No Normal Coffee Shaking Up the Market And Redefining Coffee.
Frustrated with overcomplicated or bad tasting coffee when ski touring, No Normal Coffee’s CEO and Co Founder, Philippe Greinacher set about to solve this problem with a product that’s easy to prepare and tastes as good as a fresh brew.
Please tell us how the idea for No Normal Coffee came about?
We were simply tired of compromising good coffee and convenience when we would go on ski tours and other adventures. Most options to prepare coffee outdoors are either complicated to bring/prepare, or not very tasty. We wanted to change this, to create something that is as easy to prepare as instant coffee, but as delicious as freshly brewed coffee. We set out with this idea of creating a much better tasting experience this way, not only did we manage to do this, but we also created a new kind of coffee, one that you can eat! That is what many people are so interested in now. With No Normal Coffee, you don’t need any water to enjoy it, direct from the tube, or as a snack with a biscuit or energy bar is all you need.
Who are the people behind the brand?
The two co-founders Alexander Häberlin and Philippe Greinacher are responsible for creating the product and building the company, but there are many people in our network such as the talented photographer Mathyas Kurmann, and other outdoor enthusiasts on social media that have helped us launch No Normal Coffee in style.
What was the thinking behind the catchy brand name?
We were originally looking for more of a product name, something that could combine the coffee and the utility of the tube, but we simply always ended up with existing or trademarked names. The one name we kept coming back to was ‘no normal’, as this was the name given to the target audience we were looking to cater to. The name was coined by a famous marketing ‘guru’ and we simply thought, why not? Instead of naming the product, why don’t we name the customer? And so No Normal Coffee was born.
What is the product’s USP?
It’s the world’s first coffee paste, in a tube. The paste allows you to mix it with hot water for a cup of coffee, or as a spread or condiment with foods, as it is also edible. The aluminum tube helps keep the product safe for at least six months and is highly recyclable. So many firsts in one product, and we can’t wait for people to tell us in what other ways they tried and consumed no normal coffee.
How has the brand been received by shops and consumers?
Very well so far. To test the idea initially we did an online pre-sale which was successful and gave us confidence that this product has a place in the market. Now that we are officially selling, the B2B customers we have (currently only in Switzerland) are reporting strong sales, and our online shop receives dozens of orders daily, many from the US and the UK. Consumers are giving us great feedback, and so far overwhelmingly positive about how and where they are using the product, and many of them also take to social media to create content drinking no normal coffee outdoors.
Why should retailers stock No Normal Coffee?
Our research has shown that outdoor/camping/adventure retailers usually have a very small but powerful food section but coffee is very often not part of it. We believe retailers now have a great product that was created specifically for the outdoor target audience that they can confidently promote to their customers. We are going to add more flavors and sizes as we grow, so naturally a shop that is selling us already will benefit greatly once the new products enter the market and can be found in stores.
We also won the retail choice award at this year’s ISPO Outdoor in Munich. It is an award given by a jury of 3 people, who are retail buyers by trade from some of Europe’s largest outdoor & camping stores. We were extremely happy that they chose us over some very big names and are now following up with a lot of enquiries about No Normal Coffee from buyers of many countries.
What next in the brand’s development?
Having just launched, a lot of our focus is on putting the right infrastructure in place so we can sell to shops across Europe and professionally manage those relationships. At the same time, we are going to amplify our marketing and brand promotion activities in Europe and the UK. Lastly, we have begun exploring ideas for new flavors which could be launched as early as next year in our home market Switzerland, but also abroad.
https://nonormal.com/