It should not surprise anyone that a $400 juicer that targeted hipsters would fail; especially one positioned against cheaper and more practical juicers. The juicer did little more than squeeze pre-packaged veggies, costing from $5 to $8 each, into juice.
The beginning of the end came when reporters demonstrated that consumers could squeeze 7.5 ounces of juice out of a “produce pack” in 1-1/2 minutes as compared to using the $400 device to squeeze 8.0 ounces of juice in 2 minutes.
According to Bloomberg News …
“One of the most lavishly funded gadget startups in Silicon Valley last year was Juicero Inc. It makes a juice machine. The product was an unlikely pick for top technology investors, but they were drawn to the idea of an internet-connected device that transforms single-serving packets of chopped fruits and vegetables into a refreshing and healthy beverage.
“Doug Evans, the company’s founder, would compare himself with Steve Jobs in his pursuit of juicing perfection. He declared that his juice press wields four tons of force—“enough to lift two Teslas,” he said. Google’s venture capital arm and other backers poured about $120 million into the startup. Juicero sells the machine for $400, plus the cost of individual juice packs delivered weekly. Tech blogs have dubbed it a ‘Keurig for juice.’”
In a stunning display of insensitivity to those who own the now worthless product, Juicero’s founder partied with the other hipsters at the fabled Burning Man convocation while his company cratered.
To our loyal customers and partners,
Since our launch 16 months ago, we’ve been grateful for the support you’ve shown toward our mission of bringing more fresh produce into people’s lives. Juicero has grown so much thanks to your loyalty.
However, today, after selling over a million Produce Packs, we must let you know that we are suspending the sale of the Juicero Press and Produce Packs immediately.
In order to fulfill our mission, we announced last month that we would shift our resources to focus on lowering the price of the Press and Produce Packs. We began identifying ways that we could source, manufacture and distribute at a lower cost to consumers.
During this process, it became clear that creating an effective manufacturing and distribution system for a nationwide customer base requires infrastructure that we cannot achieve on our own as a standalone business. We are confident that to truly have the long-term impact we want to make, we need to focus on finding an acquirer with an existing national fresh food supply chain who can carry forward the Juicero mission.
For the next 90 days, we are offering refunds for your purchase of the Juicero Press. Please contact help@juicero.com by December 1, 2017 to request a refund for your purchase. If you have an active Pack subscription, you will receive your final delivery next week (week of September 4th).
As we enter this new chapter, we also want to express the deepest gratitude to our employees who have poured their hearts and souls into developing, launching and growing Juicero over the past 3 years. Words alone cannot express how humbled we are by their commitment, ingenuity and talents; they have showed true care for each other, our amazing customers and our shared mission. While this decision will affect them personally, we’re committed to ensuring a fair transition for all. We could not be more proud of our team and are excited to see the positive impact they will continue to have in the world. If your company is hiring and has interest in talking with any of our employees, please contact us at jobs@juicero.com.
In a short period of time, you’ve validated that there is national demand for easier access to fresh produce and hassle-free cold-press juicing — thank you again for coming on this journey with us.
Thank you,
The Juicero Team
Gambling your company on a fad niche item aimed at hipsters is not a great idea. And, design without function is virtually worthless.