Applica - Home Café™

In late 2000, Procter and Gamble selected Applica as one of two appliance partners to help develop and commercialize an innovative, pod-based coffee delivery system. Through consumer research, they identified an unmet need in the marketplace. The results showed that consumers were ready for a coffeemaker ‘revolution.’ The last major coffeemaker innovation was the development of the Automatic Drip Coffeemaker (ADC) more than twenty years earlier. The new system needed to adhere to strict technical guidelines and deliver a unique “Coffeehouse at Home” experience.

While working as the in-house design manager at Applica, a current member of Balance interfaced directly with the marketing and technical teams at P&G to facilitate all aspects of the product development process from initial concepts through manufacturing follow-up.

This second-generation offering was a product of extensive consumer research combined with marketplace feedback from the initial product launch. Consumers dictated that this new appliance be friendly and approachable, easy to use, and easy to clean. From a POS standpoint, the new coffeemaker needed to stand out in a sea of ADC’s, yet communicate its ultimate function—delivery of café quality beverages one cup at a time.

The final product was extremely successful in meeting consumer, business, and technical requirements. To date, over 100K units have been sold.