【Corporate Interview】The Coffee is Out of the Ordinary: 1Zpresso's Win-Win Marketing with World Champions

"Have you had coffee today?" Drinking coffee is addictive; people love coffee deeply. From specialty coffee shops to chain convenience stores, the global coffee market is thriving, and Taiwan is no exception. As people's interest and understanding of coffee deepen, more and more people are brewing coffee at home. Consequently, related equipment has flourished, with different types significantly influencing coffee flavors. Consumers are experimenting with innovative products to find the best fit for themselves. 1Zpresso has gained popularity among world champion-level consumers and has thus emerged prominently, becoming renowned internationally after first making a splash in Taiwan.

King One DiGi Brand Magazine interviews Le Kao, Marketing Director, and Anna, Manager at 1Zpresso, exploring how the company innovates across production, management, and marketing to transform brand strengths into business opportunities!

Company Profile:
1Zpresso

Interviewees: Le Kao, Marketing Director (Taiwan Market); Anna, Marketing Manager (Overseas Market)

1Zpresso was founded by a group of engineers collaborating with coffee experts. In 2017, they designed their first hand grinder, and in 2018, it was honored with the Red Dot Design Award in Germany. The company focuses on independent research, development, and manufacturing, continuously innovating and producing high-quality craftsmanship products. Their goal is to offer users diverse choices and become a leading brand in manual coffee equipment.

Q: 1Zpresso's hand grinders balance functionality, technology, and aesthetic design. It won the Red Dot Design Award in 2018 and have continued to release different series of machines. Could you share the philosophy and strategy behind your product design?

Le Kao: The development of our hand-cranked coffee grinders was initially driven by the need to complement our hand-pressed coffee machines. At that time, we couldn't find suitable products in the market, so we decided to develop our own. Since launching our first grinder in 2017, we have developed over dozens of different models. We recognized the significant impact that the burr has on the flavor of coffee, and compared to other products, we offer more burr options with various adjustment methods to meet consumer needs. Most early grinders required the user to unscrew the powder bottle to adjust the settings, which was quite inconvenient. In 2018, we introduced an externally adjustable grinder and were fortunate to win the German Red Dot Design Award that same year.

Q: How do you conceive and plan marketing for different customer segments?

Le Kao: The general perception of using hand-cranked coffee grinders is that they are labor-intensive and time-consuming. However, through innovative burr and structural designs, we have gradually overturned this stereotype. We paid special attention to the precision of the parts to ensure the consistency of the coffee grounds, which allows the good flavors to be reproduced. While electric grinders are convenient, affordable electric grinders often suffer from internal clogging and are cumbersome to disassemble and clean. Without thorough cleaning, both the taste of the coffee and health can be affected. For those without a need for large-scale brewing, hand-cranked grinders are easier to maintain and clean without tools, and their non-electric nature means they have fewer storage and space limitations. These are the primary factors that consumers consider when choosing a hand-cranked coffee grinder.

Many people associate hand-cranked coffee grinders with outdoor or camping use. In our initial marketing strategy, we explored different directions, emphasizing our presence in the specialty coffee field and continuously enhancing our brand value. We aimed to promote the idea that enjoying coffee brewed at home with a hand-cranked grinder can also deliver excellent results. Looking ahead, we hope to expand our customer base further. Recently, we have collaborated with other industries, such as co-branding with filter cup manufacturers, making 1Zpresso's marketing even more engaging.

Q: The WBrC world champions for two consecutive years have chosen 1Zpresso coffee grinder for their competitions. Many other champions worldwide also use 1Zpresso products. Could you share how you achieve win-win marketing?

Anna: As a manufacturer, we highly value the sincere feedback from these enthusiasts who genuinely appreciate our 1Zpresso coffee grinders. For us, the paramount concern is ensuring that our grinders enable them to brew coffee with their desired flavors. We are eager to hear their feedback as it serves as a driving force for product improvement.

Le Kao: During the preparation process of competitions, we provide coffee grinders that meet the specific needs of the competitors. After they win, we share their brewing parameters with consumers for reference, thereby increasing consumer trust in our brand.

Q: In planning the booth at this Specialty Coffee EXPO to resemble a coffee shop atmosphere, could you discuss the unique experiences you hope to bring to exhibitors and customers? (Benefits or highlights for the brand?)

Anna: We have invited several champions from coffee brewing competitions to participate in our exhibition. They will demonstrate on-site how to use our coffee grinders with different coffee beans, recreating the conditions they faced during their competitions. They will also brew coffee for attendees to taste. Through this approach, we aim to immerse attendees in the temperature and flavors of coffee, allowing them to experience firsthand the grinding process and even brew coffee themselves. Two years ago, during an exhibition in Taipei, we first invited champions from manual brewing competitions to demonstrate how to select the most suitable grinder for their needs, which received enthusiastic feedback. Last year, in Greece, we expanded our approach by not only inviting champions but also coffee shop owners and competitors, making the event more diverse. In Chicago this year, we aim to continue this interactive model by inviting not only champions but also friendly coffee shops and estate owners from various countries, enhancing opportunities for diverse exchanges among attendees.

Q: The booth design at this year's Specialty Coffee EXPO highlights 1Zpresso's professionalism and diverse range of products, while welcoming business opportunities and visitors from all over. Is there a particular area of the expo that you enjoy the most? Why?

Anna: Our booth design requires a brewing bar, which in the past has been fairly conservative with mainly long tables. This time, King One Design has planned a new layout featuring a prominent 3-sided divider at the front, complemented by red and white-themed square cutouts on the tables below, creating a simple yet layered look that effectively highlights our brand's characteristics. 

Given our diverse range of product models, King One has also incorporated a glass showcase, preserving booth space while showcasing our coffee grinders and accessories clearly for attendees to see at a glance.

Q: From the perspective of expanding global perspectives and seizing market opportunities, could you discuss 1Zpresso's ongoing exhibition marketing strategy? Can you also reveal which exhibitions you plan to participate in next?

Le Kao: Although the convenience brought by the internet has allowed us to expand into multiple international markets, physical exhibitions still hold significant importance. Face-to-face interactions provide the most genuine feedback and the audience is relatively more focused. Additionally, it offers opportunities to connect with industry peers and explore new business collaborations. Our products are closely related to brewing competitions, so we will wait for the organizers to announce the locations before deciding whether to participate.

Anna: There are significant differences in planning between domestic and international exhibitions. For instance, at domestic exhibitions, our primary audience consists of general consumers who come to experience and purchase our products. Therefore, we allocate more customer service staff for one-on-one tutorials, providing detailed explanations on how to use our coffee grinders, differences in burr types, and details such as assembly, disassembly, and cleaning procedures. In contrast, at international exhibitions, our focus shifts towards networking with industry professionals from various countries and increasing brand exposure. We anticipate customers interested in new products and seek potential distribution partnerships. Additionally, coffee shop owners and competitors from around the world visit our booth, where invited champions or estate owners demonstrate the flavor differences brought by different grinder models. This allows first-time visitors to experience firsthand that manual coffee grinders are not as labor-intensive as imagined, highlighting the ease of adjusting settings and the convenience of quick cleaning. Looking forward, we aspire to participate in more coffee exhibitions and organize offline experiential events in the future.

Q: This is the first time collaborating with King One Design for the booth design at Specialty Coffee EXPO. Could you share your experience collaborating with us? What were the reasons for choosing to collaborate with King One Design for curating this exhibition?

Anna: Although this is our third overseas exhibition, each time presents new challenges. Apart from the exhibition planning itself, regulations vary from country to country, and we also worry about potential issues caused by time differences. This concerns us greatly, so we seek to collaborate with companies that have extensive local exhibition experience and high reliability. This would help minimize errors in information and communication.

Our collaboration with King One Design for this exhibition has been exceptionally smooth. They have been responsive throughout the process, understanding our needs from the initial stages of design conceptualization, whether it's creating a cozy coffee shop atmosphere or emphasizing our brand's characteristics. They swiftly provided clear directions and execution plans. Their professionalism and extensive experience in American exhibitions have been reassuring. They have been instrumental in providing valuable assistance in design, setup procedures, and considerations. They also had staff onsite to coordinate with the construction team, ensuring meticulous attention to detail and allowing us to focus on the exhibition itself.

Q: If there's another opportunity to collaborate with King One on booth design, what expectations or visual concepts would you like to present in the booth layout?

Le Kao: In the future, we hope to create a dedicated photo wall where the public, our partners, and competitors can take pictures together. We plan to host related interactive experiences, converting these moments into our digital assets.