THE ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee market is progressing at pace, with innovative NPDs continuously hitting the shelves to keep the sub-category fresh and relevant to ever-changing consumer habits.
And Starbucks says its chilled coffee offerings have a fundamental role to play in spearheading further growth.
The brand highlighted data that showed the sub-category added more than £26 million in incremental sales alone in 2021.
Moreover, Starbucks claims it represents about half of all RTD coffee sales, making it one of the wider soft drinks category’s most successful brands. It argues this means that consumers expect to see it in a store’s soft drinks fixtures.
Adam Hacking, head of beverages at Starbucks RTD firm Arla, pointed out that siting within store was an integral part of whether an offering was successful.
He advised retailers: “The RTD coffee sub-category, including Starbucks chilled coffee, should be sited within the soft drinks fixture, alongside dairy drinks and as close as possible to the energy category.
“RTD coffee is also an ideal addition to meal and link-deal executions. Many retailers are already experiencing the advantages of including these drinks in their existing offers.”
