Coffee wars ramp up with release of seasonal hot drinks
With Halloween gone, and just one more major holiday in the US to go, major coffee chains like Tim Hortons and Dunkin’ Donuts are ramping up their seasonal and Christmas product launches, debuting a bevy of hot drinks this week — and turning up the heat on worldwide coffee wars.
On Wednesday, Tim Hortons announced a major expansion in their coffee offerings with a range of espressos, lattes and cappuccinos. Up to now, coffee from the distinctly Canadian brand had been limited to ‘double-doubles,’ or what Canucks know fondly as cream- and sugar-laden elixirs.
It’s the largest rollout of specialty coffees in the company’s 47-year history, and will be available at its 3,000 locations in Canada and the US, debuting first in Ontario November 14, and mid-December in the rest of Canada and the US.
The announcement made a big splash in Canada, with major media outlets picking up the story and posting online polls. Over the years, the Tim Hortons brand has succeeded in carving out an identity that’s inextricably linked to sentiments of Canadian nationalism. Second only, perhaps, to beer, the Tim Hortons coffee could be considered the drink of Canada, as the chain serves eight out of every ten cups of coffee sold in quick service restaurants in the country.
The new drinks, which start at $2 CAD (US$1.98), join an existing line of specialty coffees that include French Vanilla and English Toffee Cappuccinos, hot chocolates and apple cider.
Tim Hortons’s new foray into the world of premium coffees is seen as a clear salvo against Starbucks, which last month announced plans to launch a weaker brew called Blonde in a bid to target coffee drinkers who get their caffeine fix from McDonald’s and Tim’s — considerably milder cups of joe.
Meanwhile, Dunkin’ Donuts also unveiled its holiday offerings this week, rolling out a Mint Hot Chocolate, which will become a permanent addition to their menu, and hot and iced coffees flavored with Cinnamon Swirl, Peppermint Mocha, and Gingerbread. The chain’s seasonal baked goods include Cinnamon Swirl Muffins, Sprinkle the Cheer Donuts with red icing and berry sprinkle mix, and the Holiday Star Donut, a star-shaped donut with vanilla icing, Bavarian Kreme and silver sprinkles.
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