History is what makes us who we are. All the little decisions in life, all the tiny occurrences, all the people we meet and the things we do build upon one another and slowly transform us into who we were meant to be, or perhaps what we allow ourselves to be. We can always change, if we wish. We simply have to make different choices, take conscious steps to do things differently. Sometimes the decisions are big – find a new job, change who we associate with, move to a different area far from what we knew. Other times they may be smaller choices – take a walk every day, read a book in a different genre than what we would normally choose, indulge just a little bit more.
Food and drinks have evolved over the years as well, depending upon what demands people have placed upon them, what we decided we wanted from these items, changing ingredients and methods in order to control and improve taste quality, aroma, texture, and appearance. Companies take the biggest steps, brining us new machines and different coffee mixtures once enough people ask for them, allowing everyone to make the switch to a more desirable product. Physicists posit that there are an infinite number of parallel universes in which all options are possible and have occurred even if they haven’t here. Perhaps in that world you don’t drink espresso. Perhaps in that world, Krups espresso machines were never developed and the company doesn’t exist.
Whether physicists are right or wrong, aren’t you glad you live in this particular universe – and aren’t you glad you chose to love espresso so much?
Krups History
Long ago in the year of 1846, Joshua Kortz worked in a forge. This forge was located in Wald, near Solingen, which is located in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany). Joshua had several people who work for him and one of them was Robert Krups – his nephew, in fact. The son of this man, who was also named Robert, eventually took ownership of the forge and turns it into something completely different – an industrial company. In 1866 the second Robert Krups moved the company to Solingen and with the help of his children they built it up into a factory. Specializing in both needle and platform scales, success quickly follows and soon this company ships products all the way to Holland and as far as Switzerland.
With their focus on scales, the name grew in popularity and in 1900 has transformed itself not only into a great company, but also the leading manufacturers of the product, as well as several others. The company continued on prosperously for a very long time, moving from generation to generation until the advent of World War II. The war severely hindered the company’s progress and by 1951, the third generation of the family was struggling to keep it alive. They had lost many people and now only had a scant thirty or so employees. Determined to keep the company going, they press on, keeping an ear to the marketplace in order to meet any possible demand they could while the current owner, Fritz Krups, used his skill as a technician to create the products, from their old standards to completely new ideas.
Noticing that people were looking for unique items, they chose one of the more desirable items, one that specialized in coffee and in 1956 created the first electric coffee grinder. The grinder skyrocketed in sales and the company sold over one million during the very first year of the grinder’s debut. Quickly realizing the force they were working with, the company continued to think of new and better ideas, seeking ways to improve their success if at all possible and making the best choices they can in order to continue to strengthen the company. Seeing the possibilities of electric motors, in 1960 they included them into new models and the public practically devours every appliance within the line. They were now the pioneer for household appliances within Germany, showing off both the skill of the products’ function and design. By 1964 they had built four more factories, three in Solingen and one in Ireland, and they continued on creating more ideas and adding new appliances whenever they saw the chance, showcasing their first slicer in 1967.
The company continued on prosperously for nearly another twenty years and realized that a coffee culture was gaining momentum in the area. In 1983 the first Krups espresso machines are launched, but they didn’t stick with a single model. Instead, they gave consumers plenty of options, from steam machines to models that were electronically programmable to combinations of espresso and coffee makers. Of all the choices the company could have made, this one turned out to be one of the best. By 1990 the company had boomed into one of popularity and prestige. They sell products all over the world, stretching from the United States all the way to Korea with the Krups espresso machine and the coffee makers making up the bulk of their sales. They continued to grow, celebrating their 150th anniversary in 1996 with a well deserved pat on the back and with, of course, a fantastic cup of coffee.
What Krups is Known For
A long line of great decisions and smart calls made by owners and partners with the company has lead to it being one of the most well-known manufacturers in coffee machines. Even people who may not know what the company does may think, “Where have I heard the name Krups before? It sounds so familiar.” While known primarily for espresso, they also make blenders, mini-choppers, toaster ovens, waffle makers, and more. In 1994 they developed a partnership with Nestlé and created a Krups espresso machine by the name of Krups Nespresso that utilizes single severing coffee pods that create a single concentrated cup of coffee. These single servings allow for fresh espresso brewing every time for quick and easy creation without the mess.
While a high-end brand, they aren’t difficult to obtain, catering to coffee enthusiasts all over the world, shipping their products to retailers that are easily accessible and familiar to virtually every patron possible.
