News

Starbucks, Kraft intro interactive unit to grocery shelves

September 3, 2003

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- Starbucks Coffee Company and Kraft Foods, Starbucks grocery sales and distribution partner, recently introduced the Starbucks Interactive Unit (SIU), a touchscreen marketing tool designed to give grocery consumers insight on the best way to enjoy Starbucks coffee at home.

The SIU, which will be featured in about 4,000 grocery stores per year, provides consumers with in-depth information on Starbucks packaged whole bean and ground coffees, according to a news release.

The unit was engineered by Netkey Inc. of Branford, Conn., provider of kiosk software for retail self-service. The Guild Group, White Plains, N.Y., worked with the Starbucks and Kraft creative teams to develop the look and content of this state-of-the-art interactive point-of-sale display, the release said.

The SIU features a touchscreen that allows consumers to navigate through a series of informative content areas. The content areas include "The Fundamentals of Brewing," "Our Coffees," "The Starbucks Difference," and a rotating section that includes "Coffee Education" and "Taste Matcher." "Taste Matcher" shows consumers which Starbucks coffees best fit their individual tastes.

The interactive experience is further enhanced with full-motion video and jazz music. The SIU is directly attached to Starbucks racks on select grocery store shelves and will be in the stores for eight- to 12-week rotations, the release said.

"Our goal with the Starbucks Interactive Unit is to provide added value to consumers by giving them a unique and fun marketing vehicle, which allows them to learn about Starbucks coffee in the grocery channel," said Dave Sachs, category business director for Kraft Foods. "In supermarket tests, the Starbucks Interactive Unit increased shopper visits to our shelf by 200 percent."

"The Starbucks Interactive Unit is a great way to communicate the Starbucks experience to grocery store consumers so they can enjoy special coffee moments at home," said Mary Theisen, director of grocery and wholesale for Starbucks. "The SIU allows us to create stronger relationships with our consumers by enriching their knowledge of our core product and giving them a special appreciation for our packaged coffees."