Great Coffee Drives Morning Drive

As you know, coffee has grown considerably in consumer awareness. Survey after survey highlights two imperative facts, taste and brand drive coffee stop decisions. Upon affiliating with Eastern Coffee you will immediately be offering the first ingredient, great coffee flavor.

Over the last ten years coffee consumption has soared. The latest surveys confirm the continued unprecedented growth in the coffee segment. Embracing the details can change your fortunes. These facts highlight the benefits that food store operators can achieve with the right plan and good strategic counsel.

Coffee is the leading category of opportunity for aggressive food store retailers. However, navigating the challenges takes perspective and a development plan designed in conjunction with a qualified coffee strategist.
This is BIG! From 2002 to 2012, coffee consumption grew 57%. incidentally, during that same period revenue went up even more as consumers accepted incremental price increases.
Coffee presents a unique opportunity to reinvent an older store or position a new operation as the place for the best cup of the day. To truly improve, food stores need to invest in their programs and the coffee culture needs to be built and maintained. The survey notes that it can be difficult to compete without newer, updated assets like revamping your coffee dispensing area.
Value pricing, custom blending, limited time offers and loyalty programs are all part of becoming a coffee destination. These results indicate that more retailers are turning to suppliers with premium quality coffee and more effective promotional programs.
Young people 18 -36 have become coffee connoisseurs. 60% say they will drive to a less convenient place where they know the coffee is better.
When asked about their preferences the most significant buy factor stated by respondents was coffee flavor. Other factors included, location of store, friendliness of staff, price, familiarity, atmosphere and the variety of associated food products as the primary reasons for where they chose to stop each day. This is another important factor for independents as they understand how to profit at the expense of their chain store competition.
“Own the morning and you own the day.” Coffee brings customers back and has a big impact on other food store categories.
Coffee programs should be designed to maximize time spent within the store. At self-serve stations customers are likely to spend more time customizing their drink. With 79% of coffee drinkers “adding” to their coffee, food stores should pay attention to the condiments they provide. Condiments are a revenue generator not an expense!

Enhance you bottom line in months not years! The flavor, variety and program advantages from Eastern Coffee Products together with the knowledge gained from our years of involvement in the coffee programs of many national companies is an unbeatable advantage for independent food store operators.

Sources: The National Coffee Association study: “Coffee and C-stores: From Insight, to Action, to Profit, Harris Interactive – “Battle of the Brew; Americans Choose Taste Over Convenience When Coffee [Sellers] Go Head to Head.”