7-Eleven has entered the battle for coffee drinkers with a new premium brew called Brazilian Bold. 7-Eleven says the premium blend features "select Arabica beans grown in the mountains of Central and South America." 7-Eleven will compete with McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts and other retailers offering cheaper alternatives to more expensive cafes like Starbucks.
"In blind taste tests, we found that coffee-drinking consumers really like our Exclusive Blend coffee," said Paul Pierce, 7-Eleven's senior director for merchandising. "We also learned that many young coffee-drinkers prefer a strong, rich flavor, so we developed a coffee to fit that flavor profile. Our new Brazilian Bold scored just as high as strong flavors from national competitors in the taste tests we later conducted. Our customers can create their own personalized hot drinks with no waiting in line to order or for someone else to prepare it, whether they prefer Brazilian Bold straight-up, Colombian with hazelnut syrup and cream, or Exclusive Blend coffee mixed with hot cocoa and topped with cinnamon and mini-marshmallows. Best of all, 7-Eleven offers a greater value, at around a dollar a cup -- no matter what goes into it -- versus typical coffeehouse prices of $3 to $4."
7-Eleven says retail prices for its Brazilian Bold blend will range from 99 cents to $1.79, based upon cup size (12 to 24 ounces) and geographic market. Competition from cheaper coffee take-out alternatives like McDonald's, 7-Eleven and Dunkin Donuts have led Starbucks to try news tactics like value pairings and instant coffee.
