Published:
04/08/2013 02:56pm
Natalie Rones is a mother of two from San
Diego who has always had an eye for interior
and product design, and loves accessorizing her
home with the latest house ware items. Having
grown up in South Africa, she is an avid coffee
and espresso lover.
Last year, after realizing how much her
family spent at coffee shops each month, she
decided to invest in a Keurig single-serve coffee
maker. However, she was unhappy with the
available storage options for the Keurig’s
K-cups. She felt that the holders she found
either took up too much counter space or
clashed with the decor of her newly remodeled
kitchen. She envisioned something “designcentric
with a high-end aesthetic", but couldn't
find a product which met her needs.
After reading about the growing market for
single-serve coffee makers in a business
magazine, she saw an opportunity to take
matters into her own hands. With the help of her
husband Sean, a product designer for third-party
companies, she worked to turn her vision into a
reality. Together, they designed and brought into
production their innovative K-cup holder and
named it "Coffique".
It is essentially a stand the Keurig machine
rests atop; with a pull-out drawer that stores the
K-cups in a turning carousel. The sleek
appearance creates a cohesive look with the
Keurig machine and keeps the K-Cups
concealed and out of the way. Natalie
understands the need to combine elegance with
function, and designed Coffique with the most
style-savvy homemakers in mind.
The Rones' are now filling orders for Coffique
online and in stores with retailers such as
Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Macy’s, Kohl’s,
and JC Penny which will have Coffique in stores
and Online this spring. Almost overnight, Natalie
has left her mundane job behind and become
one of today’s prominent innovators in the
Single-Serve Coffee industry. She never would
have thought that she would be able to grow her
idea into a flourishing business so quickly, and
believes it is a true testament to the American
Dream.
Expanding on the success of Coffique’s line
of holders for Keurig machines, Coffique is
launching a line of holders for the Nespresso
single-serving espresso machines. Natalie’s
innovations have allowed her to tap in to her
design and entrepreneurial talents to create a
holder that is as chic and trendy as the
Nespresso machine itself.
Natalie has always been inspired by
entrepreneurs like Rachel Ray and Paula Dean;
and hopes that her determination and success
with Coffique will serve as an example of hard
work and perseverance to her two young
daughters Talia and Jaden, and to aspiring
businesswomen around the world.
Natalie Rones with her product Coffique
Coffique’s holder for the Keurig machine
