Yes, there are still things to invent. How about square watermelons and glass doilies?
Japanese urbanites live in notoriously small houses and apartments that themselves have tiny refrigerators. Watermelons are considered a delicacy largely due to their size and storage issues. Due to this storage problem, watermelon is a favorite in Japanese restaurants, but it is rarely served on the kitchen table.
A farmer from Zentsuji in Kagawa Prefecture solved the problem by growing the round fruit while it was still on the vine in a square “plexiglass” box. When fully grown, the square melon is removed from the box and harvested. Note that all melons are the same uniform size.
These easy-to-store watermelons sell in upmarket markets for three times the price of conventional round melons. By North American standards, watermelons are small (10 square inches). But for many, the premium price is worth it, as they probably wouldn’t buy the larger round variety otherwise.
What I love about this story is the new twist on an old idea. Here’s another new look at an old idea.
I have a friend named Ken who has started a new company that makes tempered glass chair mats. Like round watermelons, conventional chair mats are ubiquitous but problematic for many people (see KBJ Enterprises LLC at http://cihop.com/)
The traditional plastic chair mat ages quickly, develops grooves, and becomes difficult for the chair to move. Due to this wear and tear, they need to be replaced every few years. Frankly, as a person who sits at their desk all day, I hate plastic chair mats.
Ken’s floor mats are made from tempered glass that provides a timeless surface that allows your chair to move with ease. No grooves. And no replacement is needed. I guess you could say they are beautiful compared to plastic mats after a couple of years of use. Like the square melon, the glass mats are sold very expensive, but from my point of view they are worth it.
Both the square watermelon and glass doilies are perfect examples of niche marketing: they both target a customer that was overlooked or neglected by bigger players. The satisfied customer willingly pays the premium to get what he wants.
John Bradley Jackson
© Copyright 2008 All rights reserved.
