Dunkin' Donuts: Coffee lovers won't pay more for cup

Dunkin' Donuts coffee drinkers can rest assured: There are no plans to raise in-store coffee prices despite J.M. Smucker Co.'s recent packaged-coffee price hike, according to a Dunkin' Donuts spokesman.

While bags and cans of coffee sold in grocery stores, warehouse clubs and drugstores will cost more, Dunkin' Brands Inc. spokesman Andrew Mastrangelo said in a statement, cups of coffee sold in its stores are not expected to be affected.

The confusion arose earlier this week when Smucker - which has no corporate ties to Dunkin' Brands - listed Dunkin' Donuts packaged beans and ground coffee as part of a retail price increase announcement. The 9 percent hike also included its Folgers and Millstone brands.

"While we are aware of J.M. Smucker Company's recent price increase, it will not impact the cost of coffee in our restaurants," Mastrangelo said. "Smucker's is not the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts. We have a licensing agreement with them for our package coffee in supermarkets."

Dunkin' Donuts restaurants are independently owned and operated by franchisees who make their own pricing decisions, Mastrangelo said.

Store managers contacted by Newsday Friday said they do not expect to raise drink prices, since the increase does not affect their coffee.

"As far as I'm aware of, there's no plans to raise anything," said Charles Kopf, the general manager of the Dunkin' Donuts on Broadhollow Road in Melville.

In the past 18 months, the store has raised a medium-sized cup of coffee by only 4 cents, Kopf said.

At the Larkfield Road store in Northport, manager James Michaels said no price increases are scheduled in the near future. "I've received no memos that the price will increase," he said.