By: Tara Jewell, Marketing Insights Associate
In this article, you will find:
- The volume of LTOs launched in the recent past
- The major players and just how many LTOs they launch
- The importance of having your pre-launch house in order
Pre-Launch Countdown & Check List
Before you launch your LTO, there a few important steps to remember, as well as some knowledge you can glean by looking at LTOs from a historical and statistical manner.
Let’s take a quick look at the stats — and you will see how some of today’s major chains have leveraged and are still utilizing LTOs to their advantage.
Historical Snapshot
From June 2014 to the present: a total of 6,614 non-alcoholic LTOs have been launched. Just take a look at the most recent years:
| 2019: | 624 LTOs |
| 2020: | 496 LTOs |
| 2021: | 672 LTOs |
| 2022: | 774 LTOs |
| 2023: | 753 LTOs |
| 2024 (so far): | 463 LTOs* |
*and on pace to near record levels
The chains that have launched the most non-alc beverage LTOs (since 2014):
Starbucks – 653 total
- Fall 2023, they launched more LTOs than ever before — 45 (of 81 total LTOs for that year)
Dunkin – 494 total – they peaked in spring 2019 with 27 (of 59 total LTOs for that year)
- This year so far they’ve launched 18
Caribou – 367 total; peak is fall 2022 with 31
Wawa – 342 total; peak is winter 2022 with 24
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf – 335 total; peak is fall 2022 with 28
LTOs Impact in 2024
What’s in a name? Gauging the effectiveness of the term “Refresher” with LTOs:
- 2014: there were only 3 menu items that featured the word “refresher”
- Use of that term has risen steadily since 2021
- In 2024 so far there have been 26 menu item launches that featured the word ‘refresher’
In 2024, there have been 463 non-alc beverage LTOs, new items and return items across all segments so far. Will you be next?
- 334 from Fast Casual and QSR
- 72 received Datassential’s highest ratings (“superstar rating” and “volume driver,) which indicate how appealing customers found the item.
Source: Datassential
Before you launch your LTO, you should have the following in place:
Buddy up with content creators now
It goes without saying that you need a strong social media strategy. Having a solid one in place, one where you already have a few content creators whom you’ve worked with, will allow you to quickly hit maximum exposure as soon as any new product launches.
Foster a culture of creativity and innovation
Innovation is really at the heart of everything we do here at Leahy. It’s embedded into our culture, and it gives our team the confidence to be as creative as they want to be in the work they do. It allows us to serve our customers better, and it keeps our team engaged in their work. Create that kind of atmosphere within your organization, and we think you’ll find it much easier to get those LTOs off the ground.
Get everyone involved
When we meet with big operators, it is often the case that the folks in the corporate office come to us with new ideas based on feedback they’ve gotten from those in their stores. Those folks come into daily contact with your target audience, and that means they have a unique perspective that those in your corporate office lack. Empower them to share their feedback and observations, giving them the means to do it as often as they want. You never know where the idea for the next blockbuster LTO will come from after all…
Create strategic partnerships
This brings us to our final point. The companies you work with—those who make your cups and supply your ice and make your beverages—need to be equally engaged in the innovation process as you are. When you work with Leahy, there will be an account team ready to serve you and to collaborate with your team on creating a delicious product. You’ll have people from Sales, Marketing, R&D, Account Management and Customer Service who are dedicated to your brand’s success.
We’re going to end with proudly tooting (nay, blaring) our own horn. We are sort of LTO gurus.
At Leahy-IFP, we are committed to making a more fruitful life for everyone. This is far more than a slogan or catch-phrase, it’s a serious pledge to take the steps that are necessary to ensure our products are the best they can be and live up to the high standards we set, and our customers expect.
If you’re interested in learning more about LTOs, just let us know, we’d be happy to discuss your beverage needs. We hope to hear from you soon.