Jan 2012 – The hot beverage market continues to grow, with over two-thirds of coffee consumption being out of home. Don’t think that quick service restaurants haven’t noticed. QSRs have dramatically increased product offerings to include more hot beverages. McDonald’s, for one, has increased their McCafé offerings helping them increase their same store sales for 55 consecutive months. Even convenience stores are upgrading their hot beverage selection to try to compete with the quick service options.
Specialty Hot Beverage Operators currently make up 5% of the consumer spends in the Limited Service Market, of which over 11,000 are independent operators. Still, the market is dominated by the large chains like Starbucks that added an additional 17,000* units globally. (www.starbucks.com: End of fiscal 2010)
The hot beverage market doesn’t seem exciting on paper. After all, the chance a prisoner opts for a cup of coffee as a last meal over a juicy steak is pretty slim. However, a $14.4 billion market in a declining economy is simply something manufacturers cannot, and should not ignore. The hot beverage market is one of the few markets that have shown continued growth over the past 4 years. The global market for hot beverages (coffee and tea) is forecasted to reach $69.77 billion in value and 10.57 million tons in volume by the year 2015.
According to Cathy Kearns, General Manager at CHD Expert, "We have seen independent and chain coffee shops continue to dominate new restaurant net growth in North America. The Hot Beverage market transactions have nearly tripled between 2000 and 2011 whereas the Limited Service Foodservice transactions have decreased by 7% during the same period.”
Why is Hot Beverage market on the rise?
Future growth in worldwide coffee and tea industries is expected to rely on a few key factors – quality, health and convenience.
Widespread awareness of health benefits associated with hot tea continues to drive the beverage to new heights of popularity. Hot tea is one of the healthy beverages recommended by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. So go ahead and have that second helping of fries, just make sure to wash it down with a nice cup of hot tea.
Gourmet coffee continues to be a significant portion (37%) of total coffee consumed; indicating that consumers want to maintain coffee quality despite the economy. The constant demand for Coffee had helped it sustain extraordinary sales levels even in an uncertain economy. As the economy recovers, rising levels of affluence, consumer awareness and greater per capita consumption in developing economies, is slated to accelerate future growth. No matter the consumer age group, coffee consumption is on the rise:
40% of 18-24 year olds drink coffee daily, up from 31% in 2010
54% of 25-39 year olds drink coffee daily, up from 44% in 2010
An increase in consumption among younger drinkers demonstrates strong category loyalty, which suggests a solid customer base for future growth.
Whether it is a case for our cell phones, or the toppings on our pizza we want everything we have OUR way. Ordering coffee with two creams was a thing of the 90s, I’ll take a tall half-skinny half-1 percent extra hot split quad shot latte with whip. Thanks.
Reprint from Brad Bloom - CHD Expert www.chd-expert.com
Dec 2011 – How can I get some flame tumblers? I purchased 10 flame mugs from a store here in Utah 10 years ago. They discontinued selling them. I now have just one. Three were stolen by old girl friends. One was in a back hoe accident. Two were run over when I balanced them on my bumper. One I forgot on the top of Snowbird Ski Resort while camping. My brother’s daughters made two into boats at the lake until they filled up and sank to the bottom. Now how can I get more? I like the flame mug style. HELP!
Scott – Lehi, UT
Coffee is an important part of the profitable hot dispensed beverages category, which adds around $3,676 margin dollars per store per month, according to NACS State of the Industry data for 2010. Combined with cappuccino and specialty coffee - coffee accounts for the lion’s share of the category’s sales. Tea, hot chocolate and other dispensed beverages make up less than 3 percent. In 2009, coffee, cappuccino and specialty coffee sales per store neared $80,000. Download Article Click Here “It’s an incredible honor to be part of the United States Olympic family, and we look forward to introducing our ‘Team USA’ EasyGo Drinkware line", said Steve Schlotzhauer, President of Mugs Made Easy. “Moreover, we are happy that our ‘Team USA’ branded travel mug line will provide proceeds from the sale of each mug to help support U.S. Olympic athletes – www.teamusa.org” Helping build a great coffee experience for your customer is what we’re all about. Sept 2011 – Is McDonald’s stealing your coffee sales? – It’s irritating, really. Business people are told to have patience, that success often involves failure, humility, persistence and countless trips to the drawing board, right? Then McDonald’s comes along and
in less than two years, pushes the lid off our coffee programs. It’s not enough that Micky D’s ratcheted up its regular cup of joe, but the global giant had the nerve to usher in a line of frappes, mochas, lattes and cappuccinos. It even had the chutzpah to call it a café. And it worked. Download Article Click HereAug 2011 – Six ways to build millennials trust. - The millennial generation is changing the way companies are marketing themselves, due to millennials significant population and the profound changes in how they conduct their daily lives compared to any generation before. Your goal is to build their trust in your business. Millennials are the largest generation in U.S. history at more than 50 million and they identify technology as the differentiator between themselves and other generations. Download Article Click Here
July 2011 - HOUSTON – Getting a cup of coffee or another dispensed beverage is the single-minded mission of many high frequency convenience store visitors, and often they’ll grab a donut or something else to go with it, according to research by The NPD Group.
NPD’s Convenience Store Monitor, which continually tracks consumer purchasing behavior of more than 51,000 convenience store shoppers in the United States, reveals that 86 percent of coffee purchases are planned and 7 percent are purchased on a deal. Other dispensed beverages are also purpose-driven purchases, with only 14 percent bought on impulse and 13 percent on a deal. Consumers of coffee and other dispensed beverages are high frequency buyers who represent 68 percent more visits than the average convenience store customer.
“The fact that the buyers of coffee and other dispensed beverages are defined differently than the typical convenience store visitor presents an incremental opportunity for c-stores,” said David Portalatin, executive director of industry analysis at NPD, in a press release. “If a convenience store can deliver on what dispensed beverage buyers are looking for in terms of product quality, a rewards program, and a clean and bright store, it can attract a loyal new customer base.”
Coffee and other dispensed beverages represent 31 percent of unit purchases made in a convenience store, and of the dispensed beverage consumers, 33 percent are looking for coffee, 11 percent cappuccino or latte and 3 percent hot or iced tea, according to NPD. Typically, with the dispensed beverage incremental purchases are made amounting to an average visit of $6.83. Forty-five percent of consumers who purchase their coffee between 6 am and 10 am tend to also purchase donuts, gum, sweet rolls, sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, snack cakes and cookies, reports NPD.
Dispensed beverage buyers are different than average convenience store buyers, who tend to be blue-collar males, 18-to-49 years old, according to NPD. Dispensed beverage buyers tend to be female, ages 35-64, white collar, Hispanic and from larger households. Coffee buyers tend to be male, ages 45-65, a mix of white and blue collar, strong military connection, smaller households and higher income.
“The fact that coffee and other dispensed beverages are purpose-driven purchases is a ready-made niche for any convenience store ready and willing to compete with QSRs and other retail outlets offering coffee and beverages,” said Portalatin. “If a convenience store is looking for a way in which to distinguish itself from its gasoline or other offering, dispensed beverages appear to be among the possible answers.”
Reprint from NACS Daily News http://www.nacsonline.com
June 2011 - SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- It's enough to make a coffee guru weep: Customers rate the variety of coffee additives as more important that the variety of coffee. In other words, if you don't have the right creamers, your beans don't matter that much. Dan Streetman, certified lead instructor for the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and director of coffee for Irving Farms Coffee, didn't weep--but he definitely winced--when pointing out that factoid in the breakout session "Recipe for Great Away-From-Home Coffee" at the fourth annual FARE (Foodservice at Retail Exchange) conference.
Citing facts and figures from a WhiteWave Foods study on coffee consumers, Streetman detailed the reasons why a quality coffee program is a must-have:
Coffee is the third-most-consumed beverage in the world behind water and soda.
150 billion cups of coffee are consumed in the United States every year.
Consumers average 12 coffee drinks per week.
Only 11% of consumers say they never drink brewed coffee.
One-third of coffee consumers drink it multiple times per day.
The specialty-coffee segment is growing at 20% per year.
Based on the WhiteWave study, consumers have three demands for a coffee offering: Make it fast, make it fresh and make it mine.
And they mean fast: According to the study, customers want to leave their car, buy the coffee and be back in the car in less than four minutes. That sounds like a tall order. To achieve that, Streetman suggested placing a coffee display close to the front of the store, or at least visible from the front, so the customer doesn't need to waste time hunting for the brew. Along with visibility, adequate, neat prep space is crucial. Forty-nine percent said they would not return if they experienced a messy or unclean coffee area. That might mean having an extra person on the floor who's in charge of keeping the prep space tidy, Streetman said.
When it comes to freshness, Streetman (pictured) said, the key drivers for consumers are "absence of negatives." And "freshly brewed" is the most important factor when having a quality coffee experience, according to WhiteWave.
Consumers want coffee that:
Does not taste burnt.
Is freshly brewed--not old, "stale" pots of coffee.
Is not watery.
To avoid these negatives, Streetman suggested that retailers brew high-quality coffee, and brew fewer roasts more frequently. Most consumers are content with four roasts: regular, French, decaffeinated and Colombian.
To brew high-quality coffee, the three most important factors are:
A correct coffee-to-water ratio. The "golden cup" standard set by the SCAA for the coffee-to-water ratio is 3.5 ounces by weight of coffee to 64 fluid ounces of water.
A grind to match brewing time. Normal drip brewing takes 4 to 6 minutes. If the coffee is too fine, it will increase the brew's bitterness; if it's too course, it will be bland and watery.
Good quality water (because brewed coffee is 98% water). Technically, the sediment content of the water should be 75 to 250 mg/L of total dissolved solids. Streetman stressed the importance of a good water filter; spending thousands of dollars on high-quality coffee equipment is pointless if it's going to get clogged up by unfiltered water and the minerals it contains, he said.
Coffee's flavor degrades over time, and heating it destroys its flavor. If you're brewing coffee every hour, that's reasonable, he said; anything less is "fantastic."
And now back to that creamer statistic. Making the coffee "mine" is key, 72% of participants in the WhiteWave study said. The most appealing attribute for do-it-yourself coffee is "ability to customize." A big part of that is the variety of sweeteners, creamers and syrups on the coffee bar.
"When people think about coffee, they think about creamer," Streetman said. They would rather have more choices in additives than "outlandish flavors of coffee," he said. Also, 50% would consider not returning to a location to purchase coffee based on a poor creamer experience.
Reprint from CSP Daily News, July 1, 2011 - by Jennifer Bulat http://www.cspnet.com
May 2011 - University of South Florida researchers have found that consumption of coffee prevents the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease. According to the study, caffeine boosts the blood levels of a critical growth of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF) protein, which is usually decreased in patients suffering with Alzheimer's disease, reports medindia.net.
The researchers conducted a treatment on Alzheimer's mice and normal mice, which showed caffeinated coffee increased blood levels of GCSF. Although the study was performed in Alzheimer's mice, the researchers gathered clinical evidence of caffeine/coffee's ability to protect humans against Alzheimer's, which they are planning to publish soon.
The study states that average American drinks 1 to 2 cups of coffee a day, considerably less than the amount the researchers believe required to protect against Alzheimer's disease. The researchers believe that moderate daily coffee intake starting at least by middle age (30s - 50s) is required for reducing the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease, while starting it even in older age appears protective from the disease.
University of South Florida neuroscientist and lead author of the study Chuanhai Cao said," Caffeinated coffee provides a natural increase in blood GCSF levels and the exact way that this occurs is not understood."
"There is a synergistic interaction between caffeine and some mystery component of coffee that provides this beneficial increase in blood GCSF levels," Cao added.
Reprint from DBR http://hotdrinks.drinks-business-review.com
Apr 15, 2011 - Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's can still count on a large percentage of loyal coffee drinkers, but recent research found that "roamers" still rule the roost. CustomerDNA, a marketing and research consulting firm, recently conducted a benchmark survey of the shopping habits of more than 15,000 quick serve restaurants. Its report, "QSRdna", found that 41 percent of Starbuck's customer visits are from customers who can be described as "loyals" who do not frequent any other coffee/breakfast chain during the average month. However, the report also found that 53 percent of customers can be described as "roamers" also visit either Dunkin' Donuts or McDonald's during the average month.
Similar patterns emerged at Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's. Dunkin Donuts counts 42 percent loyals and 53 percent roamers; McDonald's had the most loyal customers with 62 percent visits by customers who do not visit either of the other two during the average month, according to the report.
"The significance of these patterns became clear when we found that the roamers purchased a hot beverage and/or breakfast nearly twice as often as loyals," said Dave Jenkins, CustomersDNA's co-founder. "During the average month, loyal customers of each of the three chains visited their favorite store 6.7 times, while the roamers averaged 13 visits per month. Capturing more of these sometime-customers to is key to winning the coffee/breakfast battle."
Reprint from Convenience Store News – Foodservice Retailing.
Mar 2011 - I wanted to share a story with you regarding my travel mug. This morning, March 24, 2011, I was getting ready to leave my garage for work, with a stop at the dog groomers on the way. One of my dogs decided not to get in the car so I placed my coffee mug on the roof of the car so that I could assist my stubborn dog into the car. After doing so, I backed out of the garage and proceeded up the street in front of our house when I heard a bang, clunk, clunk sound coming from the car roof area. I than remembered that was the location of my travel mug; no traffic was coming so I stopped the car and went to retrieve my mug. To my surprise, not only was the travel mug intact after its summersault off the top of my car, the lid was still in place, and I had not lost one drop of my morning cup of coffee. Great product! Keep up the good work. - Respectfully, Pastor John S. Weyant
Feb 2011 – Just sending this email to thank you for the great product you make. The EasyGo 20 oz. Sabre Tumbler is one of the best mugs I have ever had, other than a few other EasyGo handled mugs I've used in recent years. I really do like the 20 oz. Sabre Tumbler which I have had for about a year. It works perfectly in my vehicle I drive to work (about 100 miles a day) and in the side pocket of my laptop backpack which I carry 1-2 miles per day. Unfortunately, I recently broke the lid on my mug....no fault of your product but rather of me when putting backpack into car. I knocked the lid off and didn't notice until I was backing up my car and ran over the lid. Unbelievably from the top it looked OK but the bottom did not fair well with plastic crushed which the rubber gasket goes on and gasket tore making the mug unusable with the lid. I would like to see if I could get a replacement lid or check on cost of getting one. I have not been able to find anyone locally that has this mug or even another brands that is this size which will work for me. If possible I would like some info on a replacement lid. Thanks, Jason - Jasper, IN
Jan 2011 – Our Upscale Drinkware‘s high perceived value and quality make $3.99 / $4.99 and $5.99 retail price points a great deal for your customer. Add in a First Fill Free’ sticker option and POS ‘refill savings’ program – know your customer is doing the math and figuring out their new travel mug purchase will pay for itself within weeks. First Fill Free savings + Daily Refill savings = a free mug over time. Along with advertising dollars well spent! Who would of thought a travel mug has this much value – well our customers do so when that 10-15 second ‘Travel Mug Moment’ happens give us a call. Helping build a great coffee experience for your customer is what we’re all about.
Nov 2010 – Our new EasyGo Drinkware ‘Travel Mug Moment’ catalog offers over 50 drinkware styles from 12oz to 24oz / desk top to car cup friendly / double wall insulated to single wall stainless water bottles. Along with our new edition ‘Gourmet Collection’ catalog that features specialty coffee retail designs and sizes. MME has been creating drinkware solutions for over 15 years - so call today for an updated catalog.
Oct 2010 - I purchased a couple of your mugs locally about 5 -10 years ago and they have been the best coffee cups I have ever purchased. They have fallen off my truck going down the road, run through the dishwasher always, and beat up on jobsites and they will probably out last a Timex or a Bic Pen. Please let me know how or where I can purchase more.
Richard – Jacksonville, Florida
Oct 2010 - The NACS Show (National Association of Convenience Stores) took place October 5 to 8 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. It is ranked as one of the 50 largest annual trade shows in the United States with nearly 22,000 representatives of the global convenience and petroleum retailing industry turning out, including 1,400 international attendees. There are 144,541 convenience stores in the United States — one per every 2,100 people. Cumulatively, their $511 billion in sales are similar to competing channels that are often thought of to be much greater, including restaurants $580 billion and supermarkets at $556 billion in annual sales.
The success of this year’s NACS Show goes beyond the numbers as the popularity of upscaling the convenience store ‘coffee bar’ surges. Mugs Made Easy and our ‘Travel Mug Moment’ emphasizes the importance of capturing the consumer’s attention with a well designed, great looking upscale travel mug.
Introducing 8 new 16oz travel mug designs, a new double-walled porcelain tumbler with silicone lid and sure-grip sleeve and a diamond plated stainless steel water bottle – MME remains the industry leader. So when that 10-15 second ‘Travel Mug Moment’ happens give us a call. Helping build a great coffee experience for your customer is what we’re all about.
Sept 2010 - Despite the country’s economic woes, hot beverage sales at convenience stores are increasing with more customers than ever reportedly trading up for high-end brews. You wouldn’t think something as simple as coffee could prove to be so complex a phenomenon—or one so indispensable to Americans.
Turns out America can see its reflection in a cup of coffee—its economic worries, its desires for variety and small-scale luxury, and even its hopes for a brighter future. All of that swirls together inside a disposable cup they pick up at their local convenience store.
The news out of New York and London in August, however, was less inspiring. JM Smucker announced it had raised its retail prices of coffee by 9%, even as wholesale costs had just reached a 12-year high, according to the Financial Times. “With unemployment still above 9%,” the Financial Times wrote, “it is uncertain whether retailers will pass along those increases to consumers, or whether an emphasis on private label brands will increase.”
Since early June, wholesale prices of Arabica coffee have risen more than 30%, a leap that analysts and category observers believe will continue.
Still, it’s a staple. National Coffee Association (NCA) figures released earlier this year showed that more than three out of four adult Americans drink coffee daily or regularly with convenience stores a preferred destination. So while the likes of Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s are focusing a lot of their marketing dollars on coffee programs, convenience store are holding their own in this important category.
“Consumers stop to buy coffee more than they fill up their cars, providing convenience stores with a great opportunity to build loyalty and repeat sales,” NCA noted in its coffee report. The association, in conjunction with the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), found that more than 150 million Americans aged 18 and older drink coffee on a daily basis, with 65% of coffee drinkers consuming their hot beverage in the morning.
“Considering these stats, it’s no wonder that coffee is the No. 1 hot beverage of choice among convenience store customers, generating about 78% of sales within the hot dispensed beverages category,” said Don Montuori, publisher for Packaged Facts, a marketing research firm.
Packaged Facts found in 2010 that upscale coffee sales continued to be strong because consumers consider them a relatively inexpensive luxury.
“With the advent of the so-called ‘Great Recession’ in 2008, the central question facing the coffee market was whether a product that saw sales growth through upscaling could continue to progress in the face of a severe economic downturn,” Montuori added. “By and large, the answer is yes. Even if marketers must now scuffle for every percentage point of sales growth they get.” While the shift to upscale and specialty coffees diverges from overall trends of the economic downturn, “they interact with each other as customers circumvent cheap ground coffee, and instead make tradeoffs to stay within budget while indulging in premium beverages.”
Given that coffee is such a high-growth category that represents strong profit potential, it should be no surprise that the industry’s leading retailers are focusing a lot of effort to solidify their offerings. More often than not the program begins with studying what customers want.
“To me, coffee is about presentation and offering,” said Jerry Weiner, vice president of foodservice for Rutter’s Farm Stores in York, Pa. “That’s what it is. You create price/value, and you don’t have to get into these hot price battles with McDonald’s. In this market, over the past year they were promoting all cup sizes for just 69 cents— and then they went to $1 for any cup for the balance of the colder months. A lot of the competitors here went down into that valley to try to compete with them, and I just was not going to go there.”
Instead, the 55-store chain took a different approach, finding ways to add value proposition. “We wanted to get the price/value in the consumers’ minds, and that’s where the triple rewards came about,” Weiner said. “That proved to do the job, and of course now we’ve expanded that.”
Selling coffee effectively, Weiner insisted, is about visual presentation. “I’m constantly looking at ways to enhance the visual and make sure that we have a rather extensive offering, which I’m a big believer in.”
Both product and condiment offerings must be sizeable. “I think we’ve reached an era of customization in which people really want to have it the way they want to have it. It’s not just light and sweet anymore,” Weiner said. “They want to really add a lot of things to their coffee, and it isn’t just about having sugar and Sweet n’ Low. It’s long past those days.”
In order to differentiate your coffee program from your competitors’ and enhance your overall brand image, you need to be aware of and capture the emerging trends, said veteran foodservice operator and consultant Arlene Spiegel, president of Arlene Spiegel & Associates in New York City. Guests value, and will pay more for, products that clearly showcase these attributes:
• Quality, as evidenced by its single origin.
• Mindfulness, such as fair trade considerations.
• Occasions, which can be anytime during the work day—the key reason why the brew program must always be served fresh.
• Community. Some companies have found strong sales spikes when they tie in community programs, such as donating a quarter to a local food bank for
every cup of coffee sold.
• Health. Chains like Quick Chek and Rutter’s regularly advertise they use only fresh, filtered water in their coffee programs.
Furthermore, bundling coffee is a proven motivator for consumers. “Coffee needs to be positioned as a reward and piggy-backed with a great baked goods offering,” Spiegel said.
Community, as Spiegel defined it, can prove a major part of the blend. Throughout 2010, 7-Eleven has been collecting what will end up being more than $2 million to charities via its Coffee Cup with a Cause campaign. The charity-focused coffee campaign includes limited-edition 20-ounce coffee cups designed by entertainment and sports celebrities nationwide.
Customers are encouraged to fill those cups with any 7-Eleven hot beverage with the knowledge that proceeds will benefit the charity of the featured celebrity’s choice. According to Rita Bargerhuff, the chain’s chief marketing officer, the program “allows customers to directly support charities and causes that make dramatic changes to so many people’s lives.”
7-Eleven is providing a guaranteed $250,000 minimum donation to each charity.
Earlier this year, Knoxville, Tenn.-based Pilot Travel Centers kicked off a “best on the interstate” coffee promotion that integrated social media messaging. The company placed messages on its fleet of tankers heralding its first Facebook fan page and a new Twitter account, both aimed at promoting the company’s 2010 coffees.
“We are trying to tell the world about our great coffee program,” said Tim Purcell, Pilot’s director of merchandising. “Social networks are just another new method we are using to deliver our message.”
For a limited time, visitors to Pilot’s Facebook page could download a coupon for a free hot beverage and vote for their favorite Pilot coffee blend. Pilot had concomitantly introduced an in-store sweepstakes to further promote its coffee, with winners receiving free coffee for a year.
“I’ll tell you the truth,” said Weiner, “our biggest effort was when we did a triple rewards promotion and tied it into our rewards program, which is really about cents off a gallon of gas.”
Rutter’s customers always received a penny off gasoline when they bought the coffee, but when they went to a triple points reward aimed at increasing fuel gallons sold, it had a dramatic impact on coffee sales.
“Coffee sales based on cups sold per day spiked by more than 20%,” Weiner said. “We did that in January and February, but the important note was that we’ve had a residual impact of about 7% so far, and that’s been holding relatively true.”
Rutter’s first triple-reward program was so well received by customers that the results helped established a new strategy for the company.
By Howard Bell - Reprint from Convenience Store Decisions http://www.csdecisions.com/article/10655/coffees-popularity-surges.html
June 2010 – Starbucks and social media partners were able to bring together creative minds
from around the world to tackle a complex and important challenge.
“Our paper cups really represent our icon and unfortunately
they also represent one of our greatest environmental liabilities
in our customers’ eyes,” Jim Hanna, Starbucks’s director
of environmental impact, said at the announcement. “By 2015,
we want all cups to recyclable, be compostable, or reusable.”
Every year, 58 billion paper cups are thrown away, 20 million
trees are cut down to manufacture these cups and 12 billion
gallons of water are used in the manufacturing process. We
could also power 53,000 homes with the energy we consume with paper cups..
There were 430 submissions and these were updated on average of at least 3 times
in response to more than 5,000 ratings and 13,000 comments. We believed that
good ideas might come from anywhere, but now we also believe the same is true
of great feedback that helps make ideas better. Visit http://www.thebetacup.com/2010/06/17/the-finale/ to view the winning ideas.
Apr 22, 2010 – Tim Balazs – Environmental Communication Officer, joined hundreds of students
on campus celebrating Earth Day - April 22nd. Earth
Day 2010 was a great success and enjoyed a record number
of attendees! “It was really inspiring and hopeful
to see so many of today’s youth take an interested,
active role in exploring what choices an individual
can make daily to begin to repair a planet in peril”
said Tim. “The most refreshing aspect was the attitudes
of the students – it has become ‘cool’ to care for
the environment! Witnessing first hand the universal
interest of students and faculty to our simple message
- ‘Saving the planet one mug/bottle at a time’, illustrated
that we were on the right track” he adds. Mugs Made
Easy will continue to work with and support schools and organizations in a continuing
effort to educate people regarding ‘greener’ choices.
For more information on our EasyGo H2O Water Bottle
Project and EasyGo Green ‘Reduce•Reuse•Refill’ Travel
Mug initiatives please call Tim at 1.800.477.6667.
Apr 2010 – Email from a very dedicated environmental advocate.- THE ULTIMATE
RECYCLER. Hi there, I found one of your mugs at a park I
go to every morning to walk my dog. It was in good shape
and I LOVE my to go coffee mugs so I brought it home and
cleaned it up and I absolutely love the mug. I dropped it
and chipped the plastic but it still works fine. I was wondering
if there is any place to buy your mugs. Mine has nothing
on it and it is my fav color, blue, so it is perfect for
me LOL. I would like to get a couple more because they are
great mugs! Thanks for any info you can give me ... Jacki
|
 |
Apr 5, 2010 - NEW YORK -- Growing tired of watching a customer pull up to the
pump, pay for their gas and drive away? The addition of credit card machines
on gas pumps has created an additional obstacle for convenience stores
when it comes to driving customers into the store to make additional purchases.
So let's talk about how to get them to step away from the pump and up
to your cash register, with a coffee in hand for purchase. The latest research
shows 79 percent of c-stores in the United States sell motor fuel. The
customer is there to fill their tank, but how do you lure them into the
store for other purchases? The key to driving profitability is to measure
your conversion factor, or the percentage of customers who visit your location
and make a purchase inside the store.
The conversion factor is more important
than ever since traffic is flat or declining in most day parts. According
to The NPD Group, breakfast visits declined two percent in the fourth quarter
of 2009, and traffic did not grow in any foodservice day part last year.
In today's environment, the growth plan likely to be most successful is
the one that strives for more effective conversion. Let's take a look at
how c-stores can achieve this through their beverage program, among other
things.
The best way to drive sales is by focusing on products with the broadest
consumer appeal. Coffee and carbonated sodas are two obvious choices. Consider
coffee's appeal: NACS' annual report shows that monthly hot dispensed beverage
sales average $6,908 per store. At an average transaction price of $1.15,
that's 200 cups per day. Operators clearly agree with coffee's importance
to the conversion factor since the 2009 NACS Consumer Fuels Report indicated
that hot coffee programs are the leading product category to attract customers
into the store.
Additionally, iced coffee has fast become a growing category with consumption
increasing more than 20 percent in 2009 over the previous year, and it
is now a part of nearly 9 percent of foodservice orders. Not to mention,
more than 95 percent of those iced coffee drinks are purchased outside
the home, providing a very compelling growth opportunity for c-stores.
With those numbers in mind, it is critical that convenience store operators
stock quality products that will entice customers to purchase their daily
iced coffee from them instead of pumping their gas and then heading to
the nearest coffeehouse.
One thing seems very clear -- women make up nearly half of all gas purchasers,
yet they are a much smaller percentage of the in-store purchasers. Why
is that? Look around for cues that are preventing gas customers -- women
in particular -- from venturing in for a snack or beverage.
Promoting products, such as iced coffee or iced tea -- both big sellers
among women -- at the pump is a great way to target females. You also must
remove hurdles that will prevent shoppers from coming into the store. Women,
in particular, are concerned about crossing and entering a dark or untidy
store lot, so be sure to have a clean and well-lit parking lot.
The Achilles heel of c-stores' main competitor, coffee shops, is preparation
time. Your coffee-shop competitor believes their customer is there for
the "experience." However, the part of the experience they don't enjoy is standing in line for
six minutes waiting for a skinny, two-pump mocha latte to be finished while
they wait on a cup of black coffee.
Most of the time coffee shops 'latte-sippin' consumer is the same time-pressed
customer you serve. They want their coffee right now -- and that's your
sweet spot. A shopper's limited time also can prevent an iced coffee or
tea purchase, or any additional conversion purchase for that matter. This
is where marketing and product positioning come in to play. As mentioned
above, advertising at the pump is very effective, as is signage within
the store -- at the register and over the beverage area -- clearly communicating
the coffee is fresh and ready now.
As you can see, products with broad reach, such as premium iced coffees
and iced teas can absolutely be a leader in conversion sales. After all,
there is no doubt the appeal of coffee is widespread, and with high-quality
offerings, c-store operators will notice an increase in "product selection" customers, which according to The NPD Group make up more than 20 percent of
the c-store buyer population.
When evaluating ways to increase your profitability, I encourage you to
determine what your conversion rate is today and identify ways to drive
that rate higher. Premium coffee and tea products can jump-start your conversion
rate and store profitability in the right direction, although in the end
it's about connecting with the customer inside your store.
By Gary Lillian, Javo Beverage Co. - Reprint from Convenience Store News
http://www.csnews.com/csn/foodservice/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004080688# |
Mar 2010 – Our new EasyGo Drinkware catalog offers over 50 drinkware styles from 12oz to
24oz / desk top to car cup friendly / double wall insulated to single
wall stainless water bottles. MME has been creating drinkware products
for people just like you for over 15 years - creating unique beverage
solutions that fit your lifestyle. Products that are sustainable,
stylish and above all, functional. Call today for an updated catalog.
Feb 2010 - Mugs Made Easy is excited to announce our new 16 and 24 size Pacific Ice Coffee
Tumblers. Iced coffee is quickly gaining popularity among the general consumer
audience and MME has many options to create a cool looking ice coffee travel
mug. Selection, quality and delivered on time - that’s the EasyGo Drinkware difference!
Jan 2010 - Mugs Made Easy ability to stand out against our competitors comes from our
constant new product designs. We take on challenges as though there is no boundary
in our imaginations, whether in product design or in manufacturing skills.
As long as ideas are innovative and marketable, we are ready to put in every
effort to turn the visions into reality. Here are the results in a 16oz size:
Yukon Tumbler, Soltus Tumbler, Calibre Tumbler, Santa Cruz Tumbler, Redondo
Tumbler, Monterey Tumbler, Expedition Mug, Sierra Tumbler, Tahoe Tumbler and
Saturn Mug. Also 4 new 14oz specialty coffee sizes: Newport Tumbler, Aspen
Tumbler, Acadia Tumbler and Accord Tumbler.
Dec 2009 - Mugs Made Easy in keeping to meet the ever changing demands of today’s customers – introduces 16 new products for the fall/holiday coffee season. Kicking off our
expanded 20oz size selections are the Hammer LowRider Mug, updated
Hampton II Mug and the 24oz size Mountaineer Mug. In 16oz sizes we
have our new Prelude Tumbler, Cobalt Tumbler & Mug, Orion Tumbler & Mug, Fresno Tumbler & Mug, Wavy TallBoy Tumbler, Ventura Tumbler, Metro Mug, Neo Mug, Redondo SAN
Tumbler and Volt Tumbler.
Oct 2009 – MME would like to thank everyone for stopping by our booth – it was an extremely successful show! The overwhelmingly positive response at
the NACS Show reflects the ever increasing interest and demand for our
unique innovative stainless drinkware solutions. We continue to ‘think outside the mug’ – designing and producing - to bring our customers the best stainless drinkware
in the industry.
We are proud to release MME’s Volume 8 catalog in early 2010, outlining our ever expanding product line and
cause awareness programs.
Please stop by our website throughout the year as we continue to design and develop
new products each quarter – staying ahead of the trends and starting a
few!
Oct 2009 - The continuing trend in ‘upscale’ coffee witnessed its largest growth in 2009 and 2010 promises to be no different! “We have seen phenomenal growth in the specialty coffee market over the last five
to ten years, and with that the expansion of the ‘specialty/upscale’ product offering in the C-stores has significantly shifted with consumer demands.
As a result; sales of ‘premium’ stainless mugs has spiked.” explained Steve Schlotzhauer, president of Mugs Made Easy. Today’s coffee drinker has become more discerning and knowledgeable. They are looking
for higher quality coffee and as a result appreciate
the higher quality mugs that go with it.
“ Increased consumer awareness regarding environmental concerns and economic difficulties,
more and more consumers are looking for ways to save money and the environment,
by taking advantage of discounted re-fill programs. Purchasing refillable mugs
is a win/win for their morning cup of coffee.” Steve adds
.
Refillable mugs, or travel mugs, are nothing new, but the place they
now hold in people’s lives is! “The seemingly ‘personal’ relationship people have with their mug has become the hallmark of the upscale
coffee market” quips Steve. “Travel mugs have become more of an accessory with the wide variety of styles,
colors and sizes now available to suit everyone tastes. It’s part of their morning routine; keys, purse/wallet, cell phone and travel mug
before they leave the house in the morning” he adds. This aspect of increased popularity of a refillable mug bodes extremely
well for C-stores as it reinforces customer loyalty and ensures daily visits
to the convenience store coffee bar. Simply offering a ‘daily refill discount’, helps ensure that your store is a ‘destination’ stop as opposed to one of chance. “In the past year we have seen many c-stores offer significant daily refill discounts
to help their customer’s combat difficult financial times, and as a result, discovered an extremely
effective marketing tool” he adds
The particular appeal of an upscale stainless mug; is the feeling
of real value. “When a customer picks up a stainless mug they get an immediate ‘feel’ for the quality and value of the upscale lines. MME continues to produce innovative
product lines while addressing consumer trends – and try to ‘think outside the mug’.”
Mugs Made Easy is again proud to introduce a wide array of new product
lines at this year’s NACS show aimed at heating up the coffee category!
Reprint from ‘Convenience Retailer Show Daily’ – Oct. 21, 2009
Oct 2009 - Following in the footsteps of the wildly successful Breast Cancer Awareness
program, Mugs Made Easy has just announced the ‘EasyGo H2O Project’. “MME feels a strong corporate and moral responsibility to reinvest in our communities
and our world. Just as with our Breast Cancer program, a portion of
the proceeds from the sales of stainless water bottles will be donated
to support the digging of water wells in third world countries; providing
much needed sources of clean drinking water. Domestically, stainless
water bottles reduce the amount of plastic bottles going into landfills.
Simple choices we make daily can collectively have a profound effect;
choosing a Stainless water bottle helps reduce the billions of plastic
bottles discarded in North America each year.” explains Tim Balazs, Environmental Communications Officer at Mugs Made Easy.
“2009 was a turbulent year for the bottled water industry. We have witnessed a
growing number of cities and organizations banning the sale of bottled
water due to the serious environmental impact on local landfill sites” Tim Balazs continues, “At 2008 NACS show we unveiled our first stainless water bottle in anticipation
of this trend – a double walled, vacuum insulated stainless bottle. This year we have greatly
expanded our line to include single walled stainless bottles in a wide
range of styles and colors. The popularity of our single walled stainless
bottles has been very well received and rapidly increasing in a variety
of markets” explains Tim. “Ideal for work, school or outdoor activities these bottles are functional. The ‘wide mouth’ opening addresses a number of issues; large enough to accommodate ice cubes
and most importantly - the ability to clean it properly”.
As refillable water bottles become more and more popular, attention has focused
on the materials and their possible health implications. Many plastic
bottles, as a result of BPA content, have been pulled from store shelves
in the last couple of years and the public is becoming aware of the
possible dangers of aluminum as well. “Our quality, 18/8 stainless, line of water bottles is the ideal choice for our
consumer’s health; as well as the longevity of the product.” states Tim.
The MME EasyGo H2O Project will benefit those that do not have access to clean
drinking water and ensuring access to a basic human right. “If we can raise money to install water wells in isolated communities in Africa,
saving the lives of those struggling and at the same time save our
landfills from receiving billions of disposable bottles – I see that as a win/win for everyone” adds Tim.
Reprint from ‘Convenience Retailer Show Daily’ – Oct. 22, 2009
Oct 2009 - “Our ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Program’, has been extremely successful thanks to the collaboration and support of our
customers in the convenience store industry. ” explained Steve Schlotzhauer, President of Mugs Made Easy (MME). “Thanks to the continued commitment of our C-store customers and their consumers;
we have raised over $171,670 for breast cancer research in less
than
3 years! Momentum has been building and we look forward to increasing our donations
every year”, he continued.
“ It is fascinating to realize that with a little initiative, and doing what we
do every day, sell travel mugs, we could have such a profound effect
and raise so much money for an extremely worthwhile cause – it is incredibly rewarding”.
Mugs Made Easy began offering Breast Cancer ‘pink ribbon’ mugs in 2006 and participation has been growing every year. A portion of the
proceeds go to various national and local Breast Cancer Foundations, including ‘Susan G. Komen for the Cure’ headquartered in Dallas and ‘The Breast Cancer Research Foundation’ based in New York City.
“Our Breast Cancer Awareness program gives convenience stores the opportunity
to give back to the communities that support them day to day.” said Steve. “MME’s goal is to offer the convenience store industry meaningful programs and superior
products that reflect changes and requirements in the market as a whole.
We are very proud to offer cause awareness programs like this for the
C-store industry and we will continue developing innovative ‘turn-key’ programs with new and exciting, quality products. Breast cancer is something
that touches many of our lives and continued support for research is
essential.
“ Looking ahead, 2010 will be our fourth year for the breast cancer awareness
campaign and we look forward to another successful year. Mugs Made
Easy is constantly working to develop new products that will be attractive
to the consumer while increasing traffic, sales and profits for the
coffee category” concludes Steve.
Reprint from ‘Convenience Retailer Show Daily’ – Oct. 22, 2009
Oct 2009 - Mugs Made Easy continues to be the industry leader in ‘upscale coffee mugs’, providing creative solutions, design and service that are unparalleled in the
coffee category.
“ Convenience stores set the bar in the market place for offering environmental
choices and trends to reduce needless waste, having been among the
first to offer refillable, reusable mugs. Bring your own mug and save
the landfill one more disposable cup – it’s really just that easy for any individual to change a simple habit that impacts
the environment instantly” explained Tim Balazs –ECO (Environmental Communication Officer).
MME’s ‘EasyGo Green - Reduce, Reuse, Refill’ campaign is intended to provide C-stores with a ‘value added social program’ that addresses current economic constraints and reflects evolving consumer attitudes
and concerns for the environment. Promoting the environmental benefits
of bringing your own mug to work, school, shopping – reduces solid waste from disposable cups. Mug sales provide retailers with a ‘value added’ proposition at POS in a two part effect; a ‘greener’ choice as environmental concerns affect purchasing habits more and more, and
the brand recognition of the logoed refillable mug. “Refillable travel mugs are advertising dollars well spent and the message adds
another valuable component to a corporate environmental ‘green’ stewardship program” added Tim.
Along with their very successful ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ program and the new ‘EasyGo H2O Project’ initiative, cause awareness programs reflect the C-store’s commitment to give back to their local community. MME would like to thank all
their C Store customers who supported Breast Cancer Awareness over
the past 3 years by offering a ‘Pink Ribbon’ refillable travel mug for sale in their stores. Working together we’ve raised over $160,000 for Breast Cancer Research!
Convenience stores have been the pioneers in the area of refill discounts,
and know that an advertised ‘daily refill discount’ can result in their C-store being a ‘destination stop’ as opposed to the usual stop of ‘chance’. By creating a daily ritual with coffee drinkers, with refill discounts, ‘Save 25 or 45 cents with every refill’, will bring loyal customers back every day. The MME team is available to help
with a variety of POS materials to support your programs from labels or coupons
to shipper display trays with header cards.
“ Value added savings - the combination of the ‘First Fill Free’ discount in addition to the daily refill discount; the savings to the consumer
are apparent when merchandised properly with MME. 2009’s economic struggle certainly brought this discount strategy to the attention
of C store consumers. The combination of the habitual nature of coffee
drinkers and the continuing economic recovery offers the best reason
to stop in each day and save! Whether it’s satisfying the consumers daily coffee fix or the continued savings offered
to customers – it’s about connecting the essence of the brand and offering real value” stated Steve Schlotzhauer - President of MME.
MME continues to be a leader in the industry; with new products and innovative
solutions for C stores. For 2009/2010 MME is introducing EasyGo H2O
line – a complete line of Stainless Water Bottles – in a wide variety of designs and sizes - an alternative to one time use plastic
water bottles. Charting these trends and reacting quickly with innovative
convenience store operators, separates MME from their competitors.
MME’s upscale coffee mug line focuses on quality, variety and innovation; all to
enhance the success and profit of the hottest category in the convenience
store channel. “Helping to build a great coffee experience for your customer; is what we’re all about” states Steve.
Reprint from ‘Convenience Retailer Show Daily’ – Oct. 23, 2009
May 2009 – We gets calls all the time from c-store customers looking to replace a particular
mug they had fallen in love with over the years, as it was either
lost, ran over or just plain worn out . Here is one of the best
emails from Pastor Samme Palmero who after getting off the phone
with one of our customer service representatives sent his tale
of travel mug woe. And yes, Samme did receive many 20oz size
blessings from us.
DEAR MUGS!
Allow me to tell a tale of woe ...
It all began when I fell in love ... yes ... head over heels in love with a
20 ounce Stainless Tumbler Coffee mug that I purchased from a local Sunoco
Gas Station. It was SILVER ... my first love! The advertising affixed to its
side was for Gulliver's Coffee Company ... but it didn't matter to me! I loved
SILVER!
In a weak moment ... I had a fling with a BURGUNDY Tumbler and then a GREEN
Tumbler as well. AND THEN ... MY NEW LOVE took over my heart ... a 20 ounce
CHARCOAL MUG with a HANDLE. I could hold her and take her anywhere! It was
a java love affair made in Heaven!
GREEN was given a new home with an owner that cherished him. SILVER & BURGUNDY were retired ... then sat patiently in an upper cupboard ... waiting
for another Java dance with me. That dance came when the lid to CHARCOAL broke
...
I went to the SUNOCO station ... but alas ... there were no more mugs ... no
extra lids. So ... CHARCOAL was set aside without a lid ... and SILVER & BURGUNDY were once again called into service! They have faithfully served me
despite being repeatedly dropped and generally mishandled. They both have suffered
cracks to their plastic shells ... and dents in the stainless steel ... and
as sad as it is ... they must soon retire for good.
I have been on a quest to find suitable replacements. That quest has been fruitless!
Oh sure ... there are 16 ounces tumblers ... even an occasional 18 ounce mug
... but I have not been able to find a 20 ounce Stainless Travel Mug that has
the quality of the GCDC EasyGo Mugs! A Bubba Keg simply WILL NOT DO!
I would rather go WITHOUT COFFEE than drink from a substandard travel mug!
When I came upon your website and saw the 20oz Lincoln Mug ... the 20oz Navigator
Mug ... the NEO ... SOLO ... SEDONA & REVOLUTION MUGS ... my heart leapt for joy!
So ... can you tell me WHO may be using your mugs and where I might be able
to purchase one ... or two or twelve? I have tried Craig's List ... EBAY ...
no avail. I NEED YOUR HELP! Just give me the name of whatever convenience store
or coffee shop is using one of these MUGS ... and I will do the rest!
PLEASE ... only you can bring about a HAPPY ENDING to this tale of heartbreak!
God Bless you ... and ... THANKS A LATTE for any consideration you can give
my request!
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pastor samme palermo
Senior Pastor, Oasis Christian Fellowship
 |
Apr 22, 2009 - Earth Day Celebrations this month educate and promote an environmentally friendly
way of living. Conservation, Reducing Waste and Using Refillable
Containers remains at the forefront of everyone’s daily activities. While the environmental surge to reduce waste continues to
grow; daily news reports tell us consumers are looking to
save money in every facet of their lives. Taking advantage
of ‘Coffee Refill Discounts’ is both an environmental & economic sound decision! Promote and drive home the message to today’s cost conscience consumers - discounts on coffee refills can more than cover
the cost of a stainless steel travel mug in as little as
10 uses! Not to mention 10 less disposable coffee cups & lids in your local landfill site - small steps with a huge impact on cleaning
up the environment! So, enhance your ‘Green Message’ today and see the impact MME drinkware will have on your bottom line and the
environment - that’s the EasyGo Drinkware difference! |
Apr 2009 - Mugs Made Easy understands product and process technology is rapidly evolving.
Customers are placing an increasing emphasis on quality and
reliability, but at the same time looking for good value.
Speed to market is becoming a paradigm of world class manufacturing.
To respond to this increasingly dynamic and challenging environment,
MME has implemented an integrated product development team
to reduce design cycle time and improve product value. These
new designs embrace those competitive factors starting with
the re-designed 20oz Saturn Tumbler, new 16oz Laredo Tumbler,
20oz Solerus Tumbler and 16oz Circle Tumbler. Enhance your
coffee bar area today and see the impact MME drinkware will
have on your bottom line - that’s the EasyGo Drinkware difference!
 |
Jan 2009 – We just keep rolling out new ‘Built Hammer Tough’ designs with the 20oz Hammer V2 ToGo Mug and 32oz Hammer V2 ToGo Mug. Everyday
guys like Drew only roll with the best and his 64oz Hammer
Mug has seen him through some tough days on the jobsite – not to mention the beating they both take in the hot Arizona sun! So, be sure
to ask our experienced sales team - What’s ‘Built Hammer Tough’ new for 2009? Selection, quality and delivered on time - that’s the EasyGo Drinkware difference! |
|
Oct 2008 - MME is continually introducing new products
and offering new solutions for C stores, and for 2009 they are proud to
offer EasyGo H2O – an
all stainless, double walled, vacuum insulated, refillable water bottle
in various sizes - an alternative to one time use plastic water bottles.
Maybe a little ahead of it’s time for the convenience store market
- offering free water refills or a nominal $0.50 refill price with a purchase
of a proprietary environmentally friendly water bottle – but the
first movers MME believes would have a wildly successful customer loyalty
program in their hands. Charting these upcoming trends and reacting quickly
with innovative convenience store operators separates MME from our competitors.
For more information on our EasyGo H2O Water Bottle please call 1.800.477.6667.
Click here to view
water bottles.
Oct 2008 – Mugs Made
Easy continues to be the industry leader in ‘upscale coffee’,
providing creative solutions, design and service that are unparalleled
in the coffee category. “Convenience stores set the bar in
the market place for offering environmental choices and trends
to reduce needless waste, having been among the first to offer
refillable, reusable mugs. Bring your own mug and save the landfill
one more disposable cup – it’s really just that easy
for any individual to change a simple habit that impacts the environment
instantly” explained Tim Balazs –ECO (Environmental
Communication Officer).
MME’s ‘EasyGo Green -
Reduce, Reuse, Refill’ campaign is intended to provide C-stores
with a ‘value added social program’ that addresses
current economic constraints and reflects evolving consumer attitudes
and concerns for the environment. Promoting the environmental benefits
of bringing your own mug to work, school, shopping – reduces
solid waste from disposable cups. It gives retailers a ‘value
added’ proposition at POS – a ‘greener’ choice
as environmental concerns affect purchasing habits more and more,
and of course, the brand recognition of the logoed refillable mug. “Refillable
travel mugs are advertising dollars well spent when the message
supports and adds another valuable component to a corporate environmental ‘green’ stewardship
program” added Tim.
Along with their very successful ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ program
and the new ‘Patriot Fund Mug’ initiative, social cause awareness
programs reflects the C-store’s commitment to give back to their local
community. MME would like to thank all their customers who supported Breast Cancer
Awareness by offering a ‘Buy Pink’ refillable travel mug. Everyone
provided a small portion of each sale and to date has raised an impressive $100,000
- working together as an industry.
Convenience stores have been the pioneers in the area of refill discounts, and
know that an advertised ‘daily refill discount’ can result in their
C-store being a ‘destination stop’ as opposed to the usual stop of ‘chance’.
Creating a daily ritual with coffee drinkers, i.e. POS refill discount – “Save
25 cents with every refill” brings customers back every day.
“ Value added’ savings - the combination of the ‘First Fill
Free’ discount and the daily refill discount, savings are apparent when
merchandised properly with MME. The combination of the habitual nature of coffee
drinkers and the continuing economic down-turn, offers the best reason to stop
in each day and save! Whether it’s the environmental benefits or sustained
daily savings offered to customers – it’s about connecting the essence
of the brand and offering real value” stated Steve Schlotzhauer - President
of MME.
MME is continually introducing new products and offering new solutions for C
stores, and for 2009 they are proud to offer EasyGo H2O – an all stainless,
double walled, vacuum insulated, refillable water bottle in various sizes - an
alternative to one time use plastic water bottles. Maybe a little ahead of it’s
time for the convenience store market - offering free water refills with a purchase
of a proprietary environmentally friendly water bottle – but the first
movers MME believes would have a wildly successful customer loyalty program in
their hands. Charting these trends and reacting quickly with innovative convenience
store operators separates MME from their competitors.
MME’s upscale coffee line focuses on quality and variety, expanding the
success and profit of the hottest category in the convenience store channel. “Helping
build a great coffee experience for your customer is what we’re all about” concludes
Schlotzhauer.
Reprint from ‘Convenience Store Retailer’ Magazine – Oct. 6,
2008
For more information on our EasyGo Green initiatives please call 1.800.477.6667.
 |
Tim Balazs (left), Environmental
Communication Officer of Mugs Made Easy, and event organizers Nicko
Fusso and Corrine Oberg of Sustainability is Sexy, an organization
that seeks to reduce waste by promoting reusable coffee containers. ‘The
Daily’ of the University of Washington, April 23, 2008. Photo
by John McLellan.
<CLick Image for larger view.
May 2008 – Tim Balazs – Environment
Communication Officer, joined thousands of students on campus celebrating
Earth Day - April 22nd. Earth Day 2008 was a great success and
enjoyed a record number of attendees! It was a vast and integrated
group of presenters for the environmental summit at UW, from the
Experimental College to the Sierra Club. “It was really inspiring
and hopeful to see so many of today’s youth take an interested,
active role in exploring what choices an individual can make daily
to begin to repair a planet in peril” said Tim. “Helping
support and sponsor such an infectious movement like ‘Sustainability
is Sexy’ was personally rewarding for us. Witnessing first
hand the universal interest of students, faculty, the media and
the general public to our simple message - ‘Saving the planet
one mug at a time’, illustrated that we were on the right
track” he adds. Mugs Made Easy will continue to work with
and support organizations like ‘Sustainability is Sexy’ in
a continuing effort to educate people regarding ‘greener’ choices.
For more information on our EasyGo Green initiatives please call
1.800.477.6667
|
Apr 2008 - Mugs Made Easy
is excited to announce our new camouflage product line for this fall.
12oz, 16oz and 20oz size tumblers are available with our exclusive
leatherette sleeves in winter, spring and fall camo patterns. The
other option is our high definition camouflage wrap that ensures
a distinctive camo pattern on any of our upscale EasyGo Drinkware
product line. The combination of Mugs Made Easy quality and innovation
with the appeal of camouflage is sure to make this line a hit with
outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to being practical for the outdoor
sportsman, camouflage pattern items are truly a reflection of an
outdoor lifestyle that many of your customers identify with. EasyGo
Camo drinkware goes easily from the worksite to the campsite!
Mar 2008 – Disposable paper cups affect the environment
negatively. Besides creating a steady supply of waste, disposable cups
also demand
a large consumption of natural resources and emit high levels of climate-changing
green house gases. Because so many disposable paper cups are used throughout
the world, the actual environmental affect can be staggering. Fortunately,
there are alternatives. Reusable coffee cups reduce the impact disposable
cups have on our environment. Waste, natural resources, and damage done
by green house gases are all decreased by reusable cups after only 24 uses.
Please contact Tim at 1-800-477-6667 for more information or visit www.sustainabilityissexy.com/facts.html.
Feb 2008 – Let Mugs Made Easy upscale designs
heat up your coffee sales this fall. Ask for samples of our new 20oz
stainless steel lined Wavy Tumbler, 16oz Sabre Tumbler with choice of
SAN plastic or stainless steel liners, and the updated 16oz Escalade
II Tumbler & Carrera II Tumbler both featuring Fusion outer construction
with stainless liners. Also, tea sales are growing so hop onboard and
try our new 12oz / 16oz & 20oz all stainless steel tea flasks. Selection,
quality and delivered on time - that’s the EasyGo Drinkware difference!
Jan 2008 – We just keep on adding to our extensive
upscale coffee mug line by bringing in the New Year with an elegant
all stainless, 20oz Silverado Tumbler and 20oz Silverado Mug, showcasing
a little “bling” with high polished outer ribs that blend
nicely with a brushed stainless outer. These larger sizes compliment
the hot selling 16oz sizes introduced last year. Also, added to our
wide bottom desktop selection is the all new 20oz Hampton Mug that
is sure to take over our #1 selling Mercury Desktop Mug. But we are
most excited about the new construction and curvaceous styling of
the brand new 20oz Solerus Tumbler coming soon. Be sure to
ask our experienced sales team - What’s new for ’08? Selection,
quality and delivered on time - that’s the EasyGo Drinkware
difference!
Dec 2007 - Mugs Made Easy would like to thank
everyone who entered our iPodtouch draw and congratulations to Steve Malizio
from Circle K – AZ.
NOV 2007 – The
annual National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) tradeshow
showcased our expanded flaming hot Hammer line. Coffee buyers have
known for some time Mugs Made Easy is their only choice for quality
upscale travel mugs, now fountain buyers can offer Bubba new and
innovative designs and man are they excited! It’s Hammer Time fun
for summer ’08.
Click here to view NACS booth.
OCT 2007 – It’s
Hammer Time again with the addition of 2 great hot coffee sizes;
a 16oz stainless lined Hammer Tumbler and a
value priced
20oz plastic lined Hammer Tumbler. Rugged and tough styling Bubba
will appreciate. Selection, quality and delivered on time - that’s
the EasyGo Drinkware difference!
SEPT 2007 – With the first wave of Cold Hammer’s hitting the
c-store market this summer, we had big expectations on their impact against
the old school mugs with the same old shapes and different graphics year
after year…. yawn) Wow, our first to the market customers were blown
away by how fast they flew off the shelves, so watch out Bubba - It’s
Hammer Time gone wild for the summer of 2008.
Apr 2007 – Adding
already to our extensive drinkware line are the all stainless,
16oz Silverado Tumbler with high polish ribs (plastic liner
also available) and the 16oz Gripper Leatherette Tumbler
featuring our handcrafted leatherette sleeves. Also,
added to our Café Sleeve Collection is the new 20oz
Avanti SAN Tumbler that is dressed to impress! Selection,
quality and delivered on time - that’s the EasyGo Drinkware
difference!
Feb 2007 - Mugs Made
Easy in keeping our line fresh and new is excited to announce
13 new products for the fall/holiday coffee season. Kicking
off our expanded 20oz size selections are the Solerus Tumbler,
Laredo Tumbler, Saturn Tumbler, Lincoln Mug or Tumbler, Navigator
Mug or Tumbler. 16oz sizes include the Sabre Tumbler,
Elite Swirl Tumbler, Alero Mug, Terano Tumbler, Avalon Tumbler
and an updated 24oz Sedona Mug. Selection, quality
and delivered on time - that’s the EasyGo Drinkware
difference!
Jan 07 - Mugs
Made Easy is excited to announce 3 new products for the
spring/summer fountain programs. Starting with last year’s
introduction of the successful 44oz Black Hammer Mug
comes our new 20oz and 32oz Hammer ToGo mug styles and “What’s
everyone been asking for” a cool looking 64oz size
to replace the mundane 64’s of the past. All products
feature the innovative design and quality that is characteristic
of our EasyGo Drinkware lifestyle.
Dec 2006 - Mugs
Made Easy would like to thank everyone who entered our
iPod Video draw and congratulations to Fred Faulkner
from Jaco Oil Company – Fastrip Food Stores.
Oct 2006 - The annual National
Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) tradeshow showcased why Mugs
Made Easy is the only choice for quality, upscale SAN acrylic and stainless
steel travel mugs. For over 15 years, our EasyGo lifestyle product line
has been adding innovation and value to customer coffee programs by offering
the largest selection in the industry and delivering on time.
Apr 2006 - The
18th annual Specialty Coffee Association of America opened
with the introduction of 10 new upscale leatherette sleeved
tumblers from Mugs Made Easy. 16oz or 20oz tumbler sizes
are available in handcrafted velvet touch (green gator,
brown gator, snake, cobra, desert and leopard finishes)
or smooth leatherette sleeves in tan, black, medium and
dark brown. These are well dressed mugs and feature the
innovative design and quality that is characteristic
of our EasyGo Drinkware lifestyle.
Jan 2006 - Mugs Made
Easy means choice, by kicking off the New Year with 4 new
upscale travel mug designs. These include the 20oz Navigator
Mug, 20oz Saber Mug, 16oz Odyssey Mug and 16oz SAN Retro
Stripe Tumbler. All our new products feature the innovative
design and quality that is characteristic of our EasyGo lifestyle
line.
Dec 2005 - Mugs
Made Easy would like to thank everyone who entered our
iPod nano draw and congratulations to Greg Bognar from
TravelCenters of America
Nov 16, 2005 - The annual National
Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) tradeshow showcased why Mugs
Made Easy is the only choice for quality, upscale SAN acrylic and stainless
steel travel mugs. For over 10 years, our EasyGo lifestyle product
line has been adding innovation and value to customer coffee programs
by offering the largest selection in the industry.
Oct 2005 - In keeping with our
business philosophy of giving our customers what they want, not necessarily
what we have, by offering a wide variety of custom choices. The new "Bling" finish
adds another option for creating a travel mug that visually pops off
the retail shelves along with our stock color palette of 15 designer
colors and standard 4 assorted colors per case. Custom choices separates
us and our EasyGo lifestyle line from everyone us.
Aug 2005 - Mugs
Made Easy continues to innovate with a 24oz size Revolution
Mug with stainless steel liner. This family of upscale
travel mugs offers a 24oz coffee mug and 32/44oz all acrylic
fountain mugs with our EasyGo comfort grip rubberized handle
and choice of 15 designer colors. EasyGo solutions, keeping
the revolution alive!
May 2005 - Mugs
Made Easy in keeping our line fresh and new is excited
to announce 6 new products for the fall/holiday coffee
season. Included are the 20oz Flame Tumbler, 20oz Diamond
Plate Mug & Tumbler, 16oz all acrylic Retro Stripe
Tumbler & Wavy Tumbler and 20oz Solo Vacuum Insulated
Bottle. All products feature the innovative design and
quality that is characteristic of our EasyGo Solutions
lifestyle line.
Apr 16, 2005 -
The 17th annual Specialty Coffee Association of America
opened with record attendance and the introduction of 5
new upscale travel mugs from Mugs Made Easy. Included are
the 20oz Triangle Tumbler, 20oz all acrylic Wavy and Avanti
Tumbler, 20oz Apollo Mug and a new acrylic dome lid and
straw that fits a wide variety of our 12/16 and 20oz mug
sizes. All products feature the innovative design and quality
that is characteristic of our EasyGo lifestyle line.
Mar 2005 -
For consumers on the go the elegant design and clean functionality
of the new Fusion Collection is the next step in upscale
stainless steel drinkware. The innovative combination of
high quality stainless steel and SAN acrylic creates a
dynamic new look. The 16oz Legacy, Carrera, Escalade tumblers
and Carrera Mug all feature the innovative design that
is characteristic of our EasyGo lifestyle product line.
Feb 2005 -
Mugs Made Easy is proud to have been selected winner of
ampm's west coast industry wide bid to design and deliver
an innovative new fountain mug. Our winning design the
44oz Black Hammer Mug met all the tough criteria required
by ampm's category manager. The Black Hammer project features
all that is characteristic of our EasyGo Lifestyle product
line and service.
Jan 2005 -
Mugs Made Easy is excited to announce 5 new products for
spring/summer fountain programs. Included are the 28oz
Big Wave Tumbler, 32oz The Wall Tumbler, 32oz Revolution
Mug, 44oz Revolution Mug and 32oz Dual Chamber Gripper
Bottle. All products feature the innovative design that
is characteristic of our EasyGo lifestyle product line.
|
News
