Mr. Coffee—Not

Dunkin’s ultimate weapon: a high-tech, idiotproof espresso machine for every store. Price tag: just under $12,000


NEWSWEEK

Sept. 29 issue — Seb Agapite doesn’t fancy himself a barista, nor is he looking to hire one. But inside Dunkin’ Donuts’ product-development center in Braintree, Mass., Agapite stands before a high-tech machine that will let his stores sell high-margin espressos and cappuccinos. Behold the Shaerer Ambiente, an $11,800 “super-automated” espresso machine that Dunkin’ Donuts has begun installing in every one of its stores. To demonstrate its magic, Agapite pushes some buttons and 45 seconds later hands NEWSWEEK a latte. “I waited in line eight minutes at Starbucks for a similar product,” Agapite boasts.

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