College-age students love coffee; ok, we know that. However, the latest survey data from the NPD group, which tracks trends in what Americans eat and drink, finds that 18- to 24-year-olds are increasingly turning to coffee, rather than caffeinated sodas, as their pick-me-up of choice. And not just any coffee—they want the fancy stuff. This is where Starbucks come into play.
College campuses might have been among the few remaining places to escape the shadow of Starbucks. There are roughly 11,500 Starbucks outlets in the U.S., but only about 300 of them are on U.S. campuses. That is about to change as Starbucks have come up with an idea to deliver coffee from food trucks. Why trucks? They can travel around with students throughout the day, meeting students’ caffeine needs wherever they pop up.
The cafe chain is testing trucks on three college campuses while trying to find new store formats beyond the typical retail outlet.