Meet Hot Beverages Innovator of the Year: Cumberland Farms

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — Cumberland Farms Inc., which operates nearly 600 convenience stores in eight states, was selected as the 2017 Hot Beverages Innovator of the Year in Convenience Store News’ sixth-annual Foodservice Innovators Awards program, presented in partnership with Tyson Convenience.
 
Foodservice Innovator of the Year winners are chosen by CSNews’ Foodservice Advisory Council, a panel of foodservice experts from the retailer, supplier, wholesaler, research and consulting fields. Winners are recognized for raising the bar on quality, service and innovation in the fast-growing and critically important foodservice category in the convenience channel.
 
Cumberland Farms launched its biggest advertising campaign ever last year to support its popular Farmhouse Blend Coffee. The multichannel campaign urged consumers to “Come to Your Coffee Senses,” with actor Michael Rapaport’s voice pointing out that consumers are conditioned to pay nearly $3 for a cup of coffee elsewhere, while waiting in line and experiencing uncertainty that their order will be fulfilled correctly. The promotion points out that Farmhouse Blend Coffee at Cumberland Farms is priced at just 99 cents a cup for any size, customers make it themselves and customize it the way they want it, and don’t have to wait in line.
 
The “Come to Your Coffee Senses” campaign included television, digital video, radio, in-store signage, billboards, and social media.
 
On top of this clever marketing campaign, our judges said Cumberland Farms makes a mean cup of coffee. “The precision with each brew is unmatched in this industry,” said one member of the CSNews Foodservice Advisory Council. “Coupled with technology, they know how to extract each brew profile to perfection.”
 
Cumberland Farms previously won an honorable mention in the Cold & Frozen Beverages Innovator of the Year category in the 2013 Foodservice Innovators Awards program.