Australian takeaway coffee lids with heat sensor seeks crowdfunding to expand to US
Australian packaging firm Smart Lid Systems is hoping to expanded their heat sensitive takeaway coffee lids to the US, making the lids available directly to US households through an Indiegogo Crowdfunding Project.
The Smart Lid is available in a variety of consumer and commercial quantities through the Indiegogo website from 13 January 2014. The crowdfunding project aims to raise the $20,000 working capital the Company said it will need to upgrade its product assembly. The funding will cover minimum orders for stock from its manufacturer, packaging and volume export shipping to the US for centralised distribution.
If the project is successfully funded, Smart Lid Systems said it estimates delivery and shipping to the US will be approximately 90 days from the close of the crowdfunding project.
Australian Food News reported in August 2013 that the Company had launched the lids in selected Sydney-based cafes.
The heat sensitive Smart Lid changes colour to bright red when placed on a hot drink and changes back to brown as the drink cools. The lid is direct food contact compliant and turns red above 48 degrees Celsius.
The specialty plastic was developed by a Colorado-based firm, with the design and production of the lid occurring in Sydney, Australia.
“The Smart Lid is being sold to cafes in Australia,” said Anthony Bayss, Director at Smart Lid Systems. “However the number one question we receive everyday comes from North America and from Europe — asking when the Smart Lid will be available in your home, in your office or for use around your elderly parents,” he said.
The possible expansion of Smart Lid Systems into the US market comes as a Los Angeles woman has filed a law suit in the US, claiming she was badly injured by a too-hot coffee she purchased from a McDonald’s restaurant.
Smart Lid Systems is not the first Australian company to use social media to expand its distribution. In July 2013, Australian Food News reported that Australian social enterprise Thankyou had launched a social media campaign as part of a push to get supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths to stock its products, including its range of body care and food products. The campaign was ultimately successful, with both Coles and Woolworths agreeing to stock the products.
Modern times, modern approaches. Australian Functional Ingredients Pty Ltd is similarly preparing to use Crowdfunding to expand its market of Fresher4Longer natural food rinse as a solution to Food Security issues in Australia. As for Smart Lid Systems, social media is a part of the game these days and AFI is expanding awareness prior to the launch of the Crowdfunded project to raise $40,000.
Identifying your supporters is paramount for successful funding and projects that have a social benefit that is greater than just for those pledging support also helps.
Smart Lid Systems offers a product that is particularly relevant to an ageing population who might need reminding that a hot beverage is hot. Fresher4Longer addresses the greenhouse gas production from waste foodstuffs which is equivalent to vehicle emissions and the waste of resources from the 45% of foods that enter the waste stream and are not utilized.
Additionally, there are obvious advantages to individuals and so pledging support dollars meets both personal and social values.
There’s little doubt that more companies will use this means to raise funds for projects that might otherwise languish until times of economic strength allow a lower or more drawn out ROI on company funds for a project to go ahead.