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More coffee-drinkers brewing at home
It’s the latest trend in one of the trendiest aspects of modern culture: Folks still love their coffee, but more seem to be buying even the fancier brands at the grocery store and making it in their own kitchen.
Lancaster New Era
Jun 22, 2009 11:43 EST
LANCASTER
By CINDY STAUFFER, Staff Writer
We are cozying up to Mr. Coffee.
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Trying to save money in these lean times, more of us are brewing our java at home.

Starbucks, the premium coffee shop chain, is feeling the effects, reporting a 77 percent drop in quarterly profits this spring.

Oh, people are still buying Starbucks. But they're picking up bags of their coffee in local supermarkets and making it themselves in their own kitchens.

"Some of our hottest bagged coffee brands include Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts," says Tracy Pawelski, spokeswoman for Giant Food Stores, which has nine stores in Lancaster County.

Local Starbucks chains declined to comment on the effects on their business here, referring all calls to their corporate office. But locally owned coffee shops report that their customers are remaining loyal, even though they might be changing their habits a bit.

"People are mentioning that though they're cutting back, they still like their coffee," says Sara Kauffman, owner of the New Holland Coffee Company. "That's a way to treat themselves."

Some are treating themselves at home.

Giant has seen a 15 percent increase in premium coffee sales at the supermarket chain, Pawelski says.

Weis Markets, which has 14 stores here, also has seen an uptick in coffee sales, spokesman Dennis Curtin says.

"With the way the economy is going, it's not unusual to see customers staying home and preparing meals and that extends to coffee," he says.

Stauffers of Kissel Hill also has noticed the trend at its three stores here. Its customers are even buying flavored syrups, used in coffee shops, to enhance their home-brewed java, according to Warren Crills, grocery buyer.

The other trend at Stauffers and Weis is increasing sales of "K-cups," small, plastic single-cup coffee pods that are dropped into machines that brew one cup at a time.

A National Coffee Association poll from earlier this year showed that, among people who said they had drunk coffee the previous day, 83 percent made it at home, up 5 percent from the previous year.

In another recent poll, 20 percent of those surveyed said they visited coffee chains less frequently, according to Booz & Company, a management consulting firm.

Local coffee shops say they are holding their own due to expanding their business and loyal customers.

The Brew House & Bistro in Ephrata does catering, which helps to bolster the business, said owner Mary Alice Haws.

She said customers are cutting back, but not going away completely.

"Instead of having a latte every day, they'll say I'll only have two this week," she says.

The Coffee Company in the Lancaster Shopping Center sells coffee, of course, but also offers a full menu and entertainment in the evenings, which attracts customers, says office manager Sadie Crills (who happens to be Warren Crills' sister-in-law).

"We might have seen certain days here and there," Crills says of the effects of the downturn, "but overall we've been quite surprised and satisfied and are thankful for the business we do have."


Staff writer Cindy Stauffer can be reached at cstauffer@LNPnews.com or 481-6024.

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Showing 5 most recent comments out of 12 total TalkBack comments about this article
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QUOTE (why? @ Jun 22 2009, 03:27 PM)
the powders, IIRC, are non-dairy flavored creamers.
i should check out the section at the grocery store for them.
each shaker had 6? different flavors all in one container.
and now i feel like having coffee, but it's probably not a good idea to have any at 3:30 pm!


I think I recall seeing those at Le Gourmet Chef at the outlets. But it has been a while. I'm not sure if they still carry them or not. They also have the concentrated flavored syrups.

Later...Shawn
Shawn
QUOTE (Shawn @ Jun 22 2009, 03:29 PM)
I think I recall seeing those at Le Gourmet Chef at the outlets. But it has been a while. I'm not sure if they still carry them or not. They also have the concentrated flavored syrups.

Later...Shawn

now that you say that, i wonder if reading china and glass at the outlets have them- i'll have to check it out the next time we're out that way!
thanks!
why?
QUOTE (why? @ Jun 22 2009, 04:31 PM)
now that you say that, i wonder if reading china and glass at the outlets have them- i'll have to check it out the next time we're out that way!
thanks!


I hadn't thought of that. I need to make a trip there anyway. Glasses seem to disappear in this house.
A1
QUOTE (why? @ Jun 22 2009, 03:31 PM)
now that you say that, i wonder if reading china and glass at the outlets have them- i'll have to check it out the next time we're out that way!
thanks!


I haven't been in there in a long while, but I bet you're right. I know they used to carry that kind of thing as well.

If you can find the concentrated flavored syrups, they make great flavored ice coffees in these warm summer months. I think they are pretty shelf stable as well since it is just flavoring.

Later...Shawn
Shawn
I have to admit that my one vice is a certain coffee shop that makes a perfect latte (it most certainly isn't Starblechs). Yes, I added up the cost in a year, and yes, I was duly horrified. I got over it.
reese
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