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 the nearby Greek restaurant. He kept the coffee the same, but changed most of the pastry and food offerings to 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 place closed and was replaced by a nail salon.
Change comes with risk, and similar brands are not always fair. If your McDonald’s closed and was replaced by a Wendy’s, some people would be happy, while others would be indifferent, and some would be upset.
That’s the risk Dutch Bros Coffee is taking with its latest purchase.
Clutch Coffee, a drive-thru coffee chain founded in 2018, shared its big news on Facebook.
“Exciting changes ahead! We’re shifting gears. We’ve reached an agreement with Dutch Bros, and Clutch’s last day of business will be this Friday 1/16, closing @ 4 pm You can keep the good energy going with Dutch Bros and download the Dutch Bros app,” the chain shared.
The 20 Clutch Coffee locations will close on January 16, then reopen at a later date as Dutch Bros. locations.
“The plan will be for the restaurants to close, renovate, and then reopen as Dutch Bros. Notably, Dutch Bros. only has two Carolina locations right now — one in Morrisville, North Carolina, and a unit in Summerville, South Carolina,” QSR Magazine reported.
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Dutch Bros confirmed the purchase to QSR.
As a fellow brand built on human connection, we deeply respect what the Clutch Coffee Bar leadership team has built and look forward to building on that solid foundation in the Carolinas,” the company said in a statement.
“We are excited to continue expanding across the country as we work towards our long-term goal of 2,029 stores in 2029.”
Dropping the Clutch Coffee brand and replacing it with Dutch Bros comes with some risk.
“If you can flip that switch in the customer’s head and become the brand that defines their coffee choice around, their loyalty can be incredibly strong,” Dale Harris, 2017 World Barista Champion with 13 years of experience with Hasbean and Ozone Coffee, told Coffee Intelligence.