Everything is bigger in Texas, including orders at Starbucks
If you have visited Starbucks for your coffee then you are probably aware that their drinks come in a variety of sizes. The regular trifecta of tall, grande and venti – or small, medium and large in the English parlance – are plastered around menu-boards and are the most commonly known sizes. However if you are willing to go off the beaten track and enter the world of secret handshakes and ‘off menu’ orders, then you can request a couple more sizes such as the short (or very small) and the bladder busting 31oz trenta.
Well, just when you thought things couldn’t get any bigger this 128oz monster blows everything out of the water, and is apparently available for $55.
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Indian court allows Starbucks’ syrups a safe passage
It turns out that Starbucks’ Indian operations were left short of syrup after a consignment, shipped over from the United States, had been blocked by the local authorities for breaching potentially breaching minimum requirements set out under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations imposed in 2011.
However the high court in Bombay overturned the original decision and has since directed the customs department based at the port of Nhava Sheva to release the items. The shipment had been contained in isolation since February.
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Starbucks to pause purchases as coffee prices rise
It seems even Starbucks are not immune from the spiralling coffee prices out of Brazil.
The worst drought that Brazil has been subject to in the past half century has left coffee prices rising and rising. Just last week downgraded output predictions from Volcafe, a global merchant, sent the cost of a bag of coffee shooting upwards, stabilising at $2.08 per lb which represented a 6% increase. In some cases, coffee verged on approaching $2.15 per lb, the highest price in more than two years.
That news has seen Starbucks, the largest coffee company in the world, take a coffee break and hold back purchases.
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Starbucks release Q2 report; profits climb as sales increase
Starbucks posted higher earnings for the second fiscal quarter as customers across the world showed no sign of limiting their daily spend on speciality coffees, other hot drinks and baked goods.
Globally, same-store sales grew 6% which came in above the predicted figure of 5.4% gain that city analysts had been predicting.
However this positive news coming out of Seattle masked the dip that was occurring in the United Kingdom where sales for the year to September 29 came in at £399m, a decline of 3.4% when compared to the previous period. A pre-tax loss of £20.4m was also recorded.
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Tata Starbucks, taking on the Indian coffee market
India is a highly attractive battleground for the major players in the coffee industry. Over the past couple of months we have looked into how chains are doing amidst increased competition. Some historic names are doing well, others are not.
The attractiveness of the country for retailers is plain to see: With an emerging and expanding economy and a vast population, money is to be made. However the coffee business in India offers different challenges to those that are traditionally found in the West.
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Starbucks to move their European HQ to London
It was announced earlier on that Starbucks will be moving their European headquarters to the United Kingdom.
The global coffee giant currently has its European base in the Netherlands, but they will make the transition over to London in the coming months, claiming that they want to be closer to the UK.
Great Britain is Starbucks largest market in Europe, though the decision will invariably cast glances back to the recent scandal that engulfed the company when it transpired that they were utilising complicated arrangements in order to drastically reduce its tax bill.
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Starbucks coffee served with satanic symbols
“I am in no way judging his beliefs or dis-meriting his beautiful artwork, I am however judging his lack of professionalism and respect for others.” Megan Pinion wrote on a Facebook message that was posted on Starbucks’ official page.
The woman informed the coffee chain about the symbols that were etched onto coffee and since, the post, and story, has gone somewhat viral.
The barista in question – who hasn’t been named thus far – opted to personalise her order with a couple of satanic symbols, leaving the pentagram and the number of the beast clearly visible. Upon seeing the work she was appalled, prompting her to take social media action.
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Could Starbucks be your local?
The war over breakfast may be raging but Starbucks are planning on duking it out on two fronts as they attempt to exploit their brand identity in order to grab a slice of the ‘evening’ market.
Many people start their day being lured into purchasing a coffee by the green siren and now she will be calling as the sun begins to set, attracting patrons towards Starbucks outlets.
The famous chain has already been selling alcohol and their light bites menu in a small number of stores in strategic locations across America. Seattle, unsurprisingly, was the city that led the way and then, a couple of years later, outlets in Chicago, Southern California and Atlanta followed suit bring the total to around twenty-five stores trialling this initiative.
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Dumb Starbucks: Parody, pop-up and popular
There is a new coffee shop on the block and it already has become a social media phenomenon. Here is a passage from the much studied FAQ:
Is this a Starbucks?
No. Dumb Starbucks is not affiliated in any way with Starbucks Corporation. We are simply using their name and logo for marketing purposes.
How is that legal?
Short answer – parody law.
And so the FAQ of Dumb Starbucks begins. How long it remains that way is another question entirely and one that is very likely to be discussed debated and decided upon in the courts.
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CCD aims to keep the market share amidst global interest
The India International Coffee Festival (IICF) is in full swing at the moment so the time is ripe to keep an eye trained on what is happening in the Indian coffee market at the moment. With their developing economy and burgeoning status in the world on a financial level, the South Asian country is one that many a company wants to secure business in. With it being the second most populous nation in the world, it is somewhere that will prove to be a very valuable location for investors in the coming years.
…continue reading CCD aims to keep the market share amidst global interest