Coffee – and sausage rolls – still a huge hit on the High Street

A nice case study that we’re all familiar with, just by checking out our local high street. One isn’t a surprise in the current climate: the booming business of Greggs the baker. But I am surprised by the other trend. I was convinced that the froth on the coffee bubble would be blown away by the recession, but so far I’m wrong. Coffee shops continue to spring up across the land.

Greggs first. It’s planning to open another 600 stores on top of its current 1400. The product range is a hit in 2009 Britain: a bloomer sandwich, a cookie or doughnut and a drink - for the recession-busting price of £2.99. Add to the list a whole host of sticky buns and calorific treats.

Greggs has twice the number of outlets as Starbucks, and 200 more than McDonald’s, it is “by far the largest food-to-go operator on the High Street,” says the deputy editor of British Baker magazine. As household budgets have been squeezed, Greggs’ brand of comfort food is enjoying a boom.

Check out the BBC article and video clip, packed full of further details and comments on their marketing and brand image. For instance, some experts believe Greggs’ success is down to clever targeting - throwing greater emphasis on attracting male customers, rather than the females who would traditionally visit bakers. (It has rebranded its Bakers Ovens acquisitions as Greggs. In doing so, it has left behind the feminine characteristics associated with that name.)

Another quote that sticks out from the article:

“We may not adore Greggs in the way that we do some other brands, but we understand the role it plays and for whom that’s relevant. There’s a huge chunk of blokes who want lots of food cheaply. It’s doing that job absolutely superbly.”

When it comes to coffee shops, judge for yourself. I’m way too stingy to visit more than once a year, so I’m not qualified to comment. Have a go brainstorming ideas behind their continuing success before watching this video clip.