DUBLIN, Ohio -- Wendy's International Inc. is pushing further into specialized coffee drinks with a major new coffee program in Mississippi and iced-coffee tests in three cities, reported The Wall Street Journal.
In the past few weeks, about 65 franchised Wendy's locations in Mississippi have started serving a line of iced coffees as well as a concoction called a Frosty-cino, said the report. Separately, Wendy's has been testing a different line of iced-coffee drinks in Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Kansas City, Mo., since the spring as part of its expansion into breakfast.
The iced coffee [image-nocss] is premium coffee, cold over ice and mixed with a flavor kick of Turtle, Confused Turtle, Vanilla and Hazelnut, added a report by The Laurel Leader Call. The Frosty-cino is a rich creamy Frosty fused with premium coffee in four flavors: Turtle, Confused Turtle, Vanilla and Hazelnut. The test is designed to see how the consumers respond to these premium beverages due to the demand for these products throughout the quick-serve restaurant (QSR) industry.
The moves come as fast-food chains are placing more emphasis on beverages, having seen how Starbucks Corp. and others have drawn customers with specialized drinks, said the Journal. McDonald's Corp. plans to add lattes, cappuccinos and other upscale coffee drinks at all of its U.S. locations by the end of next year.
In Mississippi, longtime franchisee Gene Carlisle has launched his own coffee program, using the same supplier, S&D Coffee Inc., that McDonald's Corp. uses. The centerpiece of his program is the Frosty-cino, a coffee-flavored version of the Frosty that is slightly less thick. It comes in four flavors and sells for $3.69 for a 20-oz. serving.
"You drink it through a straw, which you can't do with a Frosty," Carlisle told the newspaper. He said that he experimented with building cafe areas in his restaurants, including cases with warmed pastries and afternoon cakes, but he scrapped that idea because the cost of staffing and keeping the baked goods fresh was too expensive.
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