Dunkin' just announced it will sell coffee with extra caffeine to start the new year. Beginning December 30, customers can get Extra Charged hot or iced coffees for only $2 to encourage everyone to try out the new drink. The promotion runs through January 26.
The Extra Charged coffee adds 20% more caffeine to a medium coffee from added green coffee extract, according to Dunkin'. The extra caffeine is extracted from the coffee beans before they're roasted. There are other ways to add caffeine to a drink, like espresso shots, but Dunkin' Senior Manager of Research & Development Heidi Curry said that customers often want extra caffeine without changing the taste of their coffees, and espresso can alter the flavor.
Dunkin' has grown and expanded in 2020 despite the pandemic that hurt some of its competitors. Third-quarter sales were up 0.9%, while Starbucks sales going down 9% in the same quarter.
"Dunkin' has outperformed Starbucks in many ways," industry expert John Gordon told Kate Taylor, with trendy menu items and social media collaborations since the brand's 2018 rebrand.
In November, Dunkin' was acquired by Inspire Brands, the parent company of Arby's, Sonic, and other fast-food chains in a deal valued at $11.3 billion. Dunkin' is valued at nearly $9 billion, per Pitchbook.
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