Seattle's Best Coffee, part of Starbucks Corporation, has reached a major milestone in the strategic plan it outlined earlier this year, achieving its goal of establishing 30,000 points of distribution.
The milestone represents a 10-fold increase since March and reflects a multi-channel approach that includes company-operated stores, franchised locations, and relationships with leading retail and restaurant chains, and food service locations.
Notable relationships during the last six months include new or expanded distribution with:
- Subway Restaurants, with more than 20,000 locations in the US and Canada;
- AMC Theatres, with more than 300 locations in the US;
- BURGER KING, with more than 7,500 restaurants in the US and Canada; and
- Mac’s, a Toronto-based chain of convenient stores, with more than 600 locations.
These join existing agreements with Alaska Airlines, Royal Caribbean International and Borders bookstores.
“Seattle’s Best Coffee is the premium coffee brand to watch right now. We’re delighted to have reached our initial goal of 30,000 places consumers can enjoy our coffee, but we consider that the first step toward 100,000 or more,” said Michelle Gass, president of Seattle’s Best Coffee.
Gass said she expects the franchising and packaged goods businesses to play a significant role in the brand’s growth.
