| | CoffeeYup, I got free coffee today like the freebie-lovin' brand-w#ore that I am. I have to say, I actually liked the Pike Place brew. I should point out that I dislike Starbucks coffee, but drink it anyway because sometimes I need the caffeine-buzz and am too lazy or busy to brew some myself.
In an effort to get back to their roots, Starbucks dropped many of their food items months ago, and today, have renewed their efforts in the "regular" coffee arena. They've introduced a new brew called Pike Place Roast in honor of Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA where they began. The coffee is ground and brewed on site. They claim roasting is done at their locations, but not necessarily the one you frequent. Most significant of all, they brew fresh coffee every 30 minutes.
In my opinion, this has less to do with getting back to their roots, but financial pressure from their top competitor: McDonald's. It's no secret that the number 1 coffee out there is McDonalds coffee and I have to agree; as far as chains go, theirs is the most consistently well-balanced smooth coffee you can buy. The most common complaint about Starbucks coffee is that it's over-roasted which results in bitter burnt flavors. I guess this is Starbucks' way of saying, "Hey, we're listening. Come back!" McD's beans are roasted & ground off-site. The only reason their coffee tastes better as it does is that it's brewed fresh and often. As far as I can tell, Starbucks coffee sits in that pump-urn until it's empty or cold. Unfortunately, very few people order regular coffee at SB, so it can take hours before it's refilled. Now that they have a 30 minute time-cap, their coffee is always fresh. That makes the biggest difference. Their new policy on roasting and grinding help too.
Bottom line: Thank you, McDonald's, for kicking Starbucks back into shape. Starbucks, you should have stuck to your roots in the first place, instead of crawling back to them in defeat. How many years before Starbucks gets cocky, spreads itself too thin, and retreats again?
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| | Posted 4/8/2008 2:07 PM
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