Did you know, one of the two Keurig K-Cup related patents expiring this September pertains to technology Green Mountain no longer uses in its Keurig K-Cups?
It's true. One of the expiring patents relates to the filter within the Keurig K-Cup, and since this patent was filed, Green Mountain (GMCR) has changed the design of the filter it uses, which is (you guessed it) protected by a patent that doesn't expire this September.
So while the idea has been floated out there that come this September, the single-serve coffee industry will begin to look like the wild west, with quality, non-Green Mountain K-Cups popping up all over the place; that may not be the case.
Many of those Keurig-compatible cups that pop up will simply not be the same quality that many Keurig lovers are used to, and those which do produce a cup of coffee that can be compared to one made from a K-Cup carrying the Keurig Brewed Seal may find themselves in court as GMCR will do its best Apple impression protecting its non-expiring patents in the legal system.
So maybe the idea that you'll be able to spend much less and get the same quality cup of coffee from a K-Cup like package, not carrying the Keurig Brewed logo this September is not necessarily a slam dunk.
Of course there is the fact that Green Mountain is bringing back the Diedrich Coffee Brand as its Keurig K-Cup "Value Brand," at a price of about $0.10 less per cup to the end user.
Diedrich Coffee Keurig K-Cups will be available on Shoffee.com this September.