Simon Mowbray
Coffee shops to novelty goods chain Tchibo is to take on the might of Nescafé ©n the c-store arena.
The German retailer, which has 30 of the dual-purpose outlets in the south east, has branched out to launch a range of coffee machines for convenience retailers looking to add value and revenue through instore theatre and coffee sales.
Costing from £1,500 for the smallest mobile unit, which is suited to delivering up to 60 cups a day, the company said its point of difference was that the system offered the superior quality of "bean to cup" coffee.
Tracy Franks, communications and marketing manager for Tchibo Caf頓ervice, said: "Unlike Nescaf駳 system, this does not deliver a cup of instant coffee. British tastes are changing and we believe this system will appeal to customers wanting a better cup of coffee." However, the cost of the machines may prove to be the biggest stumbling block to getting new retailers on board, although it has already signed up 214 Texaco forecourt stores and more than 52 shops run by Total Fina.
The most expensive unit in Tchibo's range costs around £10,000 ­ over 30 times more than Nestl駳 Nescaf鮧o dispenser which retails for under £300.
A spokesman for Nescaf頳aid: "Our dispenser is the perfect, affordable solution for any convenience store owner who wants to introduce a branded hot beverage offering. It costs just £299 to buy and is easy for convenience retailers to install and hygienically maintain.
"Since its launch this summer, we have sold in excess of 300 dispensers to a variety of multiples and independent convenience retailers and we are in negotiation with a number of multiples to place further machines."
Meanwhile, Tchibo is also targeting stores with its own brand of orange juice, although the Tchibo name will not appear on packs.
It said it was in talks with Spar and Texaco to supply stores with Tetra Prisma packs of freshly squeezed, lightly pasteurised juice.

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