Cuvée Coffee Audience and Insight

Coursework, Simulated Project  

Cuvée Coffee is looking to formally launch their single-use coffee bags and drive up sales. This product has already been soft-launched online and in a few retail locations but hasn’t picked up steam. Many other coffee brands have developed similar offerings but have failed to capture the niche audience this product requires. A convenient coffee solution, the single-use bags can speak to an audience that current home-brewing crazes don’t touch. According to the Mintel Coffee Report, more than 70% of consumers prepare their coffee at home. What about seeking out those who can’t? 

Cuvée is a craft coffee operation based in Austin, Texas, that embraces the basics, simple beans and water, and innovates with them to achieve coffee greatness. 

This product's target audience appreciates the Cuvée Spirit of authenticity and creativity, while also resonating with their commitment to making the basics the best. 

Demographically the audience is: 

● 30-40 years old 

● Annual salary of 50-60K 

● Single, no children 

A millennial, this target is already an established coffee drinker but isn’t unwilling to try a new product like single-serve bags. This generation is driving instant coffee consumption according to the Mintel Coffee Report, showing that they are drawn to convenient and quick coffee solutions. They also make an annual salary of 50-60K. This middle-range amount captures people who might be willing to spend a little more for a product that adds value to their lives but are still cost-aware. This audience is also single with no children, they seek out single-serve products like this one that cater to their solitary needs. 

Psychographically this target audience: 

● Is a creature of habit, they like routine and control 

● Travels often for work, typically on the go and away from home 

● A fan of getting a “bang for their buck,” they take pride in finding deals that balance quality with cost 

This target audience wants to take the power of brewing a cup of coffee back into their own hands but cannot do so because of their work. They will appreciate that this product lets them make a consistent cup of coffee every time. They’re also always on the go, so the quickest, least messy solution is the best one. This audience appreciates quality items that they see as well-priced. They’re known for being resourceful and easily recognize products like this one that would improve a part of their busy routine. 

One factor I thought would be important when researching this product's audience was Gen Z’s towering presence over the coffee industry. Mintel’s Coffee Report suggested that to grab Gen Z’s attention brands should look beyond coffee at flavors and creamers. This product is not that.

Instead, it's what Cuvée stands for - just damn good coffee, no matter what form it comes in. In the end, Gen Z turned out to be an important non-factor, revealing the true audience of coffee drinkers searching for a reliable option. 

That option is the practical adventurer, someone who’s nearly nomadic but a homebody at heart. Bradley, a 35-year-old man, is a truck driver based in Fort Worth, Texas, where he grew up. When he isn’t on the road, he enjoys easy days at his childhood home. Every day there he eats his favorite breakfast, muffins baked by his Mom, and every Friday he meets his childhood friend Toby at the local bar. When he’s working, he’s sometimes away for weeks on end, but he still finds ways to stick to his routine. Instead of stopping for a McMuffin, Bradley freezes homemade muffins and brings them on the road. He also calls Toby every Friday from the nearest bar, keeping his routine the same while traveling. 

His most prized possessions are his traditional Carhartt Jacket and Ram 1500, both of which have lasted him many years. He likes Ram because the trucks are dependable and focus on utility and towing, things he believes are the most important qualities a truck can have. He feels similarly about his Carhartt jacket, believing he’s received a durable, high-quality product for a good price. His favorite snack is Righteous Felon Beef Jerky, a craft jerky that's made fresh and straight from Angus beef. He especially likes the single-serve jerky sticks that allow him to snack while driving. Simple, yet quality brands that he can rely on to be the same over time are his favorite. 

He doesn’t like Ben and Jerry’s because he thinks the best ice cream is a good, plain chocolate, and that trying too hard to make ice cream different by adding things just makes it worse. He also doesn’t like Apple, he’s sick of buying a new phone every other year with features he won’t use. Bradley tries to find products that fit his needs, and a camera that can see microscopic organisms isn’t one of them. 

He looks for information and inspiration from trucking podcasts and forums, the radio, and word of mouth in his friend circles. He’s always on the road, so he takes in information from billboards often. Because of the highly connected network in which he operates, trucker podcasts and forums often provide the most valuable advice. His favorite one is Trucking After Hours, a blog and podcast that gives him inspiration on everything from trucking tools to weight loss tips. He’s always on the radio as he travels from place to place, so he also gets a lot of information from there. Bradley researches before he purchases anything, so he’ll often read reviews and seek out opinions from people in his circle. 

Bradley is a dedicated, proud truck driver, but that isn’t the only angle for this product. Think travel nurses, flight attendants, photographers and event planners. All are highly specialized, and their dedication to doing good work is similar to Cuvée’s dedication to good coffee. They’re travelers by trade but enjoy consistency and seek out products that save them time. 

Insight: Taking control of your morning. Where you're at might change but what you love doesn’t have to.