Blue Pod Coffee Co is promoting a "free on loan" Lavazza Espresso machine for your workplace.
You know the daily espresso is a big deal in some workplaces when it becomes the subject of national media attention.
The cost of coffee pods and machines purchased for the offices of the NBN Co was questioned (rather ridiculously, some argue) in a recent Senate Estimates Committee.
Interestingly, the NBN Co released an official statement which claimed that the total cost of that coffee in their offices came to "about" 16 cents a cup. Quite a bit cheaper, thank you very much, than the $3.50 or so you might pay in a cafe.
This got us wondering about the benefits of those "free" coffee machine promotional arrangements fror offices that we see advertised from time to time.
One we've noticed is by Blue Pod Coffee Co, which is currently running a promotional offer where you get a "free on loan" coffee machine, provided you purchase the coffee from them.
Interestingly, Blue Pod Coffee advertise coffee machines on their web site for home and office use, but also for "hospitality".
The machines use Lavazza coffee pods/capsules. The amount of coffee you need to purchase every month depends on the model of the machine.
For example, the EP Maxi, Blue Pod’s entry level machine, can make two cups at once. The deal is you get it "free" if you commit to purchasing 1 carton containing 120 coffee capsules every month.
If you make four orders of coffee within a 12-month period then Blue Pod states that they will give you the EP Maxi espresso machine to keep without the ongoing commitment of purchasing coffee.
Move up to the Lavazza Blue LB1200 Galactica Semi Automatic coffee machine and are required to spend a minimum of $100 a month on 100 coffee pods.
At the high end is the Lavazza Blue LB4700 Wega Coffee Machine / Espresso Machine which requires a minimum purchase of 400 pods a month, which will cost you $400. Blue Pod recommends this machine to any business that sells at least 20 cups of coffee a day.
If you find you you're not getting through that much coffee, Blue Pod states that you can switch to a smaller machine without penalty.
We note that the only machine you can own after purchasing capsules from Blue Pod is their base model - the EP MAXI - all other models remain the property of Blue Pod.
Blue Pod states on their website that there is no lock-in contracts.
According to the FAQ on Blue Pod web site, Blue Pod will service the machine for free, provided that you are still buying coffee from them.
Also be aware that while Blue Pod does not charge you for delivery or installation of the machine, some of the more advanced machines will require connection to the mains for wastage and connection to a larger 20AMP power supply.
If the relevant connections are not available on your business premises, it might require a call out to a plumber or electrician - an additional expense to be aware of.
Do you know someone who has signed up for one of these "free" coffee maker arrangements? We'd be interested to hear whether they were happy with it. Add your comment below.
