Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew and Burger King Has Gone Too Far

Here’s what’s happening this week in Food News.

Starbucks is testing nitrogen in its coffee in seven cities, and it’s called Nitro Cold Brew. We’ve all seen the ads for cold brew from Dunkin Donuts to the corner deli, and now Starbucks wants to go one step better – we think fueled by the buzz, literally, and loyalty created by the cultish Bulletproof coffee that adds butter to their brew instead of milk. 

Yes it’s a very different product – but the concept is the same. Offer a product that no one can get elsewhere. 

According to Business Insider, nitrogen-infused cold coffee has its roots in early 2013, when a food scientist at Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon, named Nate Armbrust wanted to make cold brew coffee tastier. His nitrogen-infused cold coffee became creamier and richer than regular old cold brew. The creamier taste is due, in part, to the smaller nitrogen bubbles, which make the drink feel thicker when you gulp it down.  

Nitro cold brew coffee requires a special tap, so Starbucks is only rolling it out in about 500 stores in seven cities by the end of the summer. According to Buzzfeed, a cup will go for $3.95 — a dollar more than straight-up cold brew.

Fast Food Has Gone Too Far

Burger King created the newest fast food abomination: the Mac 'n Cheetos. It’s, deep-fried sticks of macaroni and cheese coated in Cheetos breading and is in a Southern California test for eight weeks. An order of five sticks costs $2.49. 

Burger King’s president, at least for now, Alex Macedo told Bloomberg that "It's quite unique."  Might be time to brush up that resume with reasonings like that, as the industry struggles to finds its way with the new fast food consumer.