Page 18 - BOSS Today Issue 12

Office drinks

are going to high street shops
which is both costly and time
consuming.”

Premium
Katrina Webb, category channel
manager for Nestle Professional,
has also noticed this trend.
“Employees are looking for more
premium hot beverages and will
go off site, or go without, if the
right offers aren’t available at
work,” she says.
Another competitor –
and it was bound to rear its
head sooner or later – is the
supermarket. This is particularly
the case when it comes to tea.
Heather Griffith, business
manager for the office sector
at Tata Global Beverages,
KeePing the recession has only exacerbated
which includes Tetley, says the
this trend.
“All companies are now
caffeine fix scrutinising spend across their
business and tea and coffee
is a commodity they will look
to cut back on,” she says. “This
at worK can mean people nip out to
purchase tea and coffee from
their local supermarket, making
them the dealer’s biggest
competition on tea purchases.”
Office supplies dealers looking to widen their product So the supermarket, as

range may consider office drinks. But just how
healthy is the market?

hysical comforts are, Kafevend says that there are number one is clearly, the
Pof course, one way solutions for dealers to be able growth of the high street coffee
of improving an office to offer a comprehensive range shop. More and more office
environment. But the office of machines and supplies by workers are leaving the office
dealer looking to move into new partnering with a company such to get their shot of espresso
office product lines to broaden as Kafevend. This ensures that or, more likely, cappuccino –
its appeal might reasonably they support their customers currently the UK’s favourite
conclude that there are other from both a product and service form of coffee – at places like
types of comfort that could be perspective. Starbuck’s and Caffe Nero. And
addressed as well. And one of But further analysis of the that’s not just because they
them is the nation’s addiction to market reveals that there are fancy a breath of fresh air.
coffee and tea. severe competitive challenges “We have seen a great move
Office product dealers out there, and that, while there is away from a drink that is wet,
moving into selling coffee and success to be had, office dealers watery, and not very flavourful,
tea is certainly an ongoing looking to make way in this which is what used to be offered
trend. Jane Rowe, commercial market need to have their wits by office coffee machines,”
marketing director for vending about them. says Rowe. “Certainly in city
machine and supplies company Competitive challenge centre locations more people

18 BOSS TODAY | May/June 2012

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