Sometimes a subtle change makes all the difference.
Last year, for example, my local coffee place, 1971, was sold and taken over by a new owner who also owned a nearby Greek restaurant. He kept the coffee the same, but changed most of the pastries and food offerings to place a greater emphasis on Greek offerings.
Although the menu changes were subtle, the shop seemed less busy, and seating was more available. Within six months, the location closed and was replaced by a nail salon.
Change comes with risk, and similar brands are not always the same. If your McDonald’s closes and is replaced by a Wendy’s, some people will be happy, while some will be indifferent, and some will be disappointed.
That’s the risk Dutch Bros. Coffee is taking with its latest acquisition.
Clutch Coffee, a drive-thru coffee chain founded in 2018, shared their big news on Facebook.
“Exciting changes ahead! We’re switching gears. We’ve reached an agreement with Dutch Bros., and Clutch’s last day of business will be this Friday 1/16, @ 4 p.m. You can continue the good energy with Dutch Bros. and download the Dutch Bros. app,” Chen shared.
All 20 Clutch Coffee locations will close on January 16, then reopen at a later date as Dutch Brothers locations.
“The plan would be for the restaurants to close, renovate, and then reopen as Dutch Bros. Notably, Dutch Bros. currently has two Carolina locations — one in Morrisville, North Carolina, and one unit in Summerville, South Carolina,” QSR Magazine reported.
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Dutch Brothers confirmed the purchase of QSR.
As a co-brand built on human connection, we deeply respect what the Clutch Coffee Bar leadership team has built and look forward to building on that strong foundation in the Carolinas,” the company said in a statement.
“We are excited to continue expanding across the country, working toward our long-term goal of 2,029 stores by 2029.”
Dropping the Clutch Coffee brand and replacing it with Dutch Bros carries some risk.
“If you can flip that switch in the customer’s head and become the brand that defines their choice of coffee, their loyalty can be incredibly powerful,” Dale Harris, 2017 World Barista Champion with 13 years of experience with Hasbin and Ozone Coffee, told Coffee Intelligence.
