Whether it’s starting the day with a cup made at home or a quick pit stop at a drive-thru, two-thirds of Americans have at least one cup of coffee every day. To keep up with that demand, popular coffee chains like Starbucks and Dunkin’ started packaging coffee for customers to enjoy at home. You can pick up coffee beans or grounds at the grocery store, but you can also usually grab a bag at your local Dunkin’ store. That way, a cup of Midnight Brew (aka the strongest coffee grounds that Dunkin’ makes) is never far from hand.
The store-bought coffee you’ll find at Dunkin’ stores is Dunkin’ brand, but it’s actually manufactured by the J.M. Smucker company. You might recognize that name because it owns two of the other biggest at-home coffee brands in the world: Folgers and Café Bustelo (Bustelo makes it into our lineup of the 11 best whole bean espressos you can buy on Amazon). Beyond beloved coffee brands, J.M. Smucker also owns Hostess Brands, Jif peanut butter, and even the dog treat brand Milk-Bone. The partnership between Dunkin’ and J.M. Smucker began over 15 years ago and has only become more unstoppable as the years progressed.
J.M. Smucker and Dunkin’ help lead the charge for at-home coffees
J.M. Smucker controls 26% of the at-home coffee category in the United States, according to an interview with Food Dive, and pulls in a valuation of $2.5 billion in the coffee sector alone. This is in part due to the sales of Dunkin’ at-home coffees, but the company’s largest seller is the cherished Folgers brand, with Dunkin’ coming in as a close second. J.M. Smucker doesn’t necessarily work with Dunkin’ shops, but it does have the licensing to manufacture, sell, and distribute Dunkin’ coffee. About a decade ago, the two also began an official partnership with Keurig, allowing the manufacturing and distribution of Dunkin’ K-Cup packs nationwide.
The line of coffee that J.M. Smucker manufactures for Dunkin’ is called “Dunkin’ at home” and includes an assortment of regular coffee ground bags, as well as unique flavors like Candy’D Almond and Turtle Love, while also sticking to classic flavors like French Vanilla and Hazelnut. When J.M. Smucker and Dunkin’ brought Keurig into the mix, it expanded the line of at-home products to include K-Cups such as the Original Blend, French Vanilla, and even the Bakery Series Chocolate Glazed Donut. Dunkin’ is one of the few coffee giants to ethically source its coffee beans, and you don’t have to travel any further than the grocery store or Dunkin’ storefront around the corner to grab a bag for yourself. If you’re trying to recreate an in-store Dunkin’-style iced coffee at home, we have a tip, which is to double up on beans to combat any watery taste.
