(Image courtesy of @Sarah_Robyn)

Coffee shops are always looking for a leg up on the competition, and anything that helps them stand out in a good way is considered a success. One shop in South Africa is outdoing all the rest, however.

According to the breakfast-themed website Extra Crispy, the Johannesburg-based The Grind Coffee Company has created something that has made it extremely popular on Instagram. The tiny shop specializes in chocolate-dipped ice cream coffee cones.

The off-the-wall idea was developed by one of its baristas in order to gain buzz on social media. It is such a beautiful design that the coffee cone has taken off, with over 1,500 posts on Instagram all over the world the past six weeks.  The coffee cone has been a marketing marvel, generating a great deal of interest in the company.

There’s more to it than meets the eye. The coffee cone has been tinkered with in order to make sure the coffee holds in the cone. By lining the inside with chocolate, the waffle cone is protected from the hot coffee. Eventually, though, it begins to melt after about ten minutes. This leaves just enough time for a quick photo or two before it’s time to enjoy.

Coffee cones are an idea that has yet to become a staple of U.S. coffee shops, but as it gains in popularity on social media, many establishments will see this as a way to increase business.

(Image courtesy of @msmboxindia)