Nestlé Professional pours $1.5M into P.R. to grow coffee market
Nestlé Professional announced today that it has placed its newest Nescafé coffee equipment in 78 Wendy’s restaurants throughout Puerto Rico, representing a $1.5 million investment in the bean-to-cup coffee dispensers that will offer a variety of options to consumers.
At the push of a button, the bean-to-cup brewer grinds whole beans, then brews and dispenses 12 varieties fresh-tasting coffee and instant hot beverages, Nestlé officials said, of the agreement with Empresas Colón-Gerena, which owns the Wendy’s franchise in Puerto Rico.
Nestlé’s agreement with the Puerto Rican firm is part of its strategy of introducing coffee brewing equipment for consumer and corporate clients, to broaden its portfolio. The “roast and ground business” is the most important aspect of the category, said business manager, Nestlé Professional-Puerto Rico.
“We understand today’s coffee consumer. They are busy. They are rushing from place to place. They are willing to make sacrifices. But not when it comes to their coffee,” Corsino said.
“We’re confident that by offering a delicious coffee experience and making it convenient and easily accessible, consumers will fall in love with coffee again,” she said.
Nestlé executives cited figures that say coffee consumption on the island is down more than 25% since 2000. That’s in stark contrast to the global growth of coffee and specialty coffee drinks.
Investing in the new equipment is just the first phase in the Nestlé Professional vision to grow coffee sales on the island and reverse the trend,” said Perry Miele, president of Nestlé Professional-USA.
An essential part of the growth strategy is to source the beans for the machines directly from Puerto Rico. Nestlé is currently evaluating Puerto Rican coffee partners with a plan to launch the locally grown beans in the second half of 2020, with the potential of exporting them to the U.S. mainland, he said.
“We are excited and proud to contribute to the expansion of the local coffee industry and culture, and to offer coffee lovers in Puerto Rico a quality product, this time through one of our main business partners, Wendy’s,” Miele said.
