“Nestlé is a strong company with global reach, exceptional demand generation and in-market capabilities. We have a diverse and strategically well-positioned product portfolio. Our iconic brands and innovative products connect with people every day, at every stage of their lives. These strengths give us a unique advantage and position us to win in the marketplace. We will now invest further in our brands and growth platforms to unlock the full potential of our products for our consumers and our customers,” said Laurent Freixe, Nestlé CEO. “Our action plan will also improve the way we operate, making us more efficient, responsive and agile. This will allow us to deliver value for all our stakeholders. I am confident that we can deliver superior, sustainable and profitable growth and gain market share, while transforming Nestlé for long-term success.”

Nestlé’s action plan is designed to allow the company to drive category growth and improve market share performance. Actions will include targeted investments in winning brands and growth platforms, more focused innovation activities to drive greater impact, and systematically addressing underperformers. Nestlé will step up investment in advertising and marketing to support growth. The necessary resources will be generated through cost savings and growth leverage.

In addition to the ongoing programs, Nestlé aims to deliver incremental cost savings of at least CHF 2.5 billion by the end of 2027 through key initiatives across procurement, commercial investments and structural costs. The company will also accelerate its digital transformation to be a real time, end-to-end connected enterprise, powered by data and artificial intelligence. It is additionally ensuring that sustainability is embedded into its activities.

As part of the action plan to drive operational performance and unlock potential, Nestlé’s water and premium beverages activities will become a global standalone business under the leadership of Muriel Lienau, head of Nestlé Waters Europe, as of 1 January 2025. The new management will evaluate the strategy for this business. This will include exploring partnership opportunities to enable Nestlé’s iconic brands and growth platforms to achieve their full potential.

Nestlé’s strategy includes accelerating its categories through expanding existing strengths, such as expanding its most successful brands and increasing exposure to growing channels. Within coffee, targeted growth areas include out-of-home coffee, ready-to-drink coffee, and cold coffee concentrates.

Nestlé said its action plan will allow the company “to deliver superior, sustainable and profitable growth.” In the medium term, organic sales growth is expected to be at 4% plus in a normal operating environment, with an underlying operating profit margin of 17.0% plus.

Nestlé confirmed 2024 guidance, with organic sales growth of around 2%, underlying trading operating profit margin of around 17.0% and underlying EPS broadly flat in constant currency. Looking ahead to 2025, Nestlé expects an improvement in organic sales growth compared to 2024, with the underlying trading operating profit margin anticipated to be moderately lower than the 2024 guidance.

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The Global Ventures group was established in 2019 primarily to oversee the company’s ownership of Costa, innocent and Dogadan, as well as the company’s investment in Monster Beverage Corp.

“As we look to our next chapter of growth, we have evaluated how to best set ourselves up for future success with these growth areas, and we believe now is the right time to have them work more directly with our operating units,” said Coca-Cola president and CFO John Murphy.

The following changes take effect 1 Jan 2025:
• Costa will remain a stand-alone business and will report to the Europe OU. Costa is based in London, and the majority of the company’s retail and Express outlets are located in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe. Costa’s ready-to-drink businesses outside of Europe will report through local operating units.
• Dogadan, a Türkiye-based tea business that was founded in 1975 and in recent years has closely collaborated with the Costa business, will report into Costa’s retail business in Europe. Dogadan has been part of Coca-Cola since 2007.
• Innocent, a 25-year-old, London-based maker of juices and smoothies, will report to the Europe operating unit. Coca-Cola has had an ownership stake in innocent since 2009. Innocent drinks are sold across Europe.
• Oversight of Coca-Cola’s investment in Monster will move to Murphy, while the respective geographies will be responsible for the underlying operations results.

Global Ventures is currently a separate operating segment. Global Ventures will be sunset as part of the reorganization, and the company will issue financials for 2022 through 2024 to reflect the changes. The recast data will be available publicly in early 2025.

The Coca-Cola Company reported on 23 October that net revenues declined 1% to USD $11.9 billion, and organic revenues (non-GAAP) grew 9% for its fiscal 2024 third quarter. Operating margin, which includes items impacting comparability, was 21.2% versus 27.4% in the prior year, while comparable operating margin (non-GAAP) was 30.7% versus 29.7% in the prior year. Coffee declined 6%, primarily due to the performance of Costa® coffee in the United Kingdom. Tea grew 7%, driven by growth in Asia Pacific, Latin America and Europe, Middle East and Africa.

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Production changes

Over the last three months there have not been many changes to production, but significant changes to demand. Rabobank estimates coffee production at 163.7m bags in 2022/23 and at 172.6m bags in 2023/24. The global deficit in 2022/23 is now estimated at -5.7m bags (a reduction of 0.7m bags, mainly due to demand dropping more than production), while a neutral balance is projected for 2023/24, with a surplus in arabicas and a deficit in robustas.

Global coffee balance. Image: Rabobank

Brazil’s export pace has been accelerating, especially in conillons. While green arabica exports were expected to go up in August given that the early harvest was ready to be exported, the strength of green conillon exports was probably more surprising to the market: July exports were up +109 percent vs June, and preliminary August exports remained strong. In our view, this was to be expected given two consecutive large conillon crops and the increased domestic availability of arabicas in the current harvest. The current local arbitrage in Brazil simply does not incentivise maximising the conillon share of demand going forward, freeing up more conillon for the international market. It is a delicate time to make output predictions in Brazil for next year, but an increase in production is expected.

We also expect some production recovery in Colombia 2023/24, but it will probably be gradual. Cost of production has been increasing and farmers are getting half of what they were receiving a year ago (in COP). The weather in 2023 has improved but it has not been ideal, leading to an initial estimate of 12.5m bags in 2023/24 (following around 10.5m bags in 2022/23). Honduran coffee sales are 14 percent higher so far this season YoY, which means that even our previously optimistic prediction of a 10 percent increase in production in the last harvest (2022/23) is proving to be falling short, and we are increasing our estimate slightly. Exports from other countries in Central America are significantly less optimistic. It is very early to make predictions for Central America in 2023/24, but the end of La Niña is usually favourable.

Image: Vanessa L Facenda

The robusta rally was quashed by the collapse in arabica prices since June. However, there are still concerns about the availability of robusta. El Niño-related dryness is becoming more frequent in parts of Southeast Asia, including some areas of Indonesia and Vietnam, Laos, much of Thailand and parts of India. In key producer Vietnam, the main robusta regions still seem to be getting decent rainfall, but the arabica areas in the north look dry. Our expectation for Vietnam 2023/24 has recently been marginally revised lower to 29m bags of total coffee (similar to 2022/23). We have been making small downward adjustments to production estimates across the region.

Coffee demand

Import demand figures were very gloomy throughout 1H 2023. In the second quarter of 2023, net imports into the European Union + United Kingdom collapsed 13.4 percent versus a year ago, while in the United States they were down 9.6 percent. Japan’s coffee disappearance in the quarter was largely unchanged YoY. We can track other 24 non-producing countries, where the drop in net imports in Q2 was 2.9 percent YoY. Globally, the drop for Q2 was 9.4 percent YoY. This is worse than a very poor Q1, and it is in fact, the largest drop we can track in our data going back to 2008. In the 12 months to June 2023, the annual drop in all non-producing countries that we can track was 2.2 percent.

As we have been pointing out for most of last year, the rise in interest rates should have led to a decline in inventories along the pipeline. Roasters and traders also feel more confident that container shipping is working much more normally, so there is no need to keep stocks ‘just in case’. However, these results are worse than expected and lead to a reduction in global demand growth to virtually zero percent in non-producing countries, while producing country demand might still grow at over one percent.

The rather low arbitrage (at around USD $0.40 at the time of writing) should lead to a comeback in arabica demand. This is particularly the case in producing countries (and Brazil in particular), where there is usually a surplus of low quality arabica grades as subproduct of the export business.

Image: Vanessa L Facenda

Price drivers

An expected recovery in both Brazil and Colombia in 2023/24, combined with weak demand, continues to put downward pressure on the market in the absence of more adverse weather or news. This is exacerbated by the prospect of a recession in the EU. Yet we are not far from cost of production in a number of arabica-producing countries. The rainfall pattern in the Brazilian arabica belt will, as usual, be the focus of the market over September and October.

If the idea of a bumper arabica crop in Brazil in the coming year is reinforced not only by good rainfall, but also by good flowering and actual fixing of flowers and pinheads through November, then there is a chance that speculators will start selling arabica futures with more conviction and prices could move lower and closer or even below cost of production, which is roughly estimated at USc 140/lb. But in the short term, any variation in the weather pattern in Brazil (weather hardly ever is perfect) and a very probable improvement in import demand in Q3 are likely to offer support to prices.

Meanwhile, speculators in the robusta market will continue to focus on potential El Niño-related effects. As El Niño is expected to last until at least the end of Q1 2023, speculators will likely stick around for the remainder of the year. Concerns over the EU Deforestation Regulation could also mean that some robusta produced before mid-2023 is carried into 2025 (at a tremendous cost). On the arabica front, this is less likely, as arabicas would lose more value over time.

• Within RaboResearch Global Economics & Markets, Carlos Mera serves as the head of the agri-commodities markets team in London. Previously, Mera worked at Rabobank as a senior commodities analyst with a focus on coffee and cocoa. Prior to joining Rabobank, he worked at Neumann Kaffee Group where he conducted coffee market research for more than seven years. Mera holds a Master of Finance from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Buenos Aires. He may be reached at: carlos.mera@rabobank.com. With over 140 analysts around the globe, RaboResearch covers topics related to economics, global financial markets as well food and agribusiness. For more information on RaboResearch, visit: rabobank.com/en/research.

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Multi-unit growth continues to play a significant role in Bad Ass Coffee’s franchise expansion strategy. More than 70% of the system is now comprised of multi-unit operators. In addition, new franchisees are seeing immense value in diversifying their portfolios with an emerging coffee shop.

Bad Ass Coffee recently signed a three-unit agreement in Myrtle Beach, another three-unit deal in Fort Worth, a five-unit agreement in San Antonio, and a five-unit agreement in Phoenix, among others. Leadership aims to continue focusing development in the Southeast, Rocky Mountain West, Southwest, California, and Texas, in addition to re-establishing store presence in Hawaii. With rapid expansion underway, the brand has set aggressive expansion plans to open 150 new locations over the next five years, with prime markets available nationwide.

“We’re focused on clustering new stores regionally with legacy stores and establishing new groupings of stores in prime markets with experienced multi-unit, multi-brand operators. This strategy will continue to guide our future development,” said Scott Snyder, CEO of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. “With an aggressive push to build a best-in-class national coffee franchise opportunity with modern prototypes, a strong infrastructure, technology and innovation, and a craveable menu, we’re poised for remarkable accomplishments this year.”

Driving Bad Ass Coffee’s performance has been a refined focus on its retail strategy unlocking revenue growth potential. Systemwide sales in merchandise is over 6% of total sales, with the top one-third of the system achieving over 11% in total sales*. New this year, Bad Ass Coffee enlisted professional surfers from Maui as brand ambassadors to create new coffee flavours and a limited-run merchandise line. The limited-time-offers proved immensely successful for the brand as it continues to find new ways to pay homage to its Hawaiian heritage.

In addition to its brand ambassador collaborations, Bad Ass Coffee has found success in its seasonal LTO launches, including this year’s Spring Swell drink line, all-new energy drink – Mana, and Summer Beach Bonfire Collection, with more slated for the autumn and winter seasons. These products complement a five-year menu innovation project currently underway that is set to provide a comprehensive future roadmap for both food & beverage offerings that are on-trend and inspired by Hawaii.

According to Bad Ass Coffee’s 2023 FDD, the top 50% of stores saw an average net sale of more than USD $1 million, with the average of the top 25% exceeding $1.2 million*.

“We’re on a mission to validate Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii’s position nationally as the premium coffee franchise brand in the QSR space, while providing unparalleled support to our franchisees as we continue to grow our brand footprint. As we aim to expand and elevate our brand to new heights, our franchisee-first mentality will be instrumental to our long-term success,” added Snyder.

The brand recently ranked on QSR’s 2023 40/40 List as one of America’s hottest emerging fast casual brands.

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii was born on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1989 with the dream of sharing American-grown, premium Hawaiian coffee with customers everywhere. In addition to premium coffee from the famous Kona region of the Big Island, Bad Ass Coffee also sources from Kauai and Maui. Beyond premium Hawaiian coffees, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii serves up a full menu of blended drinks, signature lattes, cold brews, teas, innovative foods with a Hawaiian twist, and branded merchandise.

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is looking to partner with qualified and engaged individuals seeking single and multi-unit opportunities. The brand offers an affordable, highly scalable opportunity with strong profit-potential. Franchisees can expect a total investment range between $454,200 – 920,500*. As International Franchise Association VetFran members, veteran franchisees who join will receive a $10,000 discount* off the initial franchise fee.

For more information on Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii franchise opportunities, visit badasscoffeefranchise.com.

*Source: 2023 FDD – Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii

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In-Home sales increased organically by 2.2% and in Away-from-Home by 9.0%, resulting in a four-year organic CAGR of 6.7% for In-Home sales and 0.6% for Away-from-Home sales.

Total adjusted EBIT decreased organically by 3.0% to EUR €581 million as an increase in gross profit was offset by an increase in SG&A. Including the effects of foreign exchange and scope changes, adjusted EBIT decreased by 7.9%. Underlying profit – excluding all adjusting items net of tax – decreased by 21.4% to EUR €411 million. This performance was mainly driven by an unfavourable impact from fair value changes in derivatives and forex and a lower level of operating profit and includes an underlying effective tax rate of 23.5%.

Net leverage of 2.8x net debt to adjusted EBITDA at the end of H1 23 was kept well below 3.0x, with a net debt of EUR €4.2 billion at the end of H1 23. Free cash flow was EUR €14 million in the first half of 2023, which was lower than the comparative period in 2022 due primarily to the normalisation of working capital as well as higher capital expenditures. JDE Peet’s’ liquidity position remains strong, with total liquidity of EUR 2.2 billion consisting of a cash position of EUR €0.7 billion (excluding restricted cash) and available committed RCF facilities of EUR 1.5 billion.

Commenting on the results, Fabien Simon, CEO of JDE Peet’s, said, “In the first half of 2023, we delivered resilient financial performance in a category that is globally adjusting in the aftermath of the pandemic, and coping with persistent inflation. Against this backdrop and despite an industry volume decline in Europe, we delivered mid-single-digit top-line growth, driven by our premium product portfolio, E-commerce acceleration and strong performance in the US and in emerging markets.”

In the first half of 2023, JDE Peet’s initiated the transition of an omni-channel organisation in Europe, and towards a local portfolio in Russia. Simon said the company will increase its global consumer reach, with the intended acquisition of Maratá’s coffee and tea platform in Brazil and the launch of L’OR Barista in the US. “While anticipating an acceleration of our organic sales growth in H2, we expect the business environment to remain volatile,” he said. “As there is uncertainty of the impact of the transition from international brands to local brands in Russia, we believe it is more appropriate to guide our full year organic adjusted EBIT growth in the range of a low single-digit increase and low single-digit decrease.”

In the first half of 2023, JDE Peet’s said it has made good progress against its strategic sustainability roadmap and multi-year objectives, with its long-term sustainability agenda is now deeply embedded across the entire organisation and in its strategic decision making. The carbon accounting system has been rolled out and enables the company to track its carbon footprint up to the individual SKU level and allows to have a full view of its carbon reduction performance alongside financial performance.

During the first half of 2023, JDE Peet’s announced its intention to launch a new, fully compostable coffee capsule and a new paper pack for our soluble coffee ranges, which is recyclable and is the first of its kind in the coffee market. The company said the coffee from this new paper pack will generate the lowest carbon footprint within its existing range of products.

In addition, JDE Peet’s has become a member of the ILO Child Labour Platform, to tackle the root causes of child labour in the coffee supply chain, and it published its Water Stewardship Policy and its Nutrition Policy.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, JDE Peet’s has sought to ensure that its business in Russia is operated as a stand-alone business to the greatest extent possible. The company has now taken the next step by transitioning to a local portfolio of brands, which resulted in a non-cash impairment of EUR €185 million of the Jacobs brand in H1 23 and is expected to lead to meaningfully lower contribution from Russia in H2 23.

JDE Peet’s expects the business environment to remain volatile and vulnerable for the remainder of 2023. As there is uncertainty on the impact of the transition from international brands to local brands in Russia, the company now expects to deliver the following for full-year 2023:
• Organic sales growth at the high end of its medium-term range of 3 – 5% (unchanged)
• Adjusted EBIT to fall within the range of a low single-digit organic increase and a low single-digit organic decline (updated)
• Net leverage below 3.0x, with Free Cash Flow of around EUR 400 million, post normalisation of working capital, confirming an ongoing run-rate of EUR 1 bn on a 3-yr average (additional)
•A stable dividend (unchanged)

Total reported H2 2023 sales increased by 2.4% to EUR €3.988 million. Excluding a -1.6% effect related to foreign exchange and 0.4% related to scope and other changes, total sales increased by 3.5% on an organic basis, with 3 out of 4 segments growing between 5% and 10% organically. Organic sales growth reflects a price effect of 6.8% and a volume/mix effect of -3.3%. In-Home sales increased organically by 2.2% and in Away-from-Home by 9.0%, resulting in a 4-yr organic CAGR of 6.7% for In-Home sales and 0.6% for Away-from-Home sales.

Total adjusted EBIT decreased organically by 3.0% to EUR 581 million as an increase in gross profit was offset by an increase in SG&A. Including the effects of foreign exchange and scope changes, adjusted EBIT decreased by 7.9%.

H2 2023 Financial Review by Segment
Europe delivered a sequential improvement versus H2 22, although slower than originally anticipated. Organic sales growth of 0.3% was driven by an increase in price of 8.9% and a decrease in volume/mix of 8.6%, as positive volume/mix performance in the Away-from-Home business was more than offset by a volume/mix decline in the CPG business.

Notable strong performance was delivered by countries such as France, Switzerland and most Eastern European markets and brands including L’OR, Kenco and Pickwick. Reported sales decreased by 0.2% to EUR €2.268 million, including a net effect of -0.4% from foreign exchange and changes in scope/other. Adjusted EBIT decreased organically by 8.4% to EUR €476 million in H1 23, due to lower volumes, inflationary pressure, and due to an increase in advertising spend. Based on a 4-yr CAGR, the organic adjusted EBIT growth was -4.4%.

LARMEA: Organic sales growth of 10.0% was driven by an increase of 7.0% in volume/mix and 3.0% price. Volume/mix performance continued to be broad-based across most geographies, product portfolio and price points, with notable strong performance delivered by countries such as Ukraine, Morocco and Mexico. Reported sales increased by 5.6% to EUR €734 million, including a net effect of -4.5% from foreign exchange and changes in scope/other. Adjusted EBIT increased organically by 17.4% to EUR €125 million in H1 23. Based on a 4-yr CAGR, the organic adjusted EBIT growth was 19.1%.

Peet’s Organic sales growth of 8.6% was driven by an increase of 5.0% in price and 3.5% in volume/mix. Same stores sales and ticket size were up in Peet’s’ US coffee retail stores, and Peet’s CPG business continued to deliver competitive growth. Reported sales increased by 9.8% to EUR €576 million, which included a positive foreign exchange effect of 1.3%. Adjusted EBIT increased organically by 10.1% to EUR €67 million. Based on a 4-yr CAGR, the organic adjusted EBIT growth was 10.3%.

APAC: Organic sales growth of 4.7% was driven by an increase of 4.5% in price and 0.3% in volume/mix. Positive volume/mix and organic sales growth performance in most CPG businesses was partly offset by relatively soft performance in select Away-from-Home businesses. Sales performance was geographically broad-based and supported by strong brand performance from brands including Campos, Moccona and Super. Reported sales increased by 1.8% to EUR €397 million, including a foreign exchange effect of -2.9%. Adjusted EBIT decreased organically by 21.6% to EUR €51 million in H1 23, primarily impacted by one-off costs related to a temporary supply chain disruption connected to one of our main manufacturing facilities in the region. Based on a 4-yr CAGR, the organic adjusted EBIT growth was 4.7%.

Summing up JDE Peet’s H2 2023 and looking ahead, Simon said, “We continue to be guided by our renewed strategic framework to become more global, more digital and more sustainable. We are now very pleased to witness the in-market outperformance of JDE Peet’s globally from the disciplined execution of our strategic priorities.”

For the full and original version of the press release click here.

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Consolidated net revenues were USD $9.2 billion, an increase of 12% from the prior year, or 14%, inclusive of more than 1% unfavourable impact from foreign currency translation.

The Seattle, Washington-based company disclosed that global comparable-store sales increased 10%, primarily driven by a 5% increase in comparable transactions and a 4% increase in average ticket. North America and U.S. comparable-store sales increased 7%, driven by a 6% increase in average ticket and a 1% increase in comparable transactions. International comp-store sales increased 24%, driven by a 21% increase in comparable transactions and a 2% increase in average ticket. Within China, comp-store sales surged 46%, driven by a 48% increase in comparable transactions and a 1% decline in average ticket.

GAAP operating margin of 17.3% increased from 15.9% in the prior year, primarily driven by sales leverage, pricing and productivity improvement. This expansion was partially offset by previously committed investments in labour, including enhanced store partner wages and benefits and higher general and administrative costs related to Starbucks’ Reinvention Plan. GAAP earnings per share of $0.99 grew 25% over the prior year.

Non-GAAP operating margin of 17.4% increased from 16.9% in the prior year. Non-GAAP earnings per share of $1.00 grew 19% over prior year

Net revenues for the North America segment grew 11% over Q3 FY22 to $6.7 billion in Q3 FY23, primarily driven by a 7% increase in company-operated comparable store sales, driven by a 6% increase in average ticket and a 1% increase in comparable transactions, net new company-operated store growth of 4% over the past 12 months, as well as strength in our licensed store sales.

Operating income increased to $1.5 billion in Q3 FY23 compared to $1.3 billion in Q3 FY22. Operating margin of 21.7% contracted from 22.0% in the prior year, primarily driven by previously committed investments in labour, including enhanced store partner wages and benefits as well as increased spending on partner training. This contraction was partially offset by strategic pricing, productivity improvement and sales leverage.

Net revenues for the International segment grew 24% over Q3 FY22 to $2.0 billion in Q3 FY23, primarily driven by a 24% increase in comparable store sales, net new company-operated store growth of 11% over the past 12 months, as well as growth in our licensed store revenue including higher product sales and royalty revenues. These increases were partially offset by approximately 5% unfavourable impact from foreign currency translation.

Operating income increased to $374.5 million in Q3 FY23 compared to $135.3 million in Q3 FY22. Operating margin of 19.0% expanded from 8.5% in the prior year, primarily driven by sales leverage including lapping mobility restrictions in China and prior year amortization expenses. This expansion was offset by digital investments and inflationary pressures.
Net revenues for the Channel Development segment decreased 6% over Q3 FY22 to $448.8 million in Q3 FY23, driven by a decline in revenue in the Global Coffee Alliance.

Operating income increased to $208.0 million in Q3 FY23 compared to $191.7 million in Q3 FY22. Operating margin of 46.3% expanded from 40.0% in the prior year, primarily driven by growth in our North American Coffee Partnership joint venture income and mix shift.

Noting the results, Laxman Narasimhan, CEO, said, “Our strong third quarter results point to all-around momentum in the business and reflect the significant progress we are making against our Reinvention Plan. Our results were also amplified by the distinctive competitive advantages that set us apart in the market.”

Starbucks opened 588 net new stores in Q3, crossing the 37,000 store count threshold globally, ending the period with 37,222 stores: 51% company-operated and 49% licensed. At the end of Q3, stores in the U.S. and China comprised 61% of the company’s global portfolio, with 16,144 and 6,480 stores in the U.S. and China, respectively.

Starbucks Rewards loyalty program 90-day active members in the U.S. increased to 31.4 million, up 15% year-over-year.

In May, Starbucks opened the first store in Paraguay, entering the 24th market in Latin America and the Caribbean and 86th market globally. The company also opened its first store in Rome, in May, in partnership with Percassi, its Italian licensee partner. In June, the company announced plans to expand their farm capability beyond coffee to include a new sustainability learning and innovation lab at Hacienda Alsacia in Costa Rica, the global agronomy headquarters for research and development.

Starbucks executives said the company’s financial results and long-term growth model will continue to be driven by new store openings, comparable store sales growth and operating margin management.

Rachel Ruggeri, CFO, commented, “I am pleased with our third quarter performance, which beat our expectations, including our International segment. Our performance was bolstered by the progress we are making against our strategies, specifically our Reinvention Plan, and its unfolding into tangible financial results, as we delivered earnings growth of 19% well above our revenue growth of 12%.” She added, “the momentum we have built and strength we are seeing globally, gives us the confidence and optimism to close our fiscal year strong.”

Seeking Alpha analyst Dilantha De Silva stated that he is skeptical of Starbucks’ “ambitious plan to achieve 7%-9% annual comparable-store sales growth through fiscal 2025.” However, he did note that the company has room to grow in the U.S., especially in smaller cities that have yet to be explored by the coffee chain. He added, “China is considered one of the biggest markets for tea, but there are clear signs of a growing coffee culture in the country. This is an opportunity for Starbucks.”

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Net sales for the second quarter of 2023 increased 6.6% to USD $3.79 billion, compared to $3.55 billion in the year-ago period. On a constant currency basis, net sales advanced 6.1%, reflecting net price realisation of 8.2%, only slightly offset by lower volume/mix of 2.1%. The volume/mix performance reflected the continued strength of the Burlington, Massachusetts and Frisco, Texas-based company’s brand portfolio and in-market execution, as well as continued modest elasticities across most categories.

U.S. retail dollar consumption (Retail consumption data based on KDP’s custom IRi category definitions for the 13-week period ending 2 July 2023) of KDP Manufactured K-Cup® Pods decreased 2.3% in IRi tracked channels in the quarter, and KDP Manufactured dollar share was approximately 79%. Total at-home coffee category trends during the second quarter continued to be impacted by greater consumer mobility versus the prior year, though the company observed sequential improvement in category consumption towards the end of the second quarter, which continued into the third quarter. The single serve segment continued to gain volume share of the at-home coffee category throughout the period.

GAAP operating income increased 34.4% to USD $769 million, compared to USD $572 million in the year-ago period, reflecting growth in gross profit, as the strong net sales growth and productivity more than offset continued input cost inflation. Also impacting the comparison was the favourable year-over-year impact of items affecting comparability.

Excluding items affecting comparability, adjusted operating income increased 4.4% to $873 million, including a strong double-digit increase in marketing investment, reflecting the strong growth in net sales and adjusted gross profit, which more than offset transportation, warehousing and labour inflation. On a percent of net sales basis, adjusted operating income was 23.0%.

GAAP net income for the quarter increased 130.7% to $503 million, or $0.36 per diluted share, versus $218 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, in the year-ago period. This performance reflected a favorable year-over-year impact of items affecting comparability and the increase in adjusted operating income, partially offset by a higher GAAP effective tax rate. Excluding items affecting comparability, adjusted net income for the quarter advanced 7.0% to $596 million, and adjusted diluted EPS increased 7.7% to $0.42.

During the quarter, the company repurchased approximately 7 million KDP shares at a weighted average price per share of $32.34, totalling approximately $226 million. The company has approximately $3.2 billion remaining under its share repurchase authorisation expiring on 31 December 2025.

Commenting on the announcement, chairman and CEO Bob Gamgort stated, “Our second quarter results demonstrated the strength of KDP’s brand portfolio and our high-quality retail execution. We saw continued momentum in the U.S. Refreshment Beverages and International segments, as well as encouraging intraquarter developments in U.S. Coffee, where we expect a sequential recovery in revenue and a meaningful inflection in margins in the back half.”

Second Quarter Segment Results
U.S. Coffee net sales for the second quarter decreased 5.7% to $970 million, compared to $1,029 million in the year-ago period, reflecting net price realisation of 1.6% and a volume/mix decline of 7.3%.

At-home coffee consumption in the quarter continued to be impacted by year-over-year changes in mobility, with sequential improvement in category volume trends observable each month of the quarter. Pod revenue declined 4.6%, driven by a shipment decline of 7.7% that primarily reflected mobility-driven category softness, the exit of some lower-margin private label contracts and an unfavourable comparison in the prior year during which the company rebuilt trade inventory levels following supply chain constraints. On a trailing twelve-month basis versus the pre-pandemic Q2 2019 period, at-home pod shipments grew 16.9%, representing a mid-single digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

Brewer shipments totalled 9.9 million for the twelve months ending 30 June 2023, representing an 11.0% decline year-over-year. Compared against pre-pandemic levels represented by the twelve months ending 30 June 2019, brewer shipments grew 17.8%, representing a mid-single digit CAGR. Brewer shipments in the second quarter continued to be impacted by trade inventory adjustments, which the company believes are now mostly complete, and slower discretionary spending for small appliances.

GAAP operating income decreased 15.3% to $250 million, compared to $295 million in the year-ago period, reflecting broad-based inflationary pressures, the decline in volume/mix and a significant increase in marketing investment. Partially offsetting these drivers were the benefits of productivity, higher net price realisation and a modest year-over-year benefit of items affecting comparability. Excluding these items, adjusted operating income dropped 14.6% to $292 million and, on a percent of net sales basis, totalled 30.1%.

International net sales for the second quarter increased 10.9% to $489 million versus $441 million in the year-ago period and, on a constant currency basis, net sales advanced 7.0%. This strong performance was driven by higher net price realization of 6.1% and volume/mix growth of 0.9% and reflected broad-based momentum in both Mexico and Canada.

GAAP operating income increased a strong 14.3% to $112 million, compared to $98 million in the year-ago period, largely reflecting the benefits of the higher net sales, increased productivity and the year-over-year benefit of items affecting comparability, partially offset by inflationary pressures and a significant increase in marketing investment. Excluding items affecting comparability, Adjusted operating income increased 7.7% to $116 million and, on a percent of net sales basis, totaled 23.7%.

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Coffee grew 5%, primarily driven by the strong performance of Costa® coffee in the United Kingdom and China. Tea grew 1%, primarily driven by growth in Latin America, partially offset by a decline in doğadan® in Türkiye. North America unit case volume declined 1%, as growth in sparkling flavours and juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverages was more than offset by declines in water, sports, coffee and tea as well as Trademark Coca-Cola®.

Net revenues grew 6% to USD $12.0 billion, and organic revenues (non-GAAP) grew 11%. Revenue performance included 10% growth in price/mix and 1% growth in concentrate sales. Concentrate sales were 1 point ahead of unit case volume, largely due to the timing of concentrate shipments.

Operating margin was 20.1% versus 20.7% in the prior year, while comparable operating margin (non-GAAP) was 31.6% versus 30.7% in the prior year. Operating margin decline was primarily driven by items impacting comparability and currency headwinds. Comparable operating margin (non-GAAP) expansion was primarily driven by strong topline growth and the impact of refranchising bottling operations, partially offset by an increase in marketing investments and higher operating costs versus the prior year, as well as currency headwinds.

EPS (earning per share) grew 34% to $0.59, and comparable EPS (non-GAAP) grew 11% to $0.78. Comparable EPS (non-GAAP) performance included the impact of a 6-point currency headwind.

In terms of market share, Coca-Cola gained value share in total nonalcoholic ready-to-drink (NARTD) beverages.

Cash flow from operations was $4.6 billion year-to-date, an increase of $83 million versus the prior year, driven by strong business performance and working capital initiatives, partially offset by the transition tax payment made during the second quarter. Free cash flow (non-GAAP) was $4.0 billion year-to-date, a decline of $45 million versus the prior year.

“I am encouraged that our all-weather strategy, working together with our bottling partners, has delivered strong second quarter results,” said James Quincey, chairman and CEO of Atlanta, Georgia-based The Coca-Cola Company. “We are executing efficiently and effectively on a local level, while maintaining flexibility on a global level. The strength of our first half results and the resiliency of our business gives us the confidence to raise our 2023 guidance.”

To support the company’s goal to reduce carbon emissions by 25% by 2030, against a 2015 baseline, The Coca-Cola Company and eight leading global bottling partners created a first-of-its-kind sustainability-focused $137.7 million venture capital fund in partnership with Greycroft, a seed-to-growth venture capital firm. The fund aligns with the company’s networked approach to sustainability and has the potential to help advance solutions across its global value chain by investing in sustainability-focused companies at the point of commercialisation. Reducing the Coca-Cola system’s carbon footprint is a top priority for the fund, so it will initially prioritise five key areas with the most potential impact: packaging, heating and cooling, facility decarbonisation, distribution and supply chain.

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