OAK BROOK, Ill. -- McDonald's USA and Kraft Foods Group have announced a collaboration to expand the manufacture, marketing and distribution of the McDonald's McCafé brand in the United States by packaging its signature coffee for sale in grocery stores and other retailers nationwide.
Consumers will be able to purchase a variety of ground, whole bean and single-cup McCafé coffees beginning in early 2015.
"We understand there is huge demand for at-home options, and we've built great success with our McCafé coffee in restaurants. So, it was a natural next step to provide customers with McCafé coffee to enjoy in their own home," said Greg Watson, senior vice president of McDonald's U.S. menu innovation.
Made with 100% Arabica beans, McCafé packaged coffee formats and varieties will include:
- Roast and Ground: Premium Roast, Breakfast Blend, French Roast, Colombian, Premium Roast Decaf, French Vanilla, Hazelnut and French Roast Whole Bean (12-oz. bag).
- On-Demand Single Cups: Premium Roast, French Roast and Premium Roast Decaf.
"In a competitive category that is growing rapidly and changing every day, this new partnership with McDonald's represents a whole new era in the world of at-home premium coffee," said Nina Barton, vice president of Coffee for Kraft Foods. "This partnership will allow us to leverage each company's best-in-class capabilities, putting us in a prime position to drive further category growth and deliver one of America's largest, fastest-growing coffee brands to coffee lovers nationwide."
Barton said, "By tapping into the loyal McCafé fan base already built by McDonald's and leveraging our deep coffee category expertise here at Kraft, we have the ability to reach a larger audience than ever before, really giving this brand room to thrive."
McCafé varieties will be available in grocery, mass merchandise, club and drug retail locations beginning in early 2015.
Nearly 90% of Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald's USA LLC's 14,000 U.S. quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are independently owned and operated.
Kraft Foods Group Inc., Northfield, Ill., is one of North America's largest consumer packaged food and beverage companies, with annual revenues of more than $18 million. The company's brands include Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Velveeta, Planters, Philadelphia, Maxwell House, Lunchables, Capri Sun, Kool-Aid and Jell-O.
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