has been well received in the market, facing little resistance. The main reason why continuous innovation faces little resistance is that it does not alter customer habits significantly. Single-serve coffee makers have simply built upon the existing popularity of coffee consumption and made the experience of brewing coffee faster and more efficient. Customers find these machines to be different from existing drip machines, and this is a point of attraction (Ries 26). The new single-serve coffee machines are more expensive than the drip ones, but customers are willing to pay more for the convenience that the new machines bring. Companies are building towards more sophisticated espresso machines, which is another example of continuous innovation.

Works Cited

Björk, Jennie, Paolo Boccardelli, and Mats Magnusson. “Ideation capabilities for continuous innovation.” Creativity and innovation management 19.4 (2010): 385-396.

Ries, Eric. The lean startup: How today’s entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businesses. Currency, 2011.