Good Morning - Feb 4th - Joey Chestnut graced the stage in Vegas over the weekend to compete in a bagel eating contest. Crushing 15 bagels is the best way to start month of Love. Speaking of true love…the Grammys happen Sunday night and all I keep seeing on X is Kanye and an unclothed woman next to him. The look on her face of confusion of fear didn’t seem to have much to do with forgetting a dress. Don’t forget to get your dinner plans in place for the 14th. Valentine’s Day is the runner up only to Mother’s Day for the busiest days of the year for restaurants.

This weeks grind:

• Evil Empire Restructuring: #1 or #2? Buy coffee first!

• Oatly over Udders: Quick coffee without the bubble guts.

• The Cold Coffee Takeover: These kids can’t take the heat.

Starbucks New CEO’s Fix for Declining Growth: Sharpies & Pay for Play Bathrooms.

If you listened to any of the 80+ episodes of the world renowned Just the Drip podcast then you would have heard the reference of “The Evil Empire” when speaking about Starbucks. It’s a fun loving description we borrowed from Star Wars. Less about Starbucks being evil and more about pushing your morning coffee urges away from the Mocha Frapps and into the welcoming arms of a local roaster.

According to the internet - the Frappuccino makes up 11% of Starbucks sales. That’s not coffee, that’s a milkshake. If you love coffee then you should be able to drink their drip without making the just-got-cropdusted face.

Brian Niccol is the new Starbucks CEO (Made $96Mz in 4 months on the job) and he’s got a plan to fix this dumpster fire that generates $36Bz/year in revenue. Plenty of snark in that statement, but the main issue is growth…it isn’t present and traffic is down 8%. With over 38,000 stores world wide they’re not happy with 1% growth and Mr Niccol has a plan to fix - he did so via video. Some highlights of this fix below.

• No more non-milk up-charge.

• Bring back handwritten misspelled names.

• 4 minute wait times.

• Covid killed the condiment bar. It’s coming back.

• Slowing down LTO calendar - like people don’t know when pumpkin spice season is coming.

• Freeze on price increases.

• Bathrooms are for paying customers & partners only. Who’s gonna police this?

Starbucks is already quick and easy. So 10min in the drive thru and you can be on your way to the daily grind minus $7-$8 bucks. Add a buck or 2 when you throw in the awkward “it’s gonna ask you a question” tip. Venture out. Take that $8 and find some new, freshly roasted, coffee your city. Look up Local Coffee Roaster Near Me and give them a try. If you’re in Las Vegas here’s a list of few local roasters to try.

Oatly & Nespresso Get it On - Give Birth to a Limited-Edition Oat Coffee Blend

If you’re into the quick coffee pod morning fix and you passed on the Keurig, then you most likely bought a Nespresso. Nespresso holds a 37.8% share in US the coffee pod market. You might get shamed for not getting a traditional espresso machine and texturing your own milk, but the majority of JTD readers don’t have that kind of time. Obviously popping a pod in a machine does some version of this within a couple min…and you’re already late for work.

Are you lactose-in-toronto? There are more and more options so you don’t have to suffer because you over did it on the half & half. Rewind back in 2016 someone decided almond milk was old and busted so they created milk from oats. Oatly was born. With the help of the massive chain listed in the story above Oatly hit the mainstream and lever looked back. Now Oatly and Nespresso are teaming up to make magic.

Oatly and Nespresso have joined forces to create a limited-edition Oatly Barista Edition Coffee blend, designed specifically for Nespresso Vertuo machines. With rich, biscuity notes, this blend caters to the growing number of coffee drinkers embracing plant-based alternatives. Now available in over 15 countries, including the U.S., U.K., China, and Australia, the blend can be purchased through Nespresso’s online store and boutiques for a limited time.

Recognizing that nearly half of American and European consumers now opt for plant-based milks, this collaboration aims to deliver a coffee experience that pairs perfectly with oat milk. Oatly’s Barista Edition is a favorite among professional baristas for its ability to enhance coffee’s natural flavors without overpowering them. This partnership with Nespresso offers oat milk enthusiasts a thoughtfully crafted blend designed to complement their coffee rituals.

The Cold Coffee Takeover: Why Everyone is Ditching the Heat.

Who doesn’t love a good cold brew? It’s 1,000x better when you make it at home—especially when you’re sourcing your beans from a solid roaster. Just don’t make the mistake I did and pair your fresh cold brew with an evening cigar—you’ll be up until 4 AM, trying to shut your brain off. A little midday cold brew? Totally fine. But I’m still all about that first hot cup in the morning.

While coffee has traditionally been enjoyed hot, the rise of cold brew and iced coffee has completely reshaped the industry. Over the past five years, the global cold coffee market has exploded, and according to a 2024 report by The Brainy Insights, it’s expected to grow from $604 million in 2023 to a staggering $4.6 billion by 2033. The U.S. leads the way (shocking), holding nearly half of the market, but countries like Japan, India, and China are quickly catching up.

And it’s not just warm-weather regions driving the trend. The U.K., despite its cool climate, now boasts the highest iced coffee sales in Europe, with a 22% annual growth rate. Whether it’s cold brew, nitro, or a classic iced latte, it’s clear that chilled coffee is here to stay—season after season.

One thing fueling this shift? Gen Z and social media. The chilled coffee market is booming, and younger coffee drinkers are leading the charge. So, how do you take your coffee? Reply to this email and let us know your go-to brew!

Random Wakeups Around the Web

• Who’s the Better Weather Predictor: Phil or Chuck?

• The Mavs Hate Winning: The Cubes response? “Wasn’t Me”

• Apple’s Shrinking: Worth watching on AppleTV!

• You Feeling Lucky?: 5 Popular Big Game Prop Bets