If you haven’t heard of City Kid Java, I’m not surprised. They don’t spend a lot on marketing and instead rely on grassroots and word of mouth. That means getting into churches, businesses and schools, and conducting sampling led by its hard working crew/sales staff/brand ambassadors on chilly days. It means creating special brews for local college campuses. It also means keeping up with fans on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. And they do a good job of it, but I want to see it grow – so I guess that’s the reason for this post.

What I love about this company is how it’s run. Not by a bunch of 30- and 40-something know-it-alls, but rather by the kids it serves. Sure, there are some adults in
charge. But the kids are the real backbone of its success. They learn lessons in business, economics, sales, and so much more by attending company and sales meetings, working at City Java cafés and assisting with sampling. It’s a hands-on lesson on life in the real world, and it’s invaluable for many of these kids.

So do me a favor. Go pick up some City Kid Java. You can purchase it at Cub, Target, online or pick it up at their local cafés. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Not only does this coffee do good, it tastes good. It even won taste tests against big-name chains like Caribou and Starbucks. You can enjoy a good up of coffee and help the Twin Cities community. Sounds like a great way to start the day to me!

In the six weeks since my daughter Saunie was born, I’ve had a million questions, and I know many more lie ahead.  What type of diapers should I get?  What are the remedies for stomach gas?  When is a good time to put them on a schedule?  Is Desitin really better than Butt Paste?  I’ve entered this whole new world and even though I read as much as possible beforehand, I never realized how much I didn’t know. But instead of looking online, I’m turning to my friends with kids, my sister-in-law, my mom and my mother-in-law. To me, their recommendations, advice and knowledge are far more valuable than anything I can find in Parents magazine or BabyCenter.com.

One of my favorite pieces of advice came from my grandmother.  When she spoke to me a week after Saunie was born, she told me to drink a beer to help the breast milk come in.  What??? It seemed like an odd thing to say considering that most new moms stay far away from alcohol. But she had seven kids, so I figured she must know what she’s talking about. That night, I took her advice and had that Corona Light with lime that I’d been craving all summer. I’m not sure that it actually helped produce more milk – but I was much more relaxed when it came to the evening feeding and that made all the difference.  I’ve since passed on that piece of advice to two friends with new babies.

Word of mouth is powerful, especially among women. In fact, many studies show women are likely to trust friends and family as the best source of information when purchasing products.  I know I love that the ladies in my life want to share all their best secrets and recommendations.  It gives me a sense of comfort to know that I’m getting trusted techniques and suggestions vs. reading the latest and greatest “10 best ways to raise your baby.”  I wouldn’t want it any other way.

When apple lovers attempt to describe the Honeycrisp, they tend to blubber and babble before spitting out descriptors usually reserved for a $300 bottle of First Growth Bordeaux and Mahler’s 9th.   Developed by the University of Minnesota, the Honeycrisp’s introduction in 1991 profoundly changed the apple industry, establishing a new ceiling for what consumers were willing to pay for an apple.  It’s that good. 

One of the leaders in bringing the Honeycrisp to market was Lake City, Minnesota-based Pepin Heights.  Few people on the planet know more about apples than Pepin Heights’ owner, Dennis Courtier, who calls himself a simple farmer, but has revealed himself to be a savvy business person and marketer as well.  Courtier knows a great opportunity when he sees one, and now he and his business partner, Tim Byrne, have set their sights on introducing an exciting new variety they’ve long been calling ”The Next Big Thing.”  The new apple was developed by the very same bright horticultural minds at the University of Minnesota who saw the potential of the Honeycrisp and steered it to market. Courtier and Byrne are leading a group of 45 of the best apple growers in North America, who have formed a cooperative to launch this heir to the Honeycrisp throne.  A few bushels of the new variety will be available later this year, and distribution will ramp up dramatically in each of the next three years.

We were recently hired by the Next Big Thing cooperative to help lead the marketing of this new apple.  We’ll work with the growers on a strategy to create anticipation for the product and build awareness and demand as distribution grows.  We’ve had a chance to sample the new variety.  There’s little doubt apple lovers will put it on the same pedestal as the Honeycrisp.  Our job will be to help position it for long-term retail success.  This will be a case study in word-of-mouth marketing, which will be crucial to maximizing the potential of this truly excellent product.  Delicious work if you can get it.

We’ll share the name and more details of the marketing approach as we near the launch of The Next Big Thing later this Fall. 

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