|
Another week, another batch of interesting new business ideas from around the world: drive-through coffee from Australia, speaking books from South Africa, calorie-counted delivery meals from India, 'real simple' furniture from the US, and more. Our next edition is due on 4 October 2006. In the meantime, check out our daily postings on www.springwise.com, send us your tips, and please don't forget to tell your friends and colleagues about us. Much appreciated! |
|
|
||
|
Low literacy levels in Africa are part-and-parcel of everyday life, and seriously reduce the effectiveness of health care literature. In association with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, Books of Hope has designed and produced interactive, multilingual Speaking Books that can be seen, read, heard and understood regardless of someone's reading ability. Each Speaking Book consists of 16 pages of culturally appropriate illustrations supported by straightforward and easy to understand text in a variety of languages. Every page has a corresponding push button that triggers a sound track read by a well-known local personality. So whatever a reader's level of literacy, the information will be clearly understood. Topics include HIV and AIDS, TB, Malaria, Suicide Prevention and Diabetes. Speaking Books are distributed to rural and disadvantaged communities worldwide. This is a major breakthrough in presenting complex health issues in countries where low literacy levels are prevalent, giving everyone access to vital health care information. Of course the concept of a Speaking Book can be applied just as successfully to a wide range of needs, from educating children to providing instruction manuals for products or services. Website: www.booksofhope.com Forward or comment on this article » |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
No other substance screams WAKE UP as effortlessly as coffee. Australian company Muzz Buzz has capitalised on the realisation that people want their coffee to be quick, convenient and satisfying. At Muzz Buzz, all consumers need to do is drive thru. After all, in-transit consumption is designed with one purpose – saving time. Craig Muzeroll, founder of Muzz Buzz, identified a gap in the Australian market and decided he wanted to give Australians a reason for getting out of bed in the morning. That reason became Muzz Buzz, a growing franchise drive-thru coffee chain which offers quality coffee at a reasonable price and convenient (high traffic flow) locations. Premium coffee beans and unique Muzz Buzz flavours tempt consumers' tastebuds and since inception the Muzz Buzz menu has expanded to include convenient-to-eat-while-driving food. (Let’s just hope the government doesn’t ban drivers from eating and drinking while driving...) The drive-thru coffee franchise is not an entirely novel concept – Starbucks opened its first drive-thru in Southern California in 1994, and small, drive-by coffee shacks exist in many parts of the world. But it's not hard to identify the potential of drive-thrus in a speed and coffee-crazed world. Franchise opportunities for Muzz Buzz are currently available in Australia and New Zealand, and for similar ventures elsewhere check out Java Joz and Bear creek Coffee. Website: http://www.muzzbuzz.com.au Spotted by: Luke Vedelago Forward or comment on this article » |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
A month after launching, music portal Sellaband just announced that it has signed up over 250 bands from more than 30 countries. As described in our previous article, Sellaband enables fans to invest in bands they believe in. More than 1,500 fans have signed up so far, buying over 2,500 stocks (or parts, as they're known on Sellaband). Parts let bands and 'believers' share profits from cd sales and advertising revenues on www.sellaband.com. One band, Nemesea, is close to USD 10,000 in budget, and has attracted fans from all over the world. The band is determined to reach the end goal of USD 50,000, which will let them record an album with professional help. On the production side, Sellaband has formed partnerships with renowned producers such as Chris Kimsey, Haydn Bendall, James Poyser and Tony Platt, who've worked with a host of music legends, ranging from Bob Marley and the Rolling Stones to Jill Scott and The Roots. May bands and fans continue to unite! It's a fun investment for consumers and a great new way for bands to get their first album produced. Forward or comment on this article » |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Mumbai rivals the pace of the fastest cities around the globe. And just like everywhere else, junk food is an easy and popular meal option. To the rescue comes Calorie Care, which delivers healthy food to a customer's door. Calorie Care is India’s first calorie-counted meal delivery service, and their mission is to make it easy, convenient and fun for Mumbaikars to eat healthy food. Calorie Care sets itself apart from other delivery restaurants by creating individual menus for each customer. Upon first contact, a Calorie Care nutritionist spends an hour with a client to understand his or her health needs and taste preferences. The nutritionist team then designs a personalised food plan that caters to these needs and preferences. From their personal menus, customers can choose six daily meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and three mid-meal snacks. Meals are delivered at three separate times during the day, so that everything is fresh. Ideal for anyone wanting to lose weight, for business people on the run, or for busy families who can't find the time to prepare healthy meals. Calorie Care's service is currently only available in Mumbai, but the company does plan to expand to other Indian cities. Franchise opportunities are available. Website: http://www.caloriecare.com Spotted by: Dinesh Kulchandra Forward or comment on this article » |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
||
|
It seems an international race is on to get women to drink more beer. Following our previous coverage of Karla, a functional German beer for women, comes a related spotting from Poland. Karmi, a regional brand produced by the Polish division of Carlsberg, is a dark beer that has been around for a while, and is characterized by its sweet caramel flavour. Categorized as a near-beer for its low alcohol content (0.1%), the drink has been revamped and is now being targeted to women. Besides pretty new packaging, Karmi has also introduced three new flavours: Poema di Caffé (coffee), Selua (pineapple/piña colada) and Lamai (guava, dragonfruit and mint). Unlike its German sister Karla, Karmi isn't touted as having medicinal properties. Karmi's positioning is all about flavour, low alcohol content and packaging. Although we can't personally vouch for its taste, the coffee flavoured beer is stealing the show, and was singled out by Polish business magazine Handel as Poland's best new FMCG product of 2006. Website: http://www.karmi.pl Spotted by: Marcin Grodzicki Forward or comment on this article » |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
||
|
In April, we reported on Stylehive, a collaborative shopping network. Since then, two big new players have entered the arena: Crowdstorm and ThisNext. Crowdstorm is a new way for consumers to find what to buy by measuring the buzz around products. Users recommend products, and the crowd defines the best products by recommending what they know and like. Good products go to the top of the list, weak products disappear: the setup is very much like the popular news website Digg. Buzz is measured by the amount of activity surrounding a product: how many times a product has been viewed, how many bloggers have written about it, and how many Crowdstorm users have commented about it. Users can add other users as friends, either people they already know or those they've met on Crowdstorm and whose product recommendations they trust. Future enhancements will let users post their own product images and videos, and top-rated members will also be invited to beta-test new products from big brands. UK-based Crowdstorm was founded by Phil Wilkinson, who also set up online price comparison sites ShopGenie and Kelkoo, and aims to be one of the internet's best sources of impartial product information. Another social shopping network to have launched recently is ThisNext. Much hyped, LA-based ThisNext features a slick design and sends visitors down one of three paths: Discover, Recommend and Shopcast. The discover section lets users browse products recommended by others. Clicking on a item allows them to add it to their wishlist, recommend it, or find out where to buy the product. Users can recommend products by creating themed lists (from 'Japanese Snacks' to 'Things I Cannot Do Without'), or simply by clicking on an easy to install 'Add to ThisNext' browser button. Appealing to the blogging crowd, ThisNext's standout feature is shopcasting: bloggers can create small banners for their website. These so-called shopcast badges either display their own recommendations or those of the ThisNext community, broadcasting the products they love or must have. The combination of consuming, curating and creating buzz is hot, as witnessed by the arrival of not only Stylehive, Crowdstorm and ThisNext, but also others like Wists, ShopWiki and Kaboodle. Most are very US-centric. Time to launch local versions and find out who will lead the pack! Website: http://www.crowdstorm.com Website: http://www.thisnext.com Forward or comment on this article » |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Just as everything can be upgraded, most things can be simplified. For consumers who struggle with regular ready to assemble furniture and it's complicated instructions, Real Simple Furniture will come as a welcome relief. Real Simple Furniture lives up to its name: their flat-pack furniture can be assembled and disassembled with absolutely no tools, other than a pair of hands. The pieces simply click together using lips and grooves. Besides offering super fast and easy assembly and disassembly, the company also stands out by making all of its pieces from real wood, not particle board, and manufacturing everything in the United States. RSF's simple and contemporary designs -- chairs, couches, shelving, storage, tables and desks -- are currently only sold through their website. One to partner with, setting up local manufacturing and distribution? IKEA's marketshare is more than big enough. Time to steal a piece of the action ;-) Website: http://www.realsimplefurniture.com Spotted by: Nita Forward or comment on this article » |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
[ Home | Idea Database | Become a spotter | Tell a friend | Contact | Subscribe for free | Download PDF ]
|
