What do you do when you’ve already converted everyone who could be a coffee drinker into a coffee drinker? For Starbucks, the answer is to sell them fancier coffee. They've just added hipster favourite, the Flat White to their US menu.

The Australian coffee shop industry is valued at over $4 billion, and independents account for 95% of all outlets - but the data-driven deals and promotions that big chains can offer pose a threat. Can digital loyalty scheme Rewardle give small coffee shop owners an advantage?

Drinking coffee is practically a sport in the US. Everyone has their favourite team – whether it's Starbucks or an independent coffee shop – and a preferred technique, from a 'Kyoto Dripper' or a 'Neapolitan Flip'. And artisanal operations are tapping into the interest by offering coffee classes.

A ‘cup of Joe’ has become a staple in the American diet. At one end of the market Starbucks has made a name for itself selling flavoured coffees, and at the other end ‘gourmet’ coffee has become a daily choice for 34% of Americans. But can rare brews and a theatrical experience convince customers that Starbucks is now a contender in the ‘premium’ coffee market?