Table of Contents

Introduction page
Decision Problem
Research Problems
Secondary Research Climate Company Competitors Collaborators Consumers
Primary Research Qualitative Research Quantitative Reasearch
Biases and Limitations
Conclusions and Recommendations
Works Cited
Appendices

College students love coffee. On the University of Oregon’s campus, it is common to see students walking around with cups of coffee or waiting in line for a drink at one of the nearby cafés. The local coffee retail industry is booming, and many players are well-represented on a daily basis. Students can be seen carrying cups from many different cafés, including Dutch Bros. However, Dutch Bros. seems to be much less common around campus than its competitors, despite having a stellar reputation. We conducted this research to provide recommendations for Dutch Bros. to increase its market share among University of Oregon students. Dutch Bros. Coffee was founded in 1992 when two brothers began selling coffee out of a pushcart in Grants Pass, Oregon. The company uses small, drive-through coffee stands instead of cafés. It sells flavored coffee, tea, and even its own private-label energy drink, Blue Rebel. Customers drive up to the window, place an order, and drive away with their drinks, making it a favorite for people that are on-the-go. The company has worked to build up a reputation for positivity and love. On the lids of its drinks, it prints motivational notes for its customers. The founders created a “Dutch Creed” that consists of tips for living a positive lifestyle. It also donates regularly to charities such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Dutch Bros. has been careful to maintain this reputation by only selling franchise rights to employees that are already part of the Dutch Bros. culture. Stands are locally owned, allowing them to support local causes and be positively involved in their respective communities. Despite their intentions to create a coffee company that is based on convenience and positivity, many University of Oregon students are choosing to satisfy their coffee needs at other establishments. With information on the driving factors of students’ coffee choices, Dutch Bros. may be able to increase its share of the University of Oregon market and expand its business and culture.

Decision Problem
How do Dutch Bros increase market share among U of O students?
This is a strategy-oriented decision problem that results from a planned change. Doing research to drive student sales could be extremely profitable for the company. While efforts are already being made to attract students, it will be interesting to see how successful those efforts are and where there might be room for improvement.

Research Problems:
1. Determine student satisfaction with customer service.
Customer service can play a major role in the success of a company and can either deter or encourage customers to return. Determining what students think about the service they receive would be extremely helpful in understanding the relationship students have with Dutch Bros. This will also indicate whether or not employee interactions and customer service are a weakness.
2. Determine the student awareness of the Dutch Bros.
Awareness of a brand is a crucial factor of consumption decisions. Awareness refers to how well people know a brand and how readily they can recall its particular products and its locations. We need to determine the awareness students have of the Dutch Bros. brand to increase market share for students. 3. Investigate the brand positioning and image.
Brand positioning and image play a key role in creating a distinct impression in customers’ minds. In other words, brand positioning uses various strategies, such as price or promotion to make the brand stand out from the competition and build a brand’s personality. It’s necessary to study the positioning and image of Dutch Bros. further to determine if it is effective