Quoting Doona (Reply 12): I dont think we ever had Taco Bell in Poland

We had for a number of years, some under one roof with KFC and Pizza Hut.

Only teh two latter stayed though...

Regards,
LO231

Starbucks and coffee - there's an oxymoron!

[Edited 2006-05-03 14:29:43]

I've never tried Starbucks coffee, as I'm not a coffee drinker. I do like their chilled Frappuchinos they sell at the grocery store though

Coffee from the Quiktrip gas stations is much better than the swill served at Starbucks.

I see India is not on the list of countries they have invaded. I had heard rumors and such that they would be coming when I was there in late 2004. I guess they haven't yet.

Quoting DeltaGator (Reply 53): Coffee from the Quiktrip gas stations is much better than the swill served at Starbucks.

Almost the same here. Kwiktrip serves their own "Karuba" coffee, and from what I have heard, it's one of the best coffees to buy. I've bought their steamers, and those are really good. Oh, and it's all less than $1.

Quoting LO231 (Reply 50): Quoting Doona (Reply 12): I dont think we ever had Taco Bell in Poland We had for a number of years, some under one roof with KFC and Pizza Hut.

Funny, I never said that...  

Cheers
Mats

Quoting FOMEA (Reply 10): Surprised Egypt Is not on that list.

Quoting YOWza (Reply 16): I didn't know they were in Egypt already, I don't recall ever seeing one there...

Quoting YOWza (Reply 35): Sorry brain fart. But you're right I would have expected them to be in there by now.

There you go...



April 2006

Competition Brewing

Three Starbucks coffee shops are now hiring,but will LE 30 drinks fly off the espresso machine?

By Andrew Bossone

Infamous coffee chain Starbucks should be opening stores in Egypt by the end of the year, according to information obtained from a recruitment agency hiring retail employees in Alexandria, Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh reached after it placed an advertisement in Al-Waseet on Friday, March 24.

rest of article here:
http://www.businesstodayegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=6652


Horus

Iran is still safe!
Loads of upmarket coffee shops but no Starbucks.

Portugal is still in the Starbucks-free area of the world.

Though for me charging €4 for a cup of coffee is as much of a waste as charging €0.50... it is just caffeinated water people take out of habit.

none in Pakistan either!!

Quoting Doona (Reply 21): Sure, but that's your loss, man. We already have our own copy of Starbucks, Espresso House, which incidentally has a logo very similar to that of Starbucks... And they charge between �2.50 and �5 for a cup of coffee. Don't get me started on their sandwiches...

They have a Starbucks copycat in Germany called Balzac Coffee. Everything from the logo to the store architechture is copied. Although, they do have a Starbucks in Germany.

None in Brazil yet, but they have plans to open shops. They're still deciding wether to start of in São Paulo or Rio.

Starbucks is an extremely good company with excellent coffee that is very socially responsible. Just look at their website and look at the corporate social responsibility area. Impressive. It has an extremely high employee and customer satisfaction and is rated as one of the best companies to work for. That says something about the “dreaded invader” Starbucks.

Now for the coffee, they source some of the best beans from around the world and are recognized as a premier coffee buyer that pays above market prices in areas to help the local farmers. One of the best! In my opinion they have good coffee, just as in Italy. They use exclusively only the best arabica beans and I might add, arabica does not give the best crema on a shot of espresso, as a lot of Italian branded coffees do. The best Italian coffees have a mix of not only Arabica but also robusta beans blended together. This is used to make great espresso an not an Americano or a simple drip coffee. You need arabica beans for that. For example, Robusta alone (most coffees drank) is a not so good a coffee. At Starbucks you pay for quality, arabica beans, and a nice comfortable place to drink it. A shot of espresso in Italy I feel is a bit better because of the added robusta. But since Starbucks is about all types of good coffee (arabica) for different type of brewing they are better. Using robusta in a coffee press for example is horrible and no comparison to arabica.

Starbucks one day will be in Italy. Leave it to the Americans to take an Italian passion and make it better for millions around the world.

Here is a list of countries and markets around the world that Starbucks is in. Just this list shows that somebody is drinking their coffee and liking it! Those who complain about Starbucks are in the minority and are not so educated on coffee itself.

Thank you very much.


Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Bahrain
Canada
Chile
Cyprus
France
Germany
Greece
Hawaii
Hong Kong S.A.R.
Indonesia

Ireland
Japan
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Oman
People`s Republic of China (Beijing)
People`s Republic of China (Shanghai)
People`s Republic of China (Southern China)
Peru

Philippines
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States

Actually had a rather tasty starbucks coffee today 

Not cheap. Methinks they should have a customer loyalty card IE buy 5 get one free or something.

In new york... if you cant see a starbucks... they'll build one...

Quoting Kaddyuk (Reply 64): In new york... if you cant see a starbucks... they'll build one...

Same could be said about Subway & McDonald's too, at least in Manhattan anyway.

Adam

Quoting 787 (Reply 62): Those who complain about Starbucks are in the minority and are not so educated on coffee itself.

That's a very arrogant thing to say about people you don't know. Starbucks sells mediocre coffee, and they are only succefull in the countries where good coffee is too expensive (like the US or Japan) or in the countries with lack of any decent coffee culture. In many other places their success is being drawn from the American tourists and businessmen who simply don't know better but to rush to the nearest sign that they recognise.

Quoting LY7E7 (Reply 66): Starbucks sells mediocre coffee, and they are only succefull in the countries where good coffee is too expensive (like the US or Japan) or in the countries with lack of any decent coffee culture. In many other places their success is being drawn from the American tourists and businessmen who simply don't know better but to rush to the nearest sign that they recognise.

And that is not arrogant?

People have different tastes and so be it!

The best coffee I've ever tasted was in Hawaii, not only Kona coffee, but the Coffee I got on Kauai!

Which btw is in the US 

Boaz.

Quoting Windshear (Reply 67): And that is not arrogant? People have different tastes and so be it! The best coffee I've ever tasted was in Hawaii, not only Kona coffee, but the Coffee I got on Kauai! Which btw is in the US

How is it arrogant? I never said that there is no good coffee in the US, just that it is too expensive , hence Starbucks' success.

Here in Brisbane there are two I know of Myer Centre and Queens Plaza and they're only a few hundred metres apart too. I don't really drink coffee but they make and best hot chocolates I've ever tasted.



Jason

[Edited 2006-05-04 15:48:21]

Surprised that no one has mentioned the staple of New England caffeine junkies, Dunkin Donuts! It may be a bit "blue collar" compared to Starbucks, Cosi, etc. but I've been hooked on it since I was in h.s.

It's a bit frightening though, they're moving away from the traditional coffee with cream/sugar to "lattes" to compete with the burgeoning Starbucks presence in NH.

*** twitches, only had 2 cups so far today  

Quoting Scrappy74 (Reply 70): Surprised that no one has mentioned the staple of New England caffeine junkies, Dunkin Donuts! It may be a bit "blue collar" compared to Starbucks, Cosi, etc. but I've been hooked on it since I was in h.s. It's a bit frightening though, they're moving away from the traditional coffee with cream/sugar to "lattes" to compete with the burgeoning Starbucks presence in NH.

I find Dunkin Donuts to be better, but my venti bold with room for cream every morning at Starbucks rocks...

Quoting 787 (Reply 62):

787
Interesting to see the praise for Starbucks coming from an Italian person!

BTW, i was not aware that Robusta is added to make better crema, i thought that this was done just to mellow the flavor and/or reduce the costs. Being a coffee enthusiast myself, i have to disagree with you on Starbucks, however.
They may well be a good company to work for, but IMO they do not make good coffee. All of their coffees are dark roast, which is slightly bitter, while most coffees in Europe are medium roast. Using the dark roast allows Starbucks as well as many other coffee chains to mix the good beans with smaller more defective ones, therefore redusing the cost of production and maximising the profits.

IMO, the best coffee is medium roast, which does not compromise the release of full coffee flavour, while dark roast does and it makes it bitter as well.

No retail in Nicaragua. We only sell to them for other to consume...

MGA

Add South Africa to the list, they have one in Cape Town for the tourists.

Quoting EDKA (Reply 72): BTW, i was not aware that Robusta is added to make better crema, i thought that this was done just to mellow the flavor and/or reduce the costs.

I am not sure if it is the primary reason but an outcome of it is a better crema.

Quoting EDKA (Reply 72): Using the dark roast allows Starbucks as well as many other coffee chains to mix the good beans with smaller more defective ones, therefore redusing the cost of production and maximising the profits.

Explain smaller more defective ones? I believe that Starbucks does not do this unlike other larger coffee houses/distributors.

Quoting EDKA (Reply 72): IMO, the best coffee is medium roast, which does not compromise the release of full coffee flavour, while dark roast does and it makes it bitter as well.

No! Coffees full flavor potential is attained as the coffee roasts longer. Up to about 11 minutes or so. Do not equate bitter with a longer roasting process.

Quoting CXA330300 (Reply 74): Add South Africa to the list, they have one in Cape Town for the tourists.

Sorry, you are mistaken. There is no Starbucks in South Africa. There may be a coffee store that "sells" Starbucks coffee but there is no Starbucks in South Africa.

Quoting 787 (Reply 62):

Thank you for your well thought out post. I never thought I'd see a post in a Starbucks thread in here where someone actually looks past their personal opinions of our coffee to mention some of the things we do.... such as paying above market price for our coffee beans we get from our suppliers, so they can lead better lives and the communities they live in benefit.

In your list of countries of the world where Starbucks operates you skipped over a very large one.... China. As of the end of April there were more than 175 locations in mainland China. On that note... when Chinese President Hu visited the US recently his first stop was in Seattle. Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz attendend a luncheon with Hu and various business leaders, dignitaries and elected officals from Washington. President Hu made a toast at that lunch and said "if I were not serving in this office, I would prefer to go into one of the coffeeshops run by Starbucks." (I'm assuming he meant he'd rather be in one of our stores versus the room the luncheon was in, but you never know.....).

As to the original poster.... I disagree with the word "invaded." An invasion is generally an unwelcome event yes? If were were unwelcome... then why do 40 million people a week visit our stores? If we were unwelcome why is our busiest store in the world in Japan? Just food for thought....

Quoting 787 (Reply 62): Starbucks one day will be in Italy

I hope that when that day comes, Starbucks continues to exceed your expectations....

  

I love Starbucks... just had a caramel frap yesterday! Doha has 8 branches for Starbucks, and it is very successful here. It has heavy competition - Costa Coffee, the Coffee Beanary, Coffee Cottage, etc, but none are as successful as Starbucks.

I'm not complaining 

Quoting 787 (Reply 62):

Hmm, are you a major Starbucks share holder or (managerial) employee?

I wouldn't dispute their corporate social responsibility or the quality of the beans that they purchase, and I am familiar with the difference between robusta and arabica coffee beans. However its what they do with said beans that I find extremely unpalatable.

Starbucks has yet to find an opening in the Netherlands. We have here since the middle of the 17th century an extremely sophisticated coffee culture    and I doubt very much if they will ever get a foot in the door.

Robert

Quoting 787 (Reply 75): Explain smaller more defective ones? I believe that Starbucks does not do this unlike other larger coffee houses/distributors.

Basically, the bean that sometimes do not pass the quality control. This is not really a problem, because they are not bad beans, but they are smaller than normal, contain less flavour and higher acidity levels.

Quoting 787 (Reply 75): No! Coffees full flavor potential is attained as the coffee roasts longer. Up to about 11 minutes or so. Do not equate bitter with a longer roasting process.

I was talking about the level of roasting, rather than time. You can roast coffee slower or quicker, depending on temperature, but the key is the level of roasting. Ask you closest coffee shop or a cafe - they will most likely to use medium roast.

Look, Starbucks is the largest, most profitable and succesful coffee chain in the world. That means they are doing something right - they have a great business model, very agressive with expansion plans, and have a good selection of beverages and food. But many people (myself included) do not like their coffee, and there is a reason for this. For example, here in UK i have visited Starbucks many times, but i can probably count on one hand how many times i actually enjoyed their coffee. I work in London and i'm surrounded by many coffee shops and they all make better coffee than Starbucks. But then again, this is only my taste...

I have tasted some of the best coffee in Italy - so let hope that they won't make it there, it would be like visiting Paris or Rome and going to McDonalds for lunch.  

Quoting Cactus739 (Reply 76): you skipped over a very large one.... China

I listed it. Look again.  

Quoting RobertNL070 (Reply 78): Hmm, are you a major Starbucks share holder or (managerial) employee?

Shareholder. I am an investor and have an interested in good coffee.

Quoting RobertNL070 (Reply 78): Starbucks has yet to find an opening in the Netherlands.

Yes there are no stores yet. But they do have a major office there.


http://www.nfia.com/item.php?testimonialid=9

Quoting RobertNL070 (Reply 78): I doubt very much if they will ever get a foot in the door.

If they find a good business partner they will. So I would not be surprised if you see one very soon.

Quoting EDKA (Reply 79): Basically, the bean that sometimes do not pass the quality control. This is not really a problem, because they are not bad beans, but they are smaller than normal, contain less flavour and higher acidity levels.

I don't believe that to be true. Smaller beans? Peaberry is small but the flavor is big and concentrated. Acidity has to do with the bean type itself not size.

Quoting EDKA (Reply 79): For example, here in UK i have visited Starbucks many times, but i can probably count on one hand how many times i actually enjoyed their coffee.

What kind of coffee drink did you have? There are many types of drinks and types of the drip coffee from around the world.

Quoting EDKA (Reply 79): I work in London and i'm surrounded by many coffee shops and they all make better coffee than Starbucks. But then again, this is only my taste...

It is all a matter of taste no? Time here for a espresso doppio with a shot of grappa on the side maybe!!

Thank you very much.

[Edited 2006-05-06 20:37:45]

I was in Berlin on Wednesday... found my beloved Starbucks Chocolate Cheesecake at their place right near the Brandenburg Gate. Last time I'd had that was two and a half years ago, so why care about the tremendous amount of calories...   

But Starbucks for coffee? That would be like going to Exxon for vegetable oil. I like one of those caffeinated drinks every once in a while, which means months, but I don't drink it as coffee.

Quoting KLMCedric (Thread starter): I live in Belgium, one of the very few first world countries where Starbucks hasn't entered the market!

Well l don't know about you but I really wish I could drink an expensive cafe latte once in a while in my own country! Now have to go to either UK or Germany that is sad!

A bit off-topic but pret à manger doesn't seem to expand as much as Starbucks! Why is that? I miss their More than Mozarella sandwiches..

Quoting 787 (Reply 80): listed it. Look again

Wow....I totally missed that one..... it was about 3am and I was getting a little tired....oops  

  

Quoting Doona (Reply 12): Starbucks doesn't exist in Sweden yet, thank god!

What, what's wrong with it?

Quoting 787 (Reply 80): Yes there are no stores yet. But they do have a major office there. http://www.nfia.com/item.php?testimo...lid=9

Sorry, but this is not very convincing, if only because the link/testimonial is three years old. Does the "major office" still exist?

Quoting 787 (Reply 80): If they find a good business partner they will. So I would not be surprised if you see one very soon.

Indeed. One in Amsterdam to cater to tourists.

Robert

[Edited 2006-05-07 01:49:13]

Quoting RobertNL070 (Reply 85): One in Amsterdam to cater to tourists.

Tourists? Seems not.

http://www.petitiononline.com/strbcknl/petition.html

Those are rather Dutch sounding names. One day they will get their wish I am sure as Starbucks does indeed roast in Port Amsterdam. They just seem to need to find a suitable business partner to have then enter into a license agreement which seems to be their norm in new markets.

Thank you very much.

Quoting RobertNL070 (Reply 78): Starbucks has yet to find an opening in the Netherlands. We have here since the middle of the 17th century an extremely sophisticated coffee culture snooty

Courtesy of the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the worlds first global corporation.

Here is a drawing of their first employees on strike because they refused to wear those silly green aprons. 

Quoting 787 (Reply 86):

Still not inpressed. 299 signatures in one year (including the family and friends who help out)   

Robert

Quoting RobertNL070 (Reply 88): Still not inpressed.

I don't think that anyone is trying to impress you. Certainly not me, certainly not Starbucks. When Starbucks opens in the Netherlands (it's just a matter of time) you will be what then? Impressed? Angry? Threatened? An eventual customer? I assume you have been to one?

As a consumer you may not go. As other consumers, they will go in droves no doubt. Just like the other locations they have.


Also, we have the Dutch to thank as they are responsible for the first coffee blend, combining coffee from the southern Arabian peninsula with coffee that they stole and planted in Indonesia then exported back. Thus the famous Mocca Java blend.

Thank you very much.

Quoting 787 (Reply 89): Impressed? Angry? Threatened? An eventual customer?

Totally indifferent.

Robert

Quoting 787 (Reply 62): Starbucks is an extremely good company with excellent coffee that is very socially responsible

It is not excellent coffee, and they charge too much for it.

Im glad that in Colombia we have OMA and the Juan Valdez cafes, and Starbucks will never compete with those high prices and bad cofee, when the others have great cofee, pastry and accesories.

Juan Valdez Cafe, the store from the National Coffee Grower´s Federation, already has stores in Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Manizales, Pereira, Armenia, New York, Miami, Washington and Tokyo. New stores will open soon in London, Paris, Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Caracas.

Quoting RCS763AV (Reply 91): Juan Valdez Cafe, the store from the National Coffee Grower´s Federation, already has stores in Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Manizales, Pereira, Armenia, New York, Miami, Washington and Tokyo. New stores will open soon in London, Paris, Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Caracas.

Now this sounds better. And Amsterdam???

Robert

No Starbucks in Argentina. For propper coffee, I agree they suck. But a Caramel Machiato and one of their chocolate muffins from time to time, with a copy of the Sydney Morning Herald (you get it for 50c at Starbucks) on a sunny Saturday morning, just a few blocks away from the Opera House...

Damn, I wish I was in Sydney!  

Saludos,
Marambio

I doubt there are any Lithuanian Starbucks yet.

And, to paraphrase Stuart Mackenzie: They put an addictive chemical in their coffee that makes ya crave it fortnightly, smartarse!

Quoting RobertNL070 (Reply 92): Now this sounds better.

Sounds better or tastes better????????

You have never tried them and you already agree that it is better? How silly of one.

Quoting 787 (Reply 62): Those who complain about Starbucks are in the minority and are not so educated on coffee itself.

Allow me to say it again. It is very much correct.

Thank you very much.

Quoting SJUboeingGirl (Reply 94): Starbucks is invading Puerto Rico , there's one in almost every corner in SJU.

If there is one on every corner, there must be someone drinking it no? Sounds to me as though people want it. Supply and demand and perfect business sense.

My friends, what you have here is people who just don't like Starbucks because in their own mind it is unfashionable to say it. But what is fashionable when you have millions each week drinking their coffee? It's all laughable really when you think about people who stand up in oposition and wear their oposing view on their sleve as though it were "fashion" itself.

By the way, Starbucks opened 7 more stores today according to their website. With 20 more by the end of the week. Amazing company. You must give it that.

Thank you very much.

[Edited 2006-05-09 08:24:25]

Quoting 787 (Reply 96): Sounds better or tastes better???????? You have never tried them and you already agree that it is better? How silly of one

I wrote "sounds better". Please do not put words, or false conclusions in my mouth. Indeed, I have yet to taste Juan Valdez coffee, so I cannot comment on whether or not it does taste better. "How silly of one".

Having said that, it can't be any worse than the coffee that Starbucks serves. But that is my opinion, and if you have issues with that, well sort them out then. Because quite honestly I could not care what you think about me, or my opinions.

Regards, Robert

Quoting RobertNL070 (Reply 98): Indeed, I have yet to taste Juan Valdez coffee, so I cannot comment on whether or not it does taste better.

You never answered question I asked. Have you ever actually tried Starbucks coffee? Be truthful in your response.

Quoting RobertNL070 (Reply 90): Totally indifferent.

Robert, your responses say other wise. You have your opinion. But your opinion is based on what???? I doubt it's first hand knowledge of the actual coffee you tasted. More like what others say. Just one of the "fashionable" opinions I suppose.

You say it "sounds better". How so? Based on what? I don't get what you are trying to say, "sounds better"? In my opinion, I do not care what coffee "sounds" like though I do care what it tastes like. To me that is more important.

Thank you very much.

[Edited 2006-05-09 09:31:21]