Local Coffee War: Starbucks ‘New England Blend’ Targets Dunkin’ Donuts

As someone who really enjoys a good cup coffee, I go to Starbucks. Never anything else. Ever. Those who know me well will call me a “coffee snob.” They’re right. I love my Starbucks coffee.

Surprised? It is true that Starbucks is a very “blue” company–but I don’t care. Their coffee is excellent, their espresso drinks are great, and their pastries look divine. (Plus, you don’t need to be multilingual to order anything; or have some illegal immigrant put 5 gallons of cream and 17 tablespoons of sugar in your coffee.)

This week, Starbucks unveiled a new blend of coffee specific to New England, aptly named, “New England Blend.” The Boston Herald reports on the new addition to their coffee lineup.

Watch out Dunkin’ Donuts: New England now has its own flavor at Starbucks.

The chain yesterday unveiled “New England Blend” – Starbucks’ first coffee designed for one specific U.S. region.

“New Englanders really love their coffee, so they’re discerning about making sure they get a really good cup,” said Starbucks’ marketing executive Jennifer Guebert, the brains behind the new brand. “This is the only market in the entire country where we’re doing this.”

Starbucks developed the blend this spring by having 7,500 New Englanders taste-test three types of coffee: mild, medium and bold.

“This was a great opportunity to get direct feedback from our customers,” said Guebert, adding that the medium coffee won out.

Starbucks plans to sell the brand exclusively in New England, charging what the chain’s other blends fetch: $12.95 a pound or about $1.50 for a 12-ounce cup.

Having consumed a 20-oz. cup of New England Blend every morning for the past few days, I give it high marks. A very nice cup of coffee indeed.

The Boston Herald article notes some differences between Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Miles Small, editor-in-chief of trade magazine Coffee Talk, said Starbucks is particularly aiming the blend at Dunkin’ Donuts.

Small said Canton-based Dunkin’ “owns the New England market,” with more than 1,000 stores in the region vs. 250 for Starbucks.

The editor said that, over the decades, Dunkin’ taught New Englanders to think of java as what the Canton chain serves: high-grade joe brewed in drip coffee makers.

By contrast, Starbucks drinks mostly consist of strong coffee made in espresso machines, then cut with milk or other ingredients.

“If Starbucks is going to compete in the New England market, they have to understand that most New Englanders buy brewed coffee because that’s what Dunkin’ trained everyone in New England to like,” Small said.

Starbucks may offer the more refined espresso drinks, but that doesn’t mean they don’t know drip coffee–they absolutely do, and it’s outstanding, infinitely better than that black water Dunkin’ Donuts markets as “coffee.” I can’t say I like all the blends and single origins that Starbucks offers, but overall, they offer a far superior product than the competition.

This mischaracterization that Starbucks doesn’t know drop coffee because of their espresso line-up is absurd. They sell a variety of coffee products, and those customers who want drip coffee get drip coffee and those who want espresso drinks order their lattes and cappuccinos as they wish. If no one wanted espresso drinks, they wouldn’t sell. But guess what, they sell. And guess which coffee company who thinks of java as “high-grade joe brewed in drip coffee makers” also serves espresso drinks? Yup…Dunkin’ Donuts. It’s true, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Let the coffee war continue. I doubt either chain is going anywhere anytime soon.

This post will be an open thread to discuss your fancy for coffee. Where do you go, where won’t you go. Do you care if your coffee comapny is “blue” or “red”? Drip coffee or espresso…

Aaron Margolis is a life long resident of the Bay State, and works at an architectural firm north of Boston. Aaron has a Master of Architecture Degree from Boston Architectural College and is currently in the process of becoming of a Registered Architect.