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LEON said Roast Rewards would offer ‘unparalleled value’ to UK consumers | Photo credit: LEON
Premium food-to-go and coffee chain LEON has launched its new Roast Rewards in-store coffee subscription which it has billed as the ‘most affordable’ on the UK high street.
LEON is offering customers up to five barista-made beverages a day for £25-a-month ($31.89) alongside a 20% discount on its breakfast and all-day food menu.
In a press release, LEON said the launch would offer ‘unparalleled value’ to UK consumers. World Coffee Portal research from January 2024 found that UK industry leaders consider price consciousness as the second most important trend currently affecting the UK coffee shop market, behind support for independent coffee shops.
“We're so excited to unveil the UK’s most affordable coffee subscription. Get ready for a service packed with flavour, value and great coffee. At LEON we’re all about providing exceptional experiences at an unbeatable value,” said Mac Plumpton, Managing Director, LEON.
LEON and fellow organic-focused coffee chain Pret A Manger both introduced in-store coffee subscriptions in September 2020 to counter decimated footfall among key commuter and office workers during the pandemic.
While in-store beverage subscriptions can boost customer retention and deliver consistent revenue stream for operators, preparing high volumes of beverages at speed can prove challenging for store staff to deliver.
LEON phased out its unlimited coffee offer after just a year, citing the burden of orders on baristas. While Pret’s subscription became a key facet of its post-pandemic business model, the coffee and food-to-go chain discontinued its range of blended beverages in February 2023 for being too time-consuming for staff to serve and has faced reports that its subscription has been more costly than originally envisioned.
JAB Holding-managed Pret A Manger increased the price of its subscription from £20 ($25.49) to £25 ($31.89) a month in February 2023. Two months later, Pret A Manger rebranded its subscription as Club Pret and further increased the price from £25 ($31.89) to £30 ($38.26).
Meanwhile, in the US fellow JAB Holding-managed chain Panera Bread has increased the price of its monthly Unlimited Sip Club subscription three times since launching in March 2020. The most recent rise, from $11.99 to $14.99 in March 2024, represented a 67% increase on 2020 prices.
Similarly, US convenience store chain Circle K scrapped its Sip & Save beverage subscription in April 2024, four months after increasing the cost of the service from $5.99 to $9.99.
Nevertheless, LEON will be hoping to emulate the success of the Club Pret model, which is being rolled-out across Pret A Manger’s 18 markets globally this year.
London-based LEON currently has 80 UK stores alongside three sites in the Netherlands. The business also operates a 68-strong self-serve coffee machine network in the UK.
