Single-serve me: From 'brewed soup' in a K-Cup to the ‘game-changing’ Keurig 2.0

The growth of the single serve coffee market has been nothing short of meteoric (although its pace - inevitably - has been starting to slow down of late).

According to a Wells Fargo analysis of the latest Nielsen expanded all-outlet combined channel (XAOC) data (all stores except c-stores), pods now account for more than a third of dollar sales of retail packaged coffee, while Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) boss Brian Kelley told analysts on the firm's latest earnings call: ​

We estimate our current Keurig Hot system is in approximately 13% of US households.”​

So what does 2014 hold?

With its K-Cups now off patent, GMCR is banking that consumers  - and unlicensed players - will embrace its much-anticipated ‘Keurig 2.0’ single-cup brewing system with ‘interactive readability’ (that doesn’t work with unlicensed/copycat pods).

However, the new machines won't hit shelves until late 2014/early 2015, so we won't know for a while if the firm is onto a winner.

Campbell’s ‘fresh-brewed’ soup in a K-cup: The next big thing in healthy convenience or an overpriced instant soup?​

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters: Keurig owners told us they used their brewer’s hot water to make soup, but it didn't hit the spot​

TreeHouse Foods cashes in as consumers opt for premium private label single serve coffee, tea​

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters: ‘Game-changing’ Keurig 2.0 will tackle unlicensed K-Cup challenge​