Specialty Coffee Retailer is a publication for owners, managers and employees of retail outlets that sell specialty coffee. Its scope includes best sales practices, supplies, business trends and anything else to assist the small coffee retailer.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/109835
the kind of real ingredients the consumer is looking for today." Canyon Oats' 10 varieties include ingredients such as honey, cinnamon, maple, cocoa, apple, dried cherries and cranberries, almonds and walnuts. Two varieties are sweetened with stevia, a plant-based sweetener with a low glycemic index that makes diners feel fuller longer. FILLING A NEED A dearth of healthy breakfast alternatives at fast-service restaurants and convenience stores led to the introduction of Umpqua Oats. "We started mainly because my business partner and I were traveling quite a bit with our kids with the traveling soccer team they were on," says Mandy Holborow, national sales manager. "We were just not happy with the selection at grab-and-go places such as cafés—anyplace you would stop to have breakfast when you're on the road. We didn't have time to sit down and have an egg-white omelet, and we weren't going to give them a muffin. So a lot of times we got a boiled egg and string cheese. "We were sitting at a café one morning and our two oldest girls were with us. We saw that they had oatmeal and we were so excited we ordered it and we were very, very disappointed when we saw them bring out a packet of oatmeal and dump it in a cup. I thought, why is this so hard to get high quality and still be convenient for everyone on the go? And that's how we got started. Our kids looked at us and said, 'Why don't you stop complaining about it and make it?'" Umpqua Oats introduced its original four varieties the year Starbucks started serving its Perfect Oatmeal. "Our timing was perfect," Holborow says. Big chains set the agenda for flavor trends, she explains: Once an item is served at Starbucks, consumers expect similar products at independent coffee shops. NEWCOMERS SCORE Two recent Umpqua introductions have been big sellers: "Salted Caramel Meltdown [with sea salt, caramel and pecans] has been a huge, huge hit," Holborow says. "Salted caramel in drinks is very popular now. Prior to that we launched Jackpot, which is strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and pecans, and that one's numbers are increasing rapidly as well." However, the top dog is still Kickstart, one of the original varieties, with a mix of oats, flax seeds, raisins, almonds, sunflower seeds, golden raisins, blueberries, cranberries, walnuts, sea salt and cinnamon. The other four varieties include blends of fruits, nuts, seeds, cinnamon and sea salt. There are other ways to keep oatmeal available short of a magic porridge pot. Coffee equipment manufacturer Wilbur Curtis Co. Umpqua Oats got started when its founders couldn't find any fast, reliable breakfast options for their children on a traveling soccer squad. makes an oatmeal dispenser that mixes each serving at the press of a button. "That means that you are not throwing away oatmeal at the end of every shift because it has solidified," says Brant Curtis, marketing manager. "It is more hygienic. It is also foolproof. A computer in the machine dictates the oatmeal and water ratio dependent upon the product manufacturer's recipe." TELL IT TO SELL IT Regardless of the type of oatmeal or whether it's from a kit or a machine, success on a new introduction relies on promotion. That doesn't necessarily mean price discounts or advertising. Visual cues such as displays or table tents should be in the mix, but the best boost comes from an enthusiastic staff. "After we had tested it at SCAA, we didn't worry about the customer at that point," says Sarah Patton, the Java Jack's operator. "My staff all tasted it and really enjoyed the product. If your staff likes the product they can sell it to anybody. We did put it on the marquee a couple of weeks, and had it out so customers could see it at the drive-thru as well as the dining area." Stirring up a following for oatmeal can be a profitable concoction. "This is a tried and true product without much risk but with a high reward," Curtis says. SCR 29