Starbucks Coffee Company

Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 by three businessmen in Seattle, Washington who had a love for coffee and tea. It was important to them that the city of Seattle to have access their coffee.

The Starbucks Coffee Company grew slowly but by 1981 had 4 retail stores and a roasting plant that sold whole bean coffee in Seattle only.

By 1983 the marketing manager had a vision of re-creating the magic and romance behind the Italian coffee bar and wanted to test out the concept of selling espresso by the cup. When Starbucks Coffee opened its 6th store in downtown Seattle, the idea had become a hit. Within 2 months the new store was serving over 700 customers a day and it was selling 3 times more than the whole bean locations.

In 1987, the owners of Starbucks Coffee Company decided to sell their coffee business along with the name to a group of local investors for $3.7 million.

The new investors were told that they would open 125 Starbucks coffee stores in the next five years. Starting from a base of 17 stores in 1987, the company expanded rapidly to Vancouver, Portland and Chicago.

By 1991 Starbucks had expanded into the mail-order catalogue business, licensed airport stores and expanded further into the state of California.

In 1992 the company went public and after the initial public offering, Starbucks continued to grow at a phenomenal pace that no one had ever seen in the coffee world before. By 1997 the number of Starbucks Coffee stores grew tenfold, with locations in the US, Japan and Singapore.

Starbucks initiated several successful product and brand extensions including offering coffee on United Airlines flights. They also began selling premium teas through its Tazo Tea Company and offering people the option to purchase starbucks coffee online to enjoy at home.

They began distributing whole bean and ground coffee to supermarkets through an agreement with Kraft Foods. They also produced premium coffee ice cream with Dreyers. Starbucks even sold CDs in its retail stores.

Starbucks began turning its name into a household word not through advertising but through word of mouth. In fiscal 2004, Starbucks opened a record 1,344 stores worldwide. The once small regional roaster, Starbucks Coffee Company, now has more than 9,000 locations in 34 countries serving over 20 million customers a week.

Copyright ? 2005 Perfect Coffees.com. All Rights Reserved.

This article is supplied by http://www.perfectcoffees.com where you can purchase starbucks coffee online, tea, cups, mugs, coffee makers, delicious desserts and sugar free desserts online. For a free monthly coffee newsletter with articles like these go to: http://www.perfectcoffees.com/newsletter.html

In The News:

---

What Makes Hawaiian Coffee So Special?

Coffee was first introduced to the Islands by Chief Boki, the Governor of Oahu, in 1825. He acquired coffee plants in Rio de Janeiro while aboard a British warship, the H.M.S. Blonde. These... Read More

Why Your Cup of Coffee in the Morning May Keep You Up All Night

One of the most common complaints among coffee drinkers is that the caffeine can disturb their sleep. This result has been known for thousands of years and is, in fact, one of the... Read More

Your Kitchen Wants to be Sexy - Top 5 Snazzy, Sexy Coffee Makers that are Sensational

When it comes to coffee makers there are thousands to choose from. Among these thousands there are differences in price, functionality, warranty and style. Sure, you can go to the closest big box... Read More

Coffee For Your Health

Many of us rely on coffee to get us going in the mornings, wake us up in the afternoons, and prepare us for that special business meeting. Go ahead, have a cup of... Read More

Coffee Bean Roaster

The coffee bean roaster is fast becoming a "must have" in today's kitchens. The flavor and freshness of coffee is at its best when it is roasted in small batches at home.Roasted coffee... Read More

Gano Coffee - Can Coffee Be Good For You?

Coffee, in all sorts, could be a "pick me up drink " or a " real downer-down the shaft-drink" depending on how the person is affected by it. But, do you know that... Read More

Italian Coffee - Something For Everyone

Espresso, caff? latte, cappuccino; there would seem to be as many types of Italian coffee as there are pastas. And just like pasta, Italian coffees are an art form accompanied by hundreds of... Read More

Coffee Grinders Jumpstart Your Java

All the experts agree. People who want the best flavor in their coffee use coffee grinders. Coffee grinders work so well because they unleash the bean oils and aromas right before you make... Read More

Caffeine & Low Birth Weight Babies

These studies begin to point the way to the more permanent damage that coffee drinking can inflict on the unborn. The use of caffeine during pregnancy has been widely studied. There is much... Read More

Does Your Morning Coffee Cause You Pain or Discomfort?

Does your morning coffee cause you pain? Are you frustrated when a night out dining with friends ends in discomfort instead of relaxed conversation? Do you carry antacids with you every day?Heartburn is... Read More

The Coffee Culture in the USA

It wasn't until I moved to the US that I started drinking coffee regularly and became what they call in the Netherlands a 'koffieleut', which translates literally into 'coffee socialite.' Although the average... Read More

History of Instant Coffee

Mention instant coffee to any connoisseur and you are sure to get a frown of disgust. Yet, who among us hasn't, after finding the coffee tin empty, scoured the cupboard in desperation with... Read More

Choosing A Coffee Maker - Tips On Finding The Right Features

Choosing a good coffee maker is not a decision to be taken for granted. If you are going to spend money on your favorite coffee, you will want to make sure the coffee... Read More

Coffee in America

American coffee? Technically there is no such thing, at least none that is grown in North America. There is such a thing as the American coffee consumer which might as well be an... Read More

The Great Bean Mystery - Find the World?s Best Coffee

Who doesn't love solving a good mystery? Is the Loch Ness monster real? Who built Stonehenge? Does Big Foot really exist? What is the world's best coffee? While you may need to be... Read More

Brazilian Coffee

Adultery, deceit and politics, all the makings of a modern-day best-seller, yet this story is over 250 years old and what ultimately led to brazilian coffee. In 1727 a Brazilian official named Francisco... Read More

Coffee is a commodity

At Starbucks they obviously need coffee. To insure that they get the coffee at a good price, Starbucks has chosen to buy the coffee fields, rather than pay an advanced contract price for... Read More

Coffee and Depression: Coffee as an Antidepressant?

When you grab that morning cup of java, you're probably not thinking of it as an antidepressant. You're just trying to get that morning pick me up to get your day going.However, recent... Read More

Arabica Coffee Beans Are Pricey Yet Priceless!

Arabica coffee beans are known for a better-flavored coffee. There are two main species of coffee beans that are grown for sale: Robusta and Arabica. Gourmet coffee houses serve the smooth and very... Read More

Kenya Coffee History

In Kenya coffee production dates back several hundred years. Coffee was originally discovered in Ethiopia, Kenya's neighbor to the north. Unfortunately, just as in other coffee growing regions of the world, the coffee... Read More

Portrait of a Barista

The barista is the Italian word for the skilled person who prepares coffee (ultimately espresso) in a coffee house.What would you want your barista to be like?This is not a trick question. The... Read More

Arabica Coffee

As you may have guessed, Arabica coffee gets its name from Arabia, the land of kings. When it comes to coffee, Arabica is definitely king. As legend has it, a goat herd named... Read More

Pure Kona Coffee

Pure Kona Coffee is gourmet coffee grown only on the Island of Hawaii. It is grown on the dark volcanic lava rock slopes of Kona which is located on the west side of... Read More

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Coffee Consumption

Coffee is heavily studied, but study results contradict one another. If science says that it is bad for you today, wait a day or two and another study will be published claiming the... Read More

A Coffee Roaster For All Occasions

Coffee roasters and those who roast, brew and serve the ultimate cup of coffee are now esteemed professionals within the social fabric of our community at large. A good coffee roaster is a... Read More

Mocha Coffee: Learn About the Source and Try Our Recipes for Making Great Mochas

Depending on how we look at it, mocha coffee may be the tall drink made of coffee, cocoa and milk, often served with cream or, on the other hand mocha coffee may refer... Read More

6 Delicious Coffee Recipes

Do you love coffee? Most of us do. In this article we will provide you with 6 recipes to enjoy your coffee a different way. We hope you enjoy it.Irish Coffee1 teapsoon of... Read More

Coffee Is A Historic Beverage, And It Makes For A Great Gift

Ahhhhh, coffee... a fantastic dark beverage that wakes us up in the morning. For some of us, it keeps us up during the day, or for late night study sessions. We drink it... Read More

Coffee Storage Myths; Freeze Your Fresh Roasted Coffee & Other Popular Misconceptions

So you are finally fed up with that bland black liquid, you once called coffee, brewed from the finest can of generic supermarket grinds. You are financially outraged at the price of a... Read More