Why did Dunkin’ stop using hazelnuts? (all you must know)
Over the years, Hazelnut Swirl and Hazelnut Coffee have grown in popularity by leaps and bounds, becoming the favorite drink of customers in Dunkin’ Donuts stores around the world.
However, the fast-food chain announced it would stop selling the drinks at its global locations. So why did Dunkin’ stop using hazelnuts? I did extensive research on this and this is what I found!
Why is Dunkin’ discontinuing hazelnut production in 2022?
Dunkin’ Donuts discontinues hazelnuts to revive some of the best flavors of the past, with new flavors coming in 2022. Dunkin’ discontinued hazelnut-flavored beverages due to supply chain issues with hazelnut syrup. Dunkin’ Donuts still offers hazelnut-flavored drinks; just ask the barista to add hazelnut liqueur to your favorite Dunkin’ drink.
Keep scrolling to learn more about why Dunkin’ Donuts chose to discontinue their Hazelnut Swirl and Hazelnut Coffee drinks!
Why did Dunkin’ stop the hazelnut swirl?
Dunkin’ Donuts discontinued Hazelnut Swirl to revive other goodies from the past and introduce new flavors.
That being said, restaurant franchises have a habit of weighing good flavors when it wants to resurrect the best flavors of the past and introduce new ones.
For example, American multinational coffee and doughnut companies sometimes switch to caramel flavors on their menus.
Unfortunately, one unexpected drink was Dunkin’ Donuts Hazelnut Swirl, despite its popularity among Dunkin’ patrons.
The Hazelnut Swirl was in turn replaced by a new drink called Dunkin’ Shamrock Machiatto, which was served with green milk and served chilled or cold.
Still, other Dunkin’ drinks that benefited from the discontinuation of Hazelnut Swirl include Signature Salted Caramel Latte and Caramel Sweet Cream Cold Brew.
On the other hand, menu items joining the fast-food restaurant’s discontinued list include Brown Sugar Cookie Syrup, Mini Pancakes, Stoopwafel Donut and Brownie Batter Donut.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that Dunkin’ Donuts replaced Hazelnut Swirl to create faster, more accurate service and a more consistent customer experience.
According to Dunkin’, the company conducted extensive research and its customers said its menu was confusing and complicated.
To address this, Dunkin’ discontinued the Hazelnut Swirl and kept the Hazelnut Flavor Shot to make its service more efficient and its menu simpler.
Why did Dunkin’ stop using hazelnut coffee?
Dunkin’ Donuts discontinued hazelnut coffee from its menu as the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated widespread supply chain issues.
These supply chain issues, in turn, have led to shortages of the basic ingredients used to make popular beverages in the fast food chain.
Plus, hazelnut syrup, an ingredient that’s hard to come by in the multinational’s stores, can be used to make a fan-favorite drink.
As a result, hazelnut syrup, an important ingredient in Dunkin’ Hazelnut coffee, became unavailable, leading to the discontinuation of the drink.
In addition to hazelnut syrup, other important ingredients that have seen demand drop due to the increased disruptions from the pandemic include toffee nut syrup, green tea, chai tea bags, honey and caramel.
The good news, however, is that Dunkin’ Donuts hasn’t ruled out a future return of the fan-favorite drink to its menu.
So Dunkin’ Hazelnut Coffee has the potential to make a comeback once the supply chain issues are resolved and the pandemic will be a distant memory.
Interestingly, enthusiastic Dunkin’ customers are signing an online petition to persuade the multinational coffee and doughnut company to reconsider stopping hazelnut coffee on its menu.
Has Dunkin’ Donuts Stopped Hazelnut Shots?
No, Dunkin’ Donuts didn’t stop hazelnut-flavored shots.
Instead, the multinational fast-food chain isn’t planning to do away with the Hazelnut Flavor Shot to offer its Hazelnut fans an option they can count on.
So, while Dunkin’ Hazelnut Shot is dairy-free and unsweetened, unlike Dunkin’ Hazelnut Coffee and Swirl, it’s an ideal substitute for both because of its hazelnut flavor.
So if you’re a big fan of hazelnut coffee and miss the hazelnut experience, you can order Mocha Swirl with two hazelnuts at your local Dunkin’ store.
Also, it’s important to note that the restaurant chain isn’t cutting back on its selection of breakfast sandwiches and most coffees and doughnuts on its menu.
So you can still start the day with a glass of your favorite Dunkin’ drink and Munchkin at your local store.
However, if your Dunkin’ morning ritual involves ordering specific curated menu items, it’s ideal to check to see if they’ve been discontinued.
To learn more, you can also read our post on Dunkin’ Coffee’s Matcha Latte Dunkin’ and what caramel Dunkin’ uses.
in conclusion
Dunkin’ Donuts discontinued the hazelnut-flavored drink to revive past flavors and introduce new flavors to its menu.
However, while changing a fan’s favorite drink might make business sense for a fast food restaurant, it can make you sad if you’re an avid hazelnut fan.
Still, the benefit of Dunkin’ menu change is that it allows you to do menu discovery you wouldn’t otherwise experience.
