Brewed Awakening- The Coffee Concept of Loyalty

Loyalty – a funny old-fashioned word isn’t it…? Lost in the 1980s and early 1990s and then hyped up and repackaged in the 1990s and noughties into plastic card green shield stamps style collector schemes they have proven nothing more than marketing gimmick and a cheap and easy way for corporates to collect and horde personal data and consumption profiles

And yet today some clever Business schemers are bravely turning the concept on its head and launching what they term Disloyalty schemes!

Following on from the London pronouncement by the World Barista Champion Boston was the first city where ten independent coffee shops collaborated and united to create a disloyalty programme – telling their patrons –

“We want you to get around.” Patrons can pick up the “disloyalty card” at any of the participating shops, which will provide a free drink after eight drink purchases at any of the participating locations.’

Good for business, inspirational or another stupid gimmick is up for debate – but what is clear and beyond doubt is the quick thinking and nimble foot work at play here..marketing on a scale and of a type which will have raised a few corporate eyebrows no doubt

And with this ying and yang of mind sets at the fore front of my mind at this moment it was therefore also interesting to hear of the discontent in Brazil where farmers have been burning bags of beans and chanting slogans demanding greater some may say fatter state subsidies to prop up incomes.

Admittedly commodity prices are less than half of what they would have been 12 > 18 months ago but at $150 + for a 60 kilo sack of good grade bean this is not yet subsistence business or agriculture – the real problem is how can Brazil better potion itself in a market place where polar opposites of poor grade Robusta for instant and high end premium Arabica’s are in increasing demand… and therefore showing price stability or relative increase?

This may well be a tall order for the bread and butter supplier to the coffee world… this year Brazil will supply c 50 m 60 kilo bags to the global trade…ubiquity  may well prove a damming benefactor

Guru writes for Aromo Coffee – They are coffee experts focussed on providing convenient and tasty ways for the caffeine addict to take their medicine. Aromo supplies excellent ESE Coffee pods and superlative Senseo pods,  both of which offer the espresso and filter connoisseur  a no mess, no fuss,  super fresh and environmentally conscious method to make stunning coffee… the guys at Aromo also have a range of Dualit branded capsules which make a brilliant and economic alternative to nespresso capsules