McBeverage
December 1, 2007
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McBeverage
Elizabeth Fuhrman
Managing Editor
Managing Editor
Coffee and coffee drinks have become a key focus for several beverage companies, even McDonald’s. During a “30 Years of Waking up with McDonald's Virtual Breakfast Roundtable Webinar” on Nov. 27, Jan Fields, executive vice president and chief operating officer of McDonald’s USA, said McDonald’s Premium Roast Coffee sales have increased by 30 percent during the past 12 months.
One of the big reasons for McDonald’s breakfast
and beverage growth is convenience. McDonald’s restaurants are
opening earlier — 77 percent are open at 5 a.m. — and staying
open later or not closing at all. Additionally, part of that convenience is
the wireless connection that 9,000 of McDonald’s 13,700 U.S.
restaurants now offer.
McDonald’s Premium Roast “coffee
customization,” in which employees add sweeteners and cream to the
customer’s specification, also has resonated well with clientele,
especially its Drive-Thru customers, Fields said. McDonald’s serves
25 million U.S. customers a day, with two-thirds of the patrons going
through the Drive-Thru.
McDonald’s convenience factor and new product
offerings, including bottled sweet tea and specialty iced coffee drinks in
some markets, are setting the company up for a major beverage expansion.
The Associated Press reported that Don Thompson, president of
McDonald’s USA, said in a recent meeting,
“We want to move from beverages as an accompaniment to being a
beverage destination.
As a “beverage destination,”
McDonald’s will offer specialty lattes, mochas, cappuccinos and
espressos. The AP reported the drinks will cost about 50 cents less than at
Starbucks.
Still, the high-margin coffee drinks are not without
their setbacks at McDonald’s. Franchisees are cringing at the
estimated $100,000 price tag to cover renovations and new equipment, the AP
reported. Next year’s sales definitely should be interesting with the
addition of new bottled drinks, smoothies and other beverages to the
restaurants.
Campari mix-off
Campari pitted a bevy of Bay Area bartenders against
one another in the Campari Fancy Cocktail Mix-Off. San Francisco’s
Restaurant Azie hosted 100 guests who watched as bartenders created custom
cocktails. The first-place winner was Manny Hinojosa who created the
Cielo Rosso cocktail. The winning drink mixed Campari, Skyy Orange, Michele
Chiarlo Muscato and Cointreau. In addition, the Campari Angel, Devil and
Fairy advertising icons were brought to life for photo opportunities.
Campaign for Dew
Pepsi Cola’s Mountain Dew brand launched
DEWmocracy, a virtual world where consumers can create the next Mountain
Dew beverage online. Consumers who visit dewmocracy.com will be able to
virtually create a new soft drink flavor that could possibly turn into an
online “candidate” that will “campaign” for
development into the next Mountain Dew flavor. The site also includes a
live-action short film narrated by actor Forest Whitaker, who helped
develop features on the Web site.
Birthday shots
Rock ‘n roller Sammy Hagar celebrated his 60th
birthday alongside the tequila brand he founded at the Cabo Wabo Cantina in
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Hagar was joined by family and friends, including
illusionist Criss Angel, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and rocker
Ted Nugent. The celebration was a finale to Hagar’s traditional
two-week birthday extravaganza. Hagar then hit the road for his 60-date
U.S. tour, which is sponsored by the tequila brand.
Brady GETS ‘SMART’
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is the newest famous face advertising Glaceau’s Smartwater
brand. Brady will work with Smartwater on projects such as charity tie-ins
and advertising campaigns. The electrolyte-enhanced water brand began a
nationwide campaign highlighting the NFL star’s healthy, active
lifestyle as well as his “smart, strategic side” last month.
Bourbon-inspired couture
Basil Hayden’s Bourbon ended its Tastemaker
Series with a finale event in Chicago. At the event, which also was
sponsored by Out Magazine,
“Project Runway 2” designer Nick Verreos created a couture
evening gown inspired by Basil Hayden’s distinctive packaging. The
gown was auctioned off for $2,700 to benefit Chicago’s
Gay and Lesbian Center. The Tastemaker Series began during the summer and
was geared toward the gay market. In total, Basil Hayden donated more than
$15,000 to Chicago charities during the Tastemaker Series.
Eco-friendly hydration
Poland Spring not only helped hydrate runners during
November’s ING New York City Marathon, it also helped lighten the
event’s environmental impact. The brand, in partnership with the New
York Road Runners, arranged to recycle 75,000 one-gallon Poland Spring
water containers that helped hydrate athletes during the event. It also
installed multiple recycling bins at the Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff
Race in Central Park to recycle more than
13,500 water containers.
