Seattle’s Best and Coinstar Introduce Coffee Kiosks

Coinstar Inc. (Bellevue, Wash.) and Seattle’s Best Coffee, part of Starbucks Corp. (Seattle), announced an exclusive agreement to roll out Rubi coffee kiosks in the grocery, drug and mass merchant retail channels. The coffee kiosks will initially be installed in the Northeast and West Coast regions of the U.S. beginning this summer, with approximately 500 kiosks expected by the end of the year.

The units mark Coinstar’s third automated retail business, joining its Redbox movie rental and Coinstar coin-counting kiosks. “We believe our coffee kiosk reimagines the coffee experience for consumers,” says Paul Davis, ceo of Coinstar, Inc.

The Rubi kiosk occupies approximately 9 square feet and grinds and brews fresh whole beans in a single cup process, serving brewed coffee and specialty drinks including mochas and vanilla lattes.

“This relationship is a logical next step in our strategy to bring great coffee to new and unexpected locations where it’s traditionally been hard to find great coffee,” says Jim McDermet, senior vp, general manager of Seattle’s Best Coffee.

Seattle’s Best Coffee is available at more than 50,000 points of distribution, including restaurants, convenience stores, cruise ships, movie theatres, airlines, offices, universities and retail locations.