Filtering Through the Coffee Studies

Coffee drinking -- even more than six cups a day over the course of almost 20 years -- won't kill you, and may even help you live longer, says a new study.

ABC News

For Dunkin’, a Tempest in an Iced-Coffee Cup

Later that day, the conservative blogger Michelle Malkin chimed in, likening the scarf to a keffiyeh and calling it “jihadi chic.” Then the story, as they say on the Internet, went totally viral.

New York Times

Do I Detect a Hint of ... Joe?

They sniffed and slurped. Then came the tricky part: finding the mot juste to describe the flavors. “I thought the Kenya had hints of curry and cedar,” began Ms. Meister, 26, who is also a copy editor and the writer of a coffee blog called Meet the Press Pot (meetthepresspot.blogspot.com).

New York Times

Dunkin' Donuts yanks Rachael Ray ad

Does Dunkin’ Donuts really think its customers could mistake Rachael Ray for a terrorist sympathizer? The Canton-based company has abruptly canceled an ad in which the domestic diva wears a scarf that looks like a keffiyeh, a traditional headdress worn by Arab men.

Boston Globe

Starbucks to roll out energy modifier

The “+Energy” mix will include B-vitamins, guarana and ginseng, the PI said. Starbucks will leverage its North American Coffee Partnership with Pepsi-Cola next month to roll out an RTD version of Doubleshot Energy + Coffee in retail locations where Starbucks’ Frappucino is sold.

BevNet

Quest for first-rate coffee to up demand for Arabica

“Maxwell House’s announcement to change their US coffee marks an important watershed, given they were one of the Big Four (Nescafe, Folgers, Yuban andMaxwell House) that drove the shift away from Arabica towards cheaper Robusta back in the late 1990s,” noted the analysts.

Business Daily Africa

Adding Coffee to Doughnut Protects Brain

GRAND FORKS, N.D., April 3 (UPI) -- Adding a coffee to that breakfast doughnut could help protect against Alzheimer's disease, U.S. researchers say.
Researchers at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences have determined the caffeine equivalent of just one cup of coffee a day could protect the blood-brain barrier from damage that occurred with a high-fat diet.
The researcher fed rabbits cholesterol-enriched diet and also gave them 3 milligrams of caffeine each day -- the equivalent of a daily cup of coffee for an average-size person.
The study, published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, said that after 12 weeks a number of laboratory tests showed the blood-brain barrier was significantly more intact in rabbits receiving a daily dose of caffeine.
"Caffeine appears to block several of the disruptive effects of cholesterol that make the blood-brain barrier leaky," Jonathan Geiger said in a statement. "High levels of cholesterol are a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, perhaps by compromising the protective nature of the blood-brain barrier."
Its the first time chronic ingestion of caffeine has been shown to protect the blood-brain barrier from cholesterol-induced leakage, Geiger said.

Coffee fans turn to microroasts

You probably have heard of microbrews for beer. But what about microroasts for coffee?

Well, its the same concept: a fresh, locally produced drink that sellers promise has more flavor than what you get in the grocery stores or at the bar.

MyrtleBeachOnline.com

Starbucks, Back to the Future

To promote the new brew, Starbucks will spend at least two months serving all its coffee and espresso drinks in white cups with a version of its original brown mermaid logo. It's been touched up to make the her long, wavy hair cover her bare breasts -- a move aimed at pre-empting complaints it's received in the past from people who find it too racy.


BusinessWeek
Brand New
Brand Autopsy

Dunkin Donuts vs. Starbucks Democrats

The battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is sometimes boiled down to Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts Democrats. What can the candidates learn from the business world about these two political tribes?

NPR

Your Chance to be Starbucks' CMO

Help shape the future of Starbucks—with your ideas

My Starbucks Idea

Starbucks going back to grinding beans

"There will be a fundamental change in the taste and experience of going to Starbucks," Schultz says. He returned as CEO eleven weeks ago and has pointed to this meeting as the moment he would begin to offer substantial details of his revival plan.

Unlike many CEOs these days, Schultz isn't blaming the economy for his troubles. "The problems we are facing have been self-induced. That's why I think we'll be able to fix them."

USA Today

Consumers face a jolt as coffee prices turn frothy

Breakfast is getting a lot more expensive. Coffee is now up there with other increasingly expensive essentials such as milk, bread and eggs. Overall, the cost of groceries is rising at the fastest rate since 1990, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Los Angeles Times

Kraft raises prices on Maxwell House and Yuban coffees

The latest increase in price by Kraft follows Procter & Gamble's hike in Dunkin' Donuts and some Folgers coffees prices citing the same reason as Kraft.

Drinks Business Review

UPDATE 2-P&G ups cost of Folgers, Dunkin' Donuts coffees

"Green coffee prices have continued to rise sharply over the past three weeks. This past week New York "C" arabica and London robusta markets have traded at more than 20 cents per pound versus our previously stated price for Folgers mainstream coffee," Brown said.

Reuters

Big Coffee's Wake-up Call

In their attempt to reach Gen Yers, Folgers et al. are reminiscent of another old industry that's married to an old demo—newspapers. Like newspaper reading, coffee drinking is a habit that is generally started fairly young and if you miss that opportunity, you miss it forever. While newspapers grapple with new competition from the Internet plus old competition from TV and the radio, those coffee marketers face energy drinks, herbal teas and bottled water, not to mention take-away coffee chains like Starbucks. And Starbucks itself is something of a red herring. In the town where I live, the local Starbucks outlet is frequently packed with teens, but they're usually ordering frou-frou drinks that often contain no coffee. Since image, rather than caffeine, is at the heart of their choice, it's easy to see such fickle customers drawn away by McD's or even Cold Stone Creamery if either is suddenly perceived as the new hip locale.

BrandWeek

What About Bob?

The comedy series follows the misadventures of Bob, a quirky character in an office setting who obsesses over the little things that have nothing to do with work. Bob loves his Tassimo machine to the point of being fanatic about it.

Who Hired Bob?
Hollywood Reporter

Premium coffee comes to China

As a sign of the growing sophistication of luxury culture in China, and one of the first signs of ‘accessible luxury’, the first premium coffee brand cafe, Citta Espresso Club, has just opened in Shanghai.

Agenda Inc.

TROUBLE IS BREWING AT DUNKIN' DONUTS

"Dunkin' Donuts, the ubiquitous coffee-and-doughnut chain, is at odds with dissatisfied shop owners who complain the company is watering down the iconic brand.

"Specifically, the franchise owners oppose several deals that Dunkin' Donuts has struck with other companies to expand distribution for the coffee, arguing it cuts into their profits and hurts the brand."

New York Post

Coffee's Class War

"We are mainstream America," says Kussell, leaning forward in a molded-plastic chair. "Mainstream is an attitude. It's people who are unpretentious, down to earth, they have a work ethic, and they want to get things done."

Portfolio.com

Ugly Mug Coffee Goes Bold With Brand Re-launch

From typeface design to in-your-face copy to striking package design to witty product naming to an online makeover, Ugly Mug coffee is not just your average coffee anymore. No. Not at all. Now it screams as any good coffee should. "Get your lazy ass out of bed and face the day."

Ad Rants

Folgers to be spun off

"Folgers sales have been growing more slowly than P&G wants from its businesses. Another important factor is the decision to spin off the coffee brand is that it's only sold in North America and not in Asia or Latin America, which are faster-growing markets."

Cincinnati Enquirer

P&G to Divest Folgers Coffee Business

"P&G today announced plans to divest Folgers (which includes the Dunkin' Donuts and Millstone brands) some time in the second half of 2008, preferably in "split off" in which shareholders could opt to exchange their P&G stock for shares of the new stand-alone company. "

Advertising Age

Starbucks puts the brakes on new stores

"The company said it's slowing the pace of store growth worldwide by 350 to 2,150 stores for fiscal 2008, down from a reduced target of 2,500 earlier in the month. That includes closing about 100 underperforming stores in the U.S. and opening about 75 new stores abroad."

CNNMoney.com

Dunkin' Donuts Creates YouTube Channel

"Our loyal customers regularly tell us stories, both heart-warming and funny, about how they keep this country running," says Dunkin' Donuts Brand Marketing Officer Frances Allen. "We're pleased to launch our new YouTube channel to give people a chance to tell their unique stories in their own creative way."

youtube.com
qsrmagazine.com

Why Starbucks' $1 Coffee means much more than cheap caffeine

"But for a chain known for its $5 cappuccinos, a $1 price promotion cuts to the quick. It smacks of McDonald's and Wendy's neon-bright dollar menus. It's probably the most off-brand move so far."

Business Week Brand New Day

Dunkin' 'on the Offensive' in Coffee War

"Mr. Kussell: You've got to educate the consumer on what your brand stands for, because in making the case, some people have a dated perception that we're more oriented toward doughnuts. The big challenge is making them understand that we are a beverage leader. "

Ad Age

Newman's Own Organics coffee bags restructured

"Reshaped bags from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters boast new graphics in a 'greener' structure. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., Waterbury, VT, has revamped the shape and structure of stand-up bags for Newman's Own Organics coffees, including a new ingredient in the multilayer construction: polylactic acid (PLA), which is derived from corn. According to GMCR, the PLA "helps reduce the environmental impact of the packaging while maintaining the necessary barriers to moisture and light to keep the coffee at its freshest." The film is provided to GMCR as rollstock and run on two G-14 Fres-Co baggers that produce Corner Seal® bags; according to Fres-Co, such bags eliminate the seal down the back panel and stand up straighter for a better presentation."

Packworld

Starbucks tests $1 cup of coffee

"Free refills are also on tap as the Seattle coffee giant responds to increased competition and braces for an economic slowdown that could blunt consumer spending."

MSN Money

Why is P&G on selling spree?

"If you're A.G. Lafley and you have a dollar to spend, the wrong place to spend it is on Folgers. You've got other priorities," he said. "In the hands of shareholders, if they have a dollar to spend, guess where they would spend it? On Folgers."

Cincinnati Enquirer

P&G hires Morgan Stanley to spin off Folgers

"The company decided to spin off Folgers to its shareholders - rather than sell it - because of the big tax bill on the divestiture of such a large business, according to the two bankers."

FT.com

Allegro Makes you Happy? Or At Least Less Guilty.

New to me. But a big presence at Whole Foods (formerly Wild Oats in Hyde Park)

allegrocoffee.com

Whither Starbucks

"Starbucks has been so busy building stores that it failed to build perception about why its coffee is better and worth the money."

Forbes

Coffee: The most powerful global commodity

"Coffee is an extremely powerful commodity, reigning as the world's most heavily traded product, behind petroleum, and the largest food import of the United States. The global commodity chain for coffee involves a string of producers, middlemen, exporters, importers, roasters, and retailers before reaching the consumer. "

Commodity Online

Dunkin' Donuts Goes to Mars in 2008

"Dunkin' Donuts, the world's largest coffee and baked goods chain, is launching the new year on a chocolate note with the introduction of three new chocolate menu items to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth: a Milky Way(R) Hot Chocolate, an M&M's(R) Donut, and Dunkin's own Triple Chocolate Muffin."

PR Newswire

Dunkin Donuts: An International Brand for Average Joes

Dunkin’ Donuts executives have no concerns that messaging so focused on Americana can fly around the world. “There is very high awareness of the Dunkin' Donuts brand overseas. Not only because of the more than 1900 stores we have in 30 countries, but because so many people have had experiences with the brand in the US as students or while visiting,” says Tony Pavese, Vice President of International Branding at Dunkin’ Donuts. “The US advertising hits a chord with people all over. With busy lifestyles and people wanting a good value, our Asian customers can identify with the US advertising and 'America Runs On Dunkin.'"

brandchannel.com

Can Howard Schultz save Starbucks?

"I think people would be hard-pressed to find quantitative evidence that competition has been an issue," Zackfia said. "At the end of the day, Starbucks has always had lower-priced competition. What they need to reemphasize in the stores is why customers should pay them the premium price."

Business Week

Ailing Starbucks Brings Back Its Architect

"With Dunkin' Donuts serving lattes and McDonald's winning coffee taste tests, Starbucks had to give its java a jolt. Yesterday, it brought back its chairman, Howard Schultz, to his former job of chief executive and put him in charge of a major effort to beat back the competition."

Washington Post

McDonald's Takes on a Weakened Starbucks

"McDonald's is setting out to poach Starbucks customers with the biggest addition to its menu in 30 years. Starting this year, the company's nearly 14,000 U.S. locations will install coffee bars with "baristas" serving cappuccinos, lattes, mochas and the Frappe, similar to Starbucks' ice-blended Frappuccino.

"Internal documents from 2007 say the program, which also will add smoothies and bottled beverages, will add $1 billion to McDonald's annual sales of $21.6 billion."



Wall Street Journal

Restaurant Marketer Of The Year: Dunkin' Donuts

"No standing in line wondering what a nonfat decaf latte coco mocho is. You walk into a Dunkin' Donuts and you come out with a cup of coffee. No venti. No ho-hum, either: The brand delivers on its promise with good coffee."

Marketing Daily

Folgers punches into the office

"Folgers Gourmet Selections allows office coffee suppliers to bring in the taste the employees want without the price tag of gourmet coffee," Mark Benedict, assistant brand manager for P&G Professional, said in a press release. "We understand that companies want to offer gourmet coffee for their employees, but budget constraints sometimes make that difficult."

Cincinnati Business Courier

The ten women who inspired us in '07

"The do-gooding journalist has globe-trotted as a correspondent for the National Geographic Channel's "Explorer" and "The Oprah Winfrey Show," covering everything from slave girls in India to the Virginia Tech massacre."

Chicago Sun Times