If You Invented K-Cups

• You'd be worth at least $166,500 today

If you’re someone who always needs coffee, you’re probably familiar with K-Cups. These single-serve coffee packages are manufactured and sold for use in Keurig coffee makers. Simply pop the K-Cup in the Keurig and a cup of coffee is on its way.

Related: 25 Things That Are Worth the Money — Including the Keurig Coffee Maker

Despite the popularity of K-Cups, John Sylvan, their inventor, never got rich off his idea. In 1997 he sold his stake in the company he founded for only $50,000. Assuming average S&P 500 rates of return, that money would have grown to just $166,500 today. Worse, Sylvan says he sometimes feels bad about the invention because K-Cups aren’t recyclable.

After Sylvan parted ways with the company, Keurig machines spread to office kitchens and home counters rapidly. In the 2015 fiscal year, which is the last year before the company was taken private by JAB Holding Co., Keurig sold 10.5 billion K-Cups, and K-Cups accounted for $3.64 billion in revenue.