"Buzz"worthy.

I hate to top Patty's "green" post with something a bit darker on her favorite holiday - but inspiration waits for no one (sorry, Patty). Nespresso - a coffee boutique owned and operated by Nestle - is redefining the "pod" coffee category by going upscale. Way upscale. With locations in a dozen countries (two in the US - both in New York), the Nespresso experience is a cross between Sephora, Bang & Olufsen, and Prada. The staff are dressed in black suits and latte colored ties. The machines are showcased like pieces of Tiffany jewelry on glass and metal shelves while the metallic, bullet-shaped coffee "capsules" are beautifully arranged against the wall in a color coded pallette that looks like a giant Pantone swatch sample. And of course, there are samples. Ebony gift boxes containing all 10 varieties serve a dual purpose as a 3d menu or as a present for your favorite beanhead (assuming they own the a Nespresso machine which can run from $500 - $1200).

Tim and I checked out the Buenos Aires location this morning while researching LAMS sites for our client. At the staff's insistence, we sat down to the minimalist bar under the black and white photo of a slightly caffeinated George Clooney (he is their international spokesmodel) and sampled the "Fuerza 6" strength coffee (with cookie). Delicious? Si. But the mood of the place was giving us an even bigger buzz. Java snobs may scoff at the idea of using pre-measured, pre packaged pods - but Nespresso is laying odds that delivering a high touch, luxury experience will be enough to change expectations and the buying behavior of coffee customers.

Ciao, ciao.