YumSugar

Starbucks To-Go Cold Cup Tumbler: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:00:59 -0700

Even before my afternoon stint as a barista, I was an enthusiastic fan of Starbucks. I go there on an almost daily basis, and often bring in my reusable Starbucks "to go" tumbler. When I first bought it, I had the manager at my local store use a Sharpie to scribble shorthand for my regular order on the side (genius!).

This Summer, Starbucks developed an even edgier tumbler for the warm weather: a cold to-go cup, complete with green straw, constructed in clear lucite. It sold out almost immediately, and is now being sold on eBay for as much as $50 a pop. What do you think of it: impractical or brilliant?

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VIA Instant Coffee to Arrive in Starbucks Stores Nationwide

YumSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:50:33 -0700

If you're a frequent or occasional instant coffee drinker, look out for a new kind of brew coming to a store near you. On Sept. 29, Starbucks will be rolling out its much-discussed instant coffee, VIA, in stores across the US and Canada.

When VIA Ready Brew was first introduced back in March, the insta-packets were only available in limited markets: Seattle, Chicago, London, and online. “Consumers have quickly adopted our instant coffee as their coffee while on the go,” CEO Howard Schultz said in a statement. “We were overwhelmed and humbled by the positive response from our customers and partners after tasting Starbucks VIA."

Unsurprisingly, Starbucks is not only marketing VIA as coffee on-the-go, but also as a creative element in the kitchen, playing a part in recipes from coffee sodas to cupcakes. Starbucks fans, do tell: Will you try out VIA once it hits your side of town?

My Afternoon as a Starbucks Barista

YumSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:10:52 -0700

Chaotic as things may appear behind a Starbucks counter, every drink is made custom and to order in a systematic, organized way. I know this because I spent an afternoon as a Starbucks barista. Laurel Village Starbucks store manager Deanna Barbagiovvanni put me to work yesterday behind the espresso machines.

The trickiest part of being a barista is deciphering the code on the side of a Starbucks cup. It was like trying to read an unknown foreign language. "That's a nonfat, two-pump white mocha," Deanna said, reaching for espresso shots, as I stood there, still trying to make sense of the notations. Customers rarely place orders for standard drinks, she explained: "One girl comes in every day and orders a venti Coffee Frappuccino with a grande scoop of ice, double blended, with light whip and just a little chocolate drizzle." Find out what else I learned and check out a video of me as barista when you read more

Christian Siriano to Collaborate With Starbucks

YumSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:30:43 -0700

Starbucks' free pastry promotion may be over - but the coffee chain's slated to announce even more exciting news.

New York magazine reports that Project Runway winner Christian Siriano has plans to unveil a partnership with Starbucks for the upcoming holiday season.

Because further details about the collaboration have not yet been released - and news organizations have been barred from reporting them until Nov. 17 - we're left with nothing to work with but a wild imagination. Are fierce uniforms with avante-garde shoulders on the Starbucks horizon? Stay tuned.

Are you a fan of Christian Siriano's designs? Do you find the partnership to be a unique opportunity, or an odd match?

Starbucks to Give Away Gratis Pastries Tomorrow

YumSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:00:12 -0700

Last month, Starbucks completely overhauled its food menu, to focus on all-natural ingredients, and now, the company wants you to try them for free.

From opening until 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, print or show this flyer on your mobile device at any participating US location, and you'll get a free pastry of your choice with the purchase of a beverage.

The offer is only while supplies last, so run to your nearest Starbucks (which, most likely, isn't too far). I already know I'll be requesting a morning bun to go with my regular coffee. What will you be getting?

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Starbucks Renames Several Stores

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:37:46 -0700

This year alone, Starbucks has put its name on everything from instant coffee to super-premium ice cream, so it comes as a surprise that the corporate coffee titan is now moving to get rid of its name. The Seattle Times reports that the company is conducting a test to remove its ubiquitous name and mermaid logo from at least three of its Seattle stores and replace it with new names that emphasize the coffeehouses' surrounding neighborhoods. The first test location is slated to reopen next week bearing the new name 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea. The Starbucks corporate logo will be absent from the company's coffee and products and rebranded with the 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea name. To add to the classic coffeehouse vibe, the store will feature live music and poetry readings, a manual espresso machine, and wine and beer options.

The pilot comes at a time when large casual chains - including Starbucks - are suffering from sluggish sales and slower foot traffic. If the name change proves successful, the company may test this out in other markets. I find this step for Starbucks to be somewhat bizarre - but perhaps it's a measure that will ultimately pay off. What do you think of the move?

Source: Flickr User jimg944

Starbucks Focuses on Healthy Menu Items

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:30:13 -0700

At the beginning of the month, Starbucks announced it would be rolling out a new "Real Food. Simply Delicious" campaign on June 30 to highlight its focus on all-natural ingredients. Starbucks has reformulated 90 percent of its baked goods to make them free of high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, food coloring, and some preservatives. It has also added menu items today: the Strawberry-Banana Vivanno, Blueberry-Oat Bars, Banana-Walnut Bread, and two lunch salads, the Classic Salad and a Farmers Market Salad. To learn more about what you'll find at Starbucks keep reading

One Million Customers Double-Charged at Starbucks

YumSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:00:18 -0700

Starbucks recently lowered some prices on its drink menu, but now the chain is making headlines for just the opposite - double-charging customers for their purchases. On Friday, May 22, and half of Saturday, May 23, the coffee chain unknowingly double-charged a million customers in 7,000 stores for their debit and credit card purchases. Starbucks explained that most of its customers never noticed the "settlement processing error" - although consumers' receipts indicated the correct amount had been deducted, later twice that figure was taken out of the buyers' accounts when stores settled the transactions at the end of the day. Starbucks is hoping to reassure its patrons that the problem has been resolved. "As soon as we noticed the error, we had it fixed right away," a spokesperson for the company said. If you're concerned you were affected by this error, Starbucks is recommending that you contact its customer service department. Since I visit Starbucks daily, I'm checking my bank statement to make sure I wasn't charged double. Were you affected by this? Are you surprised that an error of this scale could occur within a company as large as Starbucks?

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Starbucks Aims to Be Healthier, Greener

YumSugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:30:47 -0700

America's largest coffee chain has decided to jump-start its own eco-friendly food revolution: Earlier this week, Starbucks announced it would be rolling out a new food menu on June 30 as part of its "Real Food. Simply Delicious" campaign. And yesterday, the chain said it would install new water faucets in its stores as part of an environmental initiative.

The company is reworking 90 percent of its baked goods, and eliminating high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and food coloring from its products. Starbucks is also removing preservatives from items whenever possible, attempting to mimic the number of ingredients used in homemade baked goods. In addition, this Summer the coffee titan will test the viability of a Frappuccino formula that appeals to health-conscious consumers, and the chain will begin selling salads. Despite premium prices of natural ingredients, the company maintains these changes will not affect prices on its food menu.

Yesterday, Starbucks also revealed a plan to install new water faucets that meter out water across all US stores by September, a change that could save each café up to 150 gallons of water a day. It hopes to expand this green initiative internationally by Fall.

The coffee company continues to make frantic changes in hopes of reviving sales. I'm skeptical about whether these strategies will truly spark sales - since things like instant coffee, ciabatta-bread sandwiches, and value meals really haven't. Still, I'll admit I hope that health-conscious Frappuccino comes to market. What do you think of these changes?

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Starbucks Launches Massive Social Network Marketing Blitz

YumSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:00:07 -0700

Adjusting coffee prices, introducing instant brews, offering value meals - what will Starbucks think up next? Answer: A slew of promotions on social networking sites. Starbucks has just launched a massive marketing effort, the first Starbucks campaign to truly take advantage of the power of social networking. The company has put up new advertising posters in six major cities, and is challenging Twitter followers to be the first to post a photo of one on the microblogging social network.

As for why the corporation launched a colossal social networking campaign: “It shows a level of connection to our brand that we wouldn’t have concocted on our own,” said Chris Bruzzo, vice president for brand, content, and online at Starbucks. Although I think social media will be a good thing for the coffee powerhouse, I'm not sure it's going to win over customers in a big way. What are your thoughts?

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