RFG rolls out drive-thru concept to boost coffee brands
The plan is to attract new coffee fans through vehicle-served barista brews.
Retail Food Group has announced that it will soon launch drive-thru services for its coffee brands Donut King and Esquires Coffee House initially in Queensland. The first Esquires Coffee House drive-thru in Coomera is scheduled to open in early December 2012, with the first Donut King drive-thru due to open in Deagon in April 2013.
The leading Australian food and drink outlet franchisor which operates five other brands – bb’s café, Brumby’s Bakeries, Brumby’s GO!, Michel’s Patisserie and Pizza Capers – said the new drive-thru services will potentially expand their customer reach beyond the usual mall crowd.
“The strategy will allow us to service other sectors outside the traditional shopping centre market for whom convenience is key, such as tradespeople and busy mums who appreciate that a drive-thru facility offers,” said Faith Manning, National Sales and Leasing Coordination Manager of RFG.
Ms Manning said that the new drive-thru locations “were selected with maximum convenience and efficiency in mind, and are designed for easy car access.”
Focus on Donut King and Esquires Coffee House
RFG has prioritized Donut King and Esquires Coffee House over all others because of their existing strong brand reputations for coffee. The operator is banking on the idea that adding on-the-go convenience to their offer mix will be enough to push up revenue.
“We are confident that the drive-thru strategy will assist in generating extra sales within the coffee market segment by building on our reputation for excellent coffee blends, brewing and customer service, just adding that extra layer of convenience,” said Ms Manning.
“The Donut King and Esquires Coffee House brands are established throughout Australia and New Zealand. Both of these brands are already well-known for producing excellent coffee, and as such were a natural fit for the drive-thru strategy roll out,” she added.
Fast Coffee Expansion
The fresh drive-thru concept is part of RFG’s profitable expansion of its coffee segment operations, which began with the acquisition of Esquires Coffee House in early 2011 and continued with the purchase of Evolution Coffee Roasters Group in September 2011.
RFG reports that its roasting capacity has contributed to a 31% increase in coffee revenues with RFG now roasting in excess of 1,000 tonnes annually of green beans and wholesaling various coffee products.
RFG is riding on the seemingly insatiable demand for coffee by Australians. Ms Manning estimates that over 55% of Australians regularly visit cafes for fresh, barista-made coffee, with demand for quality products “constantly rising.”
Its coffee segment boom has helped the ASX-listed food franchise firm to grow profits 4.9% to $28.5 million in FY2012.
Great-Tasting Barista Coffee
RFG stresses that while the convenience of drive-thru will be the unique draw to lure in the non-mall crowd, the demand will only be sustained if the brews being served meet their high standards. This makes it a top priority for RGF to train staff in both brands to make the same high quality cup while meeting the speed required in a drive-thru setting.
“Our experience in the coffee market has proven that customers demand a great-tasting barista coffee. This means training our franchisees to the highest standard so that every store owner understands the intricacies of making a great cup of coffee every time. This commitment will translate through the roll out of the drive-thru strategy to ensure that customers receive the quality cup of premium coffee that they expect from our brand,” said Ms Manning.
