Costa Coffee has relaunched its ready-to-drink coffee range after seeing volumes slide by nearly a quarter in 2024.
The brand has unveiled updated packaging, a “silkier” recipe and added two new flavours to its chilled coffee lineup.
Costa Coffee sales have suffered amid growing competition in the RTD coffee fixture. It lost £4.7m on volumes down 23.2% following distribution losses last year [NIQ 52 w/e 28 December 2024].
The updated Costa Coffee RTDs – which are rolling out now across grocery, wholesale, convenience and e-commerce – featured “a silkier, smoother coffee recipe” with an “elevated taste and texture profile”, according to supplier Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).
In addition to the upgraded recipe, Costa Coffee’s packaging had been overhauled with “bold Costa branding, clean flavour callouts and a fresh modern aesthetic”, said CCEP.
The rebrand had been “crafted to engage younger coffee drinkers who are increasingly drawn to sensorial descriptors and clear, standout signage on packs”, it added.
Meanwhile – in a bid to attract more younger, flavour-focused shoppers – Costa Coffee has added a dessert-inspired Creamy Tiramisu Frappé and a vitamin enhanced Double Shot + Caramel flavour.
The former is a blend of Costa coffee and “creamy mascarpone and rich cocoa”, while the latter contains added Vitamin B3, B5 and B6.
Boardmasters partnership
The relaunch for Costa Coffee RTD will be supported by a major nationwide summer activation targeting young adults, headlined by a partnership with Boardmasters Festival this August.
The partnership includes mass sampling at the festival and across Newquay town centre, alongside an on-pack promotion offering instant cash prizes and festival tickets.
Retailers, meanwhile, can access a suite of PoS including shelf trays, aisle fins and floor stickers to help boost visibility at fixture and maximise impulse sales.
“With our silkier, smoother recipe, upgraded packs and high-profile marketing activity, we’re building on Costa’s trusted heritage to meet the expectations of Gen Z shoppers seeking quality and flavour on the go,” said Helen Kerr, associate director of commercial development at CCEP GB. “Whether it’s grabbing a chilled coffee with a meal deal or stocking up on multi-serve formats at home, we’re helping retailers unlock sales in a category that’s got massive growth potential.”
Kerr added: “With strong foundations, a range that caters to all consumer need states from low to medium and high caffeine intensity, and renewed energy behind the brand, we’re well-placed to deliver sustained growth in chilled coffee for our customers.”
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