Green Mountain Rolls Out New Coffee

Coffee maker, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. ( GMCR - Analyst Report ) recently rolled out its new Green Mountain Coffee Special Reserve coffee -- Colombia Geisha -- in K-Cup packs for its Keurig brewers. The citrus-flavored coffee is made from one of the rarest coffee beans in the world. Limited edition Colombia Geisha will be available online only until stocks last. A 10 ounce bag is priced at $24.99 while an 18-count box of K-Cup packs for Keurig brewers comes at $31.99.

We are encouraged by the company’s efforts to turnaround its business. Apart from the rollout of Colombia Geisha, the company entered into a multi-year agreement with Eight O'Clock Coffee Company in May whereby the brands Eight O' Clock coffee, Tetley tea, and Good Earth tea will be available in K-Cup and Vue packs for Keurig Single-Cup Brewing systems. Green Mountain also became the exclusive manufacturer of Costco Kirkland Signature brand K-Cup packs for the Keurig single cup brewing system in early November.

Apart from launching innovative products, Green Mountain, which specializes in single cup brewing technology, is upgrading its Keurig brewing system to attract more customers in the face of increasing competition from new entrants like Starbucks Corporation ( SBUX - Analyst Report ) . The launch of Starbucks’ own single-cup at-home coffee machine called Verismo in mid-October forced Green Mountain to roll out affordable and innovative products to capture market share.

Green Mountain carries a Zacks #4 Rank (short term Sell rating), as the company faces tough competition for its Keurig single-cup brewing system. We provide a long-term Neutral recommendation on the stock.