Patrick Hanlon, a contributing writer on branding for Forbes Magazine, recently wrote an article noting that specialty coffee has been rejuvenated by a new generation of specialty coffee entrepreneurs offering quality coffee that is hard to find in a large chain. To read the article, click here.
Editor’s Insight: This is an interesting article, and the points it raises are relevant to refreshment services operators.
The mass marketing of specialty coffee has not diminished the opportunity for quality focused entrepreneurs. This article addresses the issue from the perspective of a retail coffee shop, but it also applies to refreshment service operators. Refreshment service operators can be coffee specialists as much as coffee shops. There are many examples. Refreshment service operators can offer proprietary coffee that offers quality comparable if not superior to well established specialty brands. The big retail chains have popularized specialty coffee, but they have not monopolized it. 10-28-11
