Some retailers find that while the customer is ready for cold brew, the in-store staff needs a primer. Rutter’s conducted customer intercepts at stores earlier this year, asking visitors if they had heard of cold-brew coffee and, if so, how likely they were to purchase it if Rutter’s offered it.
“More than 75% of our customers were aware of cold brew, which meant we were not going to have to educate as many customers as we initially thought,” said Moyer. “But we still felt it was very important that our store team was educated on cold brew. This would ensure proper communication and hopefully product trial to the remaining customers who might still be new to cold brew.” To that end, Rutter’s kept it simple in its approach to help staff and customers understand cold brew’s point of differentiation: It’s prepared with water at room temperature or below to result in a less bitter brew.