It is very hard to find Nescafe Alegria in Singapore yet it manages to sell more than 200 machines!

by chee Leng (on coffee makers)
(Singapore)

Nescafe Alegria was launched in Singapore early March, at the time of writing this article they have sold more than 200 Nescafe Alegria coffee machine!

And this is despite the fact that there is absolutely no promotions, no marketing for this new office coffee machine.

The only presence that they have is a showcase in Marina Bay Sands (MBS).

Oncoffeemakers.com regularly receives inquiries about many coffee brands and it is with some amusement that within weeks of this coffee machine being launched, we received numerous requests to purchase this machine.

So, is this machine really that good? Why are people choosing it over other heavily advertised coffee machine such as one from CBTL?

My $0.02

1. It might be all there is...

The reason that they landed on oncoffeemakers.com site is because we wrote an article about alegria coffee machine some time back.

And as such when one searches for this nescafe coffee machine, you would find our site.

Thus, it could be a case of "that is probably everyone looking for it".

Side note: Thinking aloud, this meant that all the SEO and Google ranking that people are talking about probably still works.

So, folks that are peddling F&B or coffee products should give some attention to it as well.

2. The right balance

Nescafe Alegria has strike a right balance. This machine has a catridge that serves 10 instead of the usual single serve coffee machine 1 coffee.

This alleviates the time to refill or wait yet fulfilling the minimum maintenance that all office workers look for.

And the machine is small enough to be placed even on your desk while the capacity is enough to handle a small office.

3. A good price

At less than S$200 for a machine and less than S$0.50 per serve, it is one of the cheapest coffee one can have with regards to single serve coffee machine.

And while the bulk of the ingredients is still instant coffee, there are some ground coffee in it, so can be marketed as blends.

In another word, better than instant coffee.

Side note: This is quite similar to how Starbucks marketed their Via as well. It dissolves in hot water but it is not instant coffee.

4. It is all about the network.

Nestle took years to build up their network of distributors that has thousands of outlets. So, it doesn't take a lot to off load 200 units.

The true litmus test is the performance of this Alegria in the face of current competition and the impending launch of a single serve coffee machine by Starbucks.

And Keurig while in Singapore, has not really make any effort to widen its reach. Thus, as the market gets heated up, and if the growth sustains, then it would have proved its mettle.

But, personally, I think this is a good machine, it is entering a niche segment for office.

Most office coffee machine solution provider tends to go for the large office while small offices tend to buy their machines for retailers, so this machine serves a segment that is under-served.