Entrepreneur Turning Trash Into Treasure

An Indiana entrepreneur is targeting grilling and food enthusiasts with an alternative to traditional charcoal. Coffee Coals LLC founder Rich Bruins says his inspiration for briquettes made of recycled coffee grounds comes from a Guatemalan coffee field connected to a campus ministry job he had after graduating from Purdue University. Bruins says his target consumers shop at butcher shops, all-natural grocery stores and high-end markets. During an interview on The INnovators with Dr. K, Bruins says the potential U.S. charcoal market is an estimated $600 million. Bruins claims the product gets up to cooking temperature in 10 minutes, which is one-third to one-half the time of traditional charcoal.

He says when the coals burn, they do not smell like coffee, but instead have a “rich charcoal” aroma.

Indiana University professor Donald Kuratko provided Bruins the following “prescription” for three knowledge factors for Coffee Coals:

1. Knowledge For The Public: Helps consumer-informing outlets understand how the product enhances grilling.

2. Knowledge in The Industry: Find help to “scale-up” manufacturing.

3. Knowledge With Investors: Seek out “smart money” and maybe a potential investor.

The company has begun a social media roll-out as he moves into markets this summer throughout Indiana, as well as Minneapolis, Minnesota and Sacramento, California.

You can find out more about Coffee Coals at http://www.coffeecoals.com

Source: Inside INdiana Business Television