A Note From Hans On Staggered Beta Testing
Hello Coffee Changers-
It is with great honor that we begin to serial manufacture this machine. Building 200 Beta units is a true milestone, just as significant as building 500 a week. If this project succeeds, we can actually make a substantial difference. Growers need large volumes of coffee for a direct trade system to be efficient and useful. If there's just a few in the world why would a grower connect to this system? For truly dynamic change, we need to have working machines brewing coffee across the globe.
The success of the Beta tests will be deciding factor in whether or not this is possible. If this isn't working we are done. If this is working we are actually offering a viable alternative to the traditional NYC coffee exchange hedge fund trade system, changing the lives of 500 million growers. We must approach this with utmost seriousness. We must succeed. And it will only work if we can do it step-by-step. One beta backer at a time.
If we were to send out all 200 units at once and an issue arises (like the hatch, for example) we are done. No more direct trade option for growers. No more ecosystems.
Please take a moment to watch our original Kickstarter video again: we really mean what we've said from the beginning. We’re going to change coffee for the better.
However, real change takes time. It is thanks to your gracious patience as we work diligently to execute what we have promised that this change is possible. We will bring about a change in coffee. Just as we set out to do in the first place.
In a couple months, we will have the packaging line working. We have 200 units to give out at the pace we can afford. We'll have enough proof that the direct trade works. We'll have enough learnings to process the machine to every backer. Starting with the Beta backers, 200 in total, 1 by 1. There's a three month period between Beta and mass production. It will stay three months. It wouldn’t be fair to risk the whole thing to deliver those 200 at the same time.
What's the difference in time between the Berlin tests and other Beta shipments? We don't know! Could be 1 week. Could be 3 months. We have to check. Imagine there's another hatch issue with the first beta machine. Of course we'll hold the remaining 199 back. If there isn't we will deliver. Nonetheless: It's not only the hardware. It's logistics, distribution customer care, maintenance, software, packaging. Everything. Yes, the Beta testers will still be the Beta testers. We have to start somewhere. More importantly, we have to do it right.
Thank you.
Hans
Bonaverde Coffee Changers Creator 1 day ago
Hello Ed (and others)-
Thanks for your comment. We understand your frustration, and I wish I could give you all more concrete dates and information right now. We’ve learned the hard way, however, that sharing projected timelines without absolute surety often leads to disappointment. Please understand that we aren’t trying to hide anything from you. We’re simply trying to be very, very careful about how we proceed, imbuing the intentionality we learned through experience into every further step. When we have news we feel confident sharing - good or bad - we do so, and will continue to do so going forward.
Given that we didn’t realize when we began this process the difficulties that would lie ahead in bringing it to life, the staggered Beta process wasn’t on our radar. In our idealism, we thought creating the community would be as simple as sending machines to our Beta testers throughout the world and letting it build from there. We created the staggered Beta program much later, in order to take a more intentional, diligent approach to testing. This shift isn’t part of a conniving scheme. It’s a product of an increasingly more informed, experienced approach.
As soon as we have more concrete info, we’ll be sure to let you know. In the meantime - Beta units are coming soon. We’re nearing the end of this long journey. Thank you all so much for bearing with us. We never could have made it this far without your patience and support.
Best,
Jessie at Bonaverde
Dan Pearce 1 day ago
Ed - don't expect transparency here. Its been missing from the beginning. Else we would have known that before Bonaverde, this piece of junk used to be a company called Kaffee Toro before and has already been bankrupted once. Or that the machine in the original pitch was nothing more than a sketch. Or that Hans planned (and did) sell our support to equity investors via Seedmatch as RFID bound customers of his high volume/high mark up coffee sales model. To name but a few ...
Ed 2 days ago
"The first 300 Beta units are on schedule to complete production Oct. 27th. Our plan is to finish all Beta tests by February - so no matter where in the world you are, if all goes as planned, all Beta testers should be receiving machines by then."
This was the response sent to me last week on timing for US delivery of betas. Also curious to note that the beta quantity has moved from the 300 in the note sent to me to 200 from the most recent note above. I requested a refund and was told "not possible".
I fully understand the need to get the bugs worked out before they ship the betas. However, the issue for me is transparency and the fact the goal posts continue to be moved each month. My one big question for Hans and team is - if the plan from day one was to closely associate the machine/hardware with the service then why wasn't the beta program only offered to the narrow geographic area? My assumption is this would limit the funding potential and be counterproductive to fund raising efforts. The biggest foul here is that there was never any communication on the phased rollout until the last minute. Establishing and communicating a beta rollout to hungry and patient backers then moving once again "uncommitting" while not providing any concrete specifics is just another example of a really poor process and a disingenuous and somewhat misleading strategy.
From the tone of the last update it feels these guys are on their last legs and reading between the lines it feels as though one more hiccup and we ALL lose our money. Again, I get it. But it doesn't feel good to be totally at the whim of an entity with very little credibility or demonstrated responsibility to transparency.
Brady Dahl 3 days ago
I can just imagine the team meetings at Bonaverde over the last couple months:
"Maybe if we get some people in Berlin to buy the machines under NDAs, we will be able to make more machines from the proceeds of the sales to send to our international beta testers. Everyone will be happy then, and the original backers will be none the wiser! It's a foolproof plan!"
"Coffee Farmer Henry just called, Starbucks just bought his whole crop for the next two years for their Reserve Roastery; they paid him double what we could offer and they didn't need an individual packaging system to be set up in the farmer's village. Schade!"
"Plan.Bonaverde.com is down again, someone hacked into our test units and DDoS'd the servers from our own coffee makers."
"By the way, the lease on our office is expiring tomorrow, and we don't have enough money to pay rent so you are all going to be working from your homes from now on. Be free my coffee changelings!"
Tony Godfrey 3 days ago
Again, no one has said anything about the surcharge beta backers paid, only to find out it's a non-guaranteed geographic roll out.
I paid the same money at the same time that the Berliners did, but the value is apparently not the same. That surcharge absolutely needs to be returned to beta testers outside of Berlin.
Bonaverde Coffee Changers Creator 4 days ago
Hello all-
Thanks for your comments.
Luke, in order to offer the same thoughtfulness and detail you've been so kind as to include in your comment, I've passed it on to Hans for more information before I respond.
For those feeling frustrated - we appreciate your disappointment. We truly believe that phasing our testing is the best option for avoiding future hiccups, delays, and frustrations down the line. Thank you for bearing with us as we attempt to move forward as thoughtfully and intentionally as possible.
Best,
Jessie at Bonaverde
Christian Leth Christensen 4 days ago
haha, this is the story that keeps on giving - at least on the if you can't laugh you can only cry side of things. On actual usefull product not so much.
Anyways, it's nice to know that this saga is soon running to an end. Self-admitted now it seems that Conaverde is finally closing the business once they send out the beta machines. It will apparently take that for them to realize that close to all potential customers have gone and will NEVER buy any coffee directly from their farmers. There is no customerbase feeling any involvment or desire to support this shambles of a project any more. You alienated everyone years (yes years sadly) ago when all the lies and changes surfaced and the ridiculous attempt at communication and new promises.
I'm at the incredibly sad point with this that I hope none of the beta-testers buy anything directly from Bonaverde, even if that means I won't get my refund or machine. I feel that cheated to and I have that little desire to see this product succed by now!
Birdy 6 days ago
Just shut up and deliver what you promised.
Brady Dahl 6 days ago
Please do yourselves a favor at this point, apply to be a participant on Shark Tank: http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/send-an-email
Maybe one of the sharks will go in with you on developing your coffee marketplace, or you could be ripped to shreds in front of millions of viewers by people that understand business and I would finally be happy with my contribution.
Luke Szkudlarek 6 days ago
Dear Hans
Thanks for the update and I'm glad to hear some positive news. I'm still a believer, but I'd like to offer you some constructive feedback. I really want to help you.
I do have to say that the way you communicate sounds unprofessional and I'm not surprised that it makes people feel angry. We met personally in Berlin I know you don't mean it, but it just makes you look clueless. I'm really trying to help here because I still believe in the project. Let me help you understand a few things.
Most backers supported the project because they wanted to have a new gadget coffee machine in the kitchen, they like the idea of drinking freshly roasted coffee every day. Naturally supporting growers is a nice "good will" aspect that I personally find very important. But, you can't assume that all people care about this ecosystem. In fact, one can buy green beans anywhere. You need to separate the two initiatives:
Product A - Coffee Machine
Product B - Trade business
Product C - etc.
We can do a quick survey here, but I believe most people supported Product A. They teach at entrepreneurship courses, generally focusing on two products at the same time lowers the chances of success. Have you thought about this?
I'm not sure what was the goal of your note, but it raises more questions and doesn't instil confidence, e.g.
- What do you mean that beta machines will be delivered 1 by 1 - does it mean that you will deliver one and wait for feedback from the customer? If that's the case then how long will you wait? If you give one customer 3 days to feedback + 2 days delivery time. This would be 5 days for each machine. At this pace it will take you 1'000 days to deliver 200 machines - of course assuming that you don't change anything based on their feedback, which would cause further delays. This would take a 3-5 years to complete beta testing. Is this your plan?
That's not very startup like thinking, certainly not agile. I'd suggest delivery of 50 machines, 2 weeks for feedback and do the next batch later.
- You say "What's the difference in time between the Berlin tests and other Beta shipments? We don't know! Could be 1 week. Could be 3 months. " - it makes no sense and certainly makes you sound like you don't care about the timeline. Can you clarify what you meant here?
- You said "Yes, the Beta testers will still be the Beta testers. We have to start somewhere." what do you mean that beta testers will still be the beta testers? How could they not be?
- You said "We have 200 units to give out at the pace we can afford." - here you bring up money, so it means that you have 200 units but you can't afford to ship them? I really don't understand what you mean by "afford". Could you clarify?
- You said "If we were to send out all 200 units at once and an issue arises (like the hatch, for example) we are done. No more direct trade option for growers. No more ecosystems." - you really need to focus on Product A, I really see no relevancy between beta testing and your ambition to build an ecosystem (Product B). You don't need the ecosystem to check if the machines work.
- another quote "Please take a moment to watch our original Kickstarter video again:" - this could be taken the wrong way, it's like rubbing salt into the wound because the original video shows a completely different product, timeline and it's fair to say that's we passed the stage that we cared about the initial promises.
- "Growers need large volumes of coffee for a direct trade system to be efficient and useful. " - again a logical issue, coffee distribution and growing has nothing to do with 200 beta tests (Product A)
I hope this helps and I'd be grateful for some answers on the above.
Warm regards from Zurich,
Luke
Dan Pearce 7 days ago
This project is done. You're potential customer base don't want to deal with you because you changed everything from the original pitch. Thanks for finally admitting that its folding.