McDonald's and Kraft have announced a collaboration to expand the manufacture, marketing and distribution of the McDonald’s McCafé brand in the U.S. by packaging its signature coffee for sale in grocery stores and other retailers nationwide. Consumers will be able to enjoy a variety of ground, whole bean and on-demand single cup McCafé coffees in the comfort and convenience of their own homes, beginning in early 2015.
“We understand there is huge demand for at home options and we’ve built great success with our McCafé coffee in restaurants. So, it was a natural next step to provide customers with McCafé coffee to enjoy in their own home,” said Greg Watson, senior vice president, McDonald’s U.S. Menu Innovation. “We have always been committed to serving delicious, high quality beverages at a value and we’re happy to provide consumers another great way to enjoy McDonald’s McCafé coffees.”
Made with 100% Arabica beans, McCafé packaged coffees will offer consumers a way to enjoy the McCafé experience at home with the quality, convenience and value they’ve come to expect from McDonald’s restaurants. Formats and varieties to be introduced include:
• Roast and Ground: Premium Roast, Breakfast Blend, French Roast, Colombian, Premium Roast Decaf, French Vanilla, Hazelnut and French Roast Whole Bean (12 oz. bag)
• On-Demand Single Cups: Premium Roast, French Roast and Premium Roast Decaf
“In a competitive category that is growing rapidly and changing every day, this new partnership with McDonald’s represents a whole new era in the world of at-home premium coffee,” said Nina Barton, vice president of Coffee for Kraft Foods. “This partnership will allow us to leverage each company’s best-in-class capabilities, putting us in a prime position to drive further category growth and deliver one of America’s largest, fastest-growing coffee brands to coffee lovers nationwide.”
Added Barton, “By tapping into the loyal McCafé fan base already built by McDonald’s and leveraging our deep coffee category expertise here at Kraft, we have the ability to reach a larger audience than ever before, really giving this brand room to thrive.”
McCafé varieties will be available in grocery, mass merchandise, club and drug retail locations beginning in early 2015.
At an investor conference late last year, a McDonald's executive noted the chain's coffee sales have surged 70 percent since the introduction of McCafe specialty coffees in 2009.
McDonald's Corp. and Kraft Foods had said last year they were testing the packaged coffee in select markets.
Before Kraft split with Mondelez in late 2012, the packaged food maker had distributed Starbucks packaged coffee. But Starbucks broke off the relationship in 2010, saying Kraft failed to live up to its contract.
Kraft challenged the early termination of the deal, and an arbitrator last year ruled that Starbucks had to pay $4.76 billion to settle the dispute. That award goes to Mondelez International.
