Babies' Loving Lollaland

Lollacup's have been flying off the shelves. They literally cannot stock enough online or in stores to meet the newest demand they've reached after airing on ABC's show "Shark Tank". They've been raved at by expecting mom's and even test-tried by hard-nosed investors. But what's the real secret behind their success? It seems it all lies in the innovation and re-make of a time old product.

About those Babies..

Like I said earlier, mom's and babies alike have not been able to stop stocking up on the newest product to hit the market. The adorable packaging and positioning of the product makes it seem hipster and pleasantly helps the product find quite a niche. Alongside the pop of color and design, they are advertised as being 100% US made; something that many, many large scale companies would bashfully admit to avoiding. They'd rebuttal stating that it's cheaper in China or the Taiwan. They can reach higher margins and make the investors happy. So what's the big deal?

Tired of Settling for Defective Products

Higher profits are exceeding enticing, but President Hanna Lim quickly began chatting with local mothers about the problems she was facing when trying to ween her 9 month old daughter off a straw and onto a straw sippy cup. Not only was she not able to sip, but the spill-proof valves turned off children altogether. By seeing the trend to BPA-free drinking apparatuses, like Brita, Hanna ventured out to create a straw cup that had all the values she could desperately not find: "easy to use, easy to clean, BPA-free, Made in the USA, and just plain attractive".

That Sounds Nice; but, What's so Great?

Lollacup is made for both parent and child alike. It is designed to help infants and toddlers successfully use a straw. The weighted end straw is both flexible and will always allow the child to sip even when the cup is tilted. Children as young as 9 months can drink even when reclined. Something that technologically had not been brought yet to market for even the big leagues. It's been FDA-approved for use and is designed/manufactured in Southern California, supporting the local economy. Overall, this innovation focused on what it was good at. A story and customer need, a technological advance, and increasing world competition on a market that was once considered to be owned solely by the giants. The Lollacup has not only been featured on such famous shows as "Shark Tank", but in countless magazines, blogs, and magazines worldwide.

What Could Go Wrong?

This product truly does seem to capture the mind and needs of its customers. It doesn't seem to have any pitfalls; gaining investors and new advocates at every turn. The real issue that this brand will face is maintaining its competitive edge against other new entrants. They must stay on the cutting edge of baby and toddler straw cups; which means constant new R&D. The designs and the colors themselves on the cups must be able to evolve with the customer so that it no longer is just a passing fad, but a truly lasting product that will continue to take market share. By investing in a committee or team that will work within the company to reach their customers and develop new designs; they will be able to stomp out the large corporations like Johnson and Johnson or P&G. Check out QVC's Lori Greiner on the View to see new innovative products and why they were or were not successful.

#Lollaland #SharkTank #QVC #ABC