Why Did Dunkin’ Discontinue Hazelnut? (All You Need To Know)

Over the years, Hazelnut Swirl and Hazelnut coffee’s popularity have grown in bounds and leaps to become customers’ favorite beverages at Dunkin’ Donuts stores worldwide.

However, the quick-service restaurant chain announced the discontinuation of the drinks in its outlets worldwide. So, why did Dunkin’ discontinue hazelnut? I did extensive research about this, and this is what I discovered!

Why Did Dunkin’ Discontinue Hazelnut In [currentyear]?

Dunkin’ Donuts discontinued hazelnut to resurrect some of the best flavors of the past and introduce new ones in [currentyear]. Dunkin’ discontinued the hazelnut flavored drinks due to supply chain issues with hazelnut syrup. Dunkin’ Donuts still offers Hazelnut Flavor Shot; simply ask the barista to add hazelnut shots to your favorite Dunkin’ beverage.

Keep scrolling to find out more about why Dunkin’ Donuts opted to discontinue its Hazelnut Swirl and Hazelnut coffee drinks!

Why Did Dunkin’ Discontinue Hazelnut Swirl?

Dunkin’ Donuts discontinued its Hazelnut Swirl to resurrect other great flavors of the past and introduce new flavors.

That said, the restaurant franchise has a habit of trading off great flavors when it wants to resurrect the past’s best flavors and introduce new ones.

For instance, the American multinational coffee and donuts company sometimes shifts to caramel flavors on its menus. 

Unfortunately, one casualty drink was the Dunkin’ Donuts Hazelnut Swirl, despite being a popular drink among Dunkin’ customers.

Hazelnut Swirl was, in turn, replaced by a new drink dubbed Dunkin’ Shamrock Machiatto, which is served with green milk and which is served iced or cold.

Still, other Dunkin’ beverages that benefitted from Hazelnut Swirl discontinuation include the Signature Salted Caramel Latte and Caramel Sweet Cream Cold Brew.

On the other hand, menu items that joined the discontinuation list at the quick-service restaurant include Brown Sugar Cookie Syrup, Pancake Minis, Stoopwafel Donut, and Brownie Batter Donut. 

Also, it’s worth noting that Dunkin’ Donuts replaced its Hazelnut Swirl to create faster and more accurate services and a more consistent customer experience.

According to Dunkin’, the company conducted extensive research where its customers said its menu was confusing and complex.

To arrest the issue, Dunkin’ discontinued Hazelnut Swirl and retained Hazelnut Flavor Shot to make its services more efficient and its menu more straightforward. 

Why Did Dunkin’ Discontinue Hazelnut Coffee?

Why Did Dunkin’ Discontinue Hazelnut Coffee?

Dunkin’ Donuts discontinued Hazelnut coffee on its menus due to widespread supply chain issues aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

These supply chain issues, in turn, contributed to the shortage of essential ingredients used to make popular beverages in the fast-food chain.

Further, Hazelnut syrup is one ingredient that the multinational company’s stores found hard to get to make its fan-favorite drinks.

Consequently, the unavailability of hazelnut syrup, an essential ingredient in making Dunkin’ Hazelnut coffee, led to the discontinuation of the drink.

Besides Hazelnut syrup, other vital ingredients that fell out of demand due to the hiatus aggravated by the pandemic include toffee nut syrup, green iced tea, chai tea bags, honey, and caramel.

However, the good thing is that Dunkin’ Donuts has not yet ruled out the fan-favorite drink making a comeback in its menus in the future. 

Thus, the chances are that Dunkin’ Hazelnut coffee might make a comeback once the supply chain issues are ironed out and when the pandemic will be a distant memory.

Interestingly, ardent Dunkin’ customers are signing a petition online to convince the multinational coffee and donuts company to reconsider discontinuing Hazelnut coffee on its menus.

Did Dunkin’ Donuts Discontinue Hazelnut Flavor Shot?

No, Dunkin’ Donuts did not discontinue Hazelnut Flavor Shot.

Instead, the multinational quick-service restaurant chain doesn’t intend to do away with the Hazelnut Flavor Shot to offer its Hazelnut fans an option to lean on. 

So, while Dunkin’ Hazelnut Shot is non-dairy and unsweetened, unlike Dunkin’ Hazelnut coffee and Swirl, it’s an ideal substitute for the two drinks since it contains hazelnut flavor.

Thus, if you are a diehard Hazelnut coffee fan and miss the Hazelnut experience, you can order the Mocha Swirl with two shots of Hazelnut at your local Dunkin’ store.

Also, it would be ideal to note that the restaurant chain didn’t slash select breakfast sandwiches and most coffee and donuts from its menus.

Thus, you can still start your day by enjoying a cup of your favorite Dunkin’ beverage and a Munchkin at your local store.

However, if your Dunkin’ morning ritual involves ordering a specific select menu item, it would be ideal for checking whether they have been discontinued.

To learn more, you can also read our posts on matcha latte Dunkin’, who makes Dunkin’ coffee, and what caramel does Dunkin’ use.

Conclusion 

Dunkin’ Donuts discontinued its Hazelnut flavored beverages to resurrect past flavors and introduce new flavors on its menus.

However, while the switch up of the fan-favorite drink may make business sense for the quick-service restaurant, it can leave you feeling sad if you’re an ardent Hazelnut fan.

Still, the good thing with the Dunkin’ menu change is that it allows you to make menu discoveries that you wouldn’t otherwise experience.

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Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

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