McDonald’s Bottled Coffee Is Aiming Right At Starbucks

Clown-endorsed burger giant McDonald’s has elected to give their McCafe brand a bit of a refresh and it’s one that has the chain jousting with Starbucks yet again.

It seems like just yesterday that an unlikely combo endorsement from Oprah Winfrey and the country of Australia hyped up McCafe as the future of fast food meets cafe-style products/experience, doesn’t it? McDonald’s has been working to increase its presence as a player in the coffee market and now the company has announced they are relaunching McCafe with a bevy of new things like “a new look, new café-quality espresso beverages and expanded retail offerings.”

The crown jewel of the refresh is the news that in 2018 McDonalds will team with fellow mom n’ pop operation Coca-Cola for a line of ready-to-drink McCafe Frappé beverages. The drinks come in three flavors (caramel, vanilla, and mocha) and step into an arena crowded with fellow chain-to-bottle titans. It’s not a slam dunk market for everyone, but McDonald’s didn’t fall off the turnip truck when it comes to working with their brand and they’ve been enjoying an impressive run of success and experimentation lately, so it’d be silly to bet against their chances in the bottled coffee drink game.

In a description that sort of makes McCafe sound like an Epcot attraction, McDonald’s trumpeted the changes set to come with the chain itself in 2018.

“McDonald’s will also begin transitioning to an updated and expanded McCafé presence in-restaurant with a sleek, modern look in 2018 as part of its evolving Experience of the Future,” proclaims a statement from the Golden Arches.

How companies like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and the like respond (or don’t) to this announcement will be interesting to watch.

(Via Chicago Tribune & Eater)

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