Is Black Sheep Coffee Taking Over Starbucks?

Starbucks has been the go to coffee shop ever since its arrival in the UK in 1998. Its extensive menu of American style drinks, quick service and aesthetic cups ensures that it caters for a wide range of tastes, offering something for everyone. Their biggest rivalry used to be costa coffee however there is a new competitor on the grid... Black Sheep Coffee.

Who Are Black Sheep Coffee?

Almost overnight, it feels as though black sheep coffee have opened on every corner of every street. It's hard to believe there's only 4 in Glasgow as their stores seem to be everywhere! If you haven't already heard or seen them, Black Sheep Coffee are a rapidly growing coffee chain that made a big splash in 2023 by opening over 50 locations across the UK.

Named after their idea of 'going against' the everyday coffee trends, Black Sheep embodies their motto, 'leave the herd behind', encouraging people to break away from the ordinary and try something new. In other words, to stop being a sheep!

How is Black Sheep Competing with Starbucks?

Student Deals - Black sheep coffee know how to keep their students happy. On Mondays they offer students with a hard to resist £2 selected drinks (that's more than 50% off the regular price). 

Loyalty schemes - They also offer 20% off all drinks all week! On top of all of that, they have their loyalty rewards scheme where customers can collect points in exchange for rewards. Although Starbucks also have a great rewards system, they don't offer any discount for students during the week.

Range of Unique Drinks - Black sheep has a 'Lions Mane' latte which has an added 'focus mushroom' blend, proven to boost cognitive function, mental clarity and memory recall. They also have a range of smoothies, which Starbucks don't offer. 

Alcoholic Drinks - Black sheep further differentiates itself from Starbucks through its range of alcoholic drinks. They offer a small range of cocktails including espresso martinis and a range of liquors that can be added to customers drinks. Coming up to winter, who doesn't love a baileys hot chocolate?

Food menu - Black sheep are really stepping up the coffee shop game with their food menu. I think the most surprising thing on the menu was that they have açai bowls. They also offer hot freshly made waffles and a range of freshly prepared sandwiches and bagels. Although Starbucks also has a very large food menu, I think Black sheep Coffee is more targeted towards their UK customer preferences by including items such as a salmon bagel and carrot cake. 

Speciality Coffee Beans - Its no surprise their coffee tastes great as Black Sheep coffee use speciality grade coffee. This means that Black sheep coffee meets the highest quality standards in coffee beans.

The Verdict 

Black Sheep Coffee have definitely made some noise in the coffee scene and are emerging as a strong competitor for Starbucks. Black Sheeps focus on high-quality, ethically sourced coffee has made it an appealing choice for many people. I think for now Starbucks will always be that one step ahead thanks to their loyal customer base however in my opinion black sheep coffee have surpassed them in terms of coffee quality. If you had the option between Black Sheep and Starbucks which would you go for? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!