coffee business strategies

A short article in the September Restaurants & Institutions Magazine discusses the latest tactics employed by Caribou Coffee, Corner Bakery, Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks and McDonald’s to refocus (or in some cases, build) their brand image in a depressed market. I weigh-in specifically on the approach taken by Dunkin’ and McDonald’s to capitalize on the cost [...]

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Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) today announced that they will beat industry analyst projections for Q309, but almost entirely as the result of cost cutting initiatives and store closings, followed by decreased (ceased) short term borrowing and increased grocery store distribution. Though a positive result for the short term, the company saw an 5% decrease in US same [...]

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Just the words Starbucks Value Meal send a chill down my spine… a chill of reality perhaps, the acceptance that the chain really is just another fast food company. I’m quoted in the most recent Associated Press article this morning as saying “You’ve got a lot of options right now for the more price-conscious consumer [...]

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Question: I hear all positive comments and few complaints from customers about my coffee, how do I know when something is wrong? Consumers will not complain or offer constructive advice because they are not confident in their ability to taste and evaluate coffee, and certainly cannot articulate or communicate the experience to others. They will [...]

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