Starbucks

zazoo · June 2004

A few comments about Starbucks....

What is the story with Starbucks?

My first encounter was in the US and was fairly average - long weak coffees served in buckets and a dizzying array of creamy, syrup-sweetened icey monstrosities!

Subsequent encounters were in south-east Asia and the experience was really good - great coffee (not excellent) made well with a range that was very European in tastes - lovely rich flavour, properley layered milk, nice ceramic cups - the whole bit.... Starbucks Patong Beach in Phuket is particularly good.

Initial experiences in Australia were fairly positive too but very quickly went down hill.. coffee is consistently too weak and far too hot, there's never any decent crema or layering.... it tastes like crap, basically.

I've bought the coffee for use at home on a couple of occaisions and the product isn't that bad - but what the hell are they doing in the shops??!!

Regardless of what your personal philosophies on large chains, if the whole point is to maintain brand consistenecy across the locations then they are failing big time!

john · June 2004

Zazoo Maybe your should be addressing your question to the company you mentioned. I am not sure if they tune into this forum. I supose we are lucky to have more than one cafe to choose from. JD

zazoo · June 2004

JD Perhaps I should if I was really interested in helping them solve their problem, but I'll shop with my tastebuds ;-) They're big enough to help themselves. It was really more of a comment about the widely varying quality of the product than anything else. Having said that, there's a few smaller merchants in Canberra who either operate or have strategic tie ups with cafe's and I have actually taken the time to give constructive feedback back to the operators to help them ensure their product doesn't suffer.

Reschsmooth · June 2004

I walked past a charbucks yesterday in the city, and saw someone drinking what I assumed was sold as a cappuccino - the milk looked like it would collapse with any sudden movements. But then again, you don't go there for coffee, do you?

ristretto · June 2004

No, you go there for gigantic brown ice looking things, not sure what they are but they are certainly big, brown and icy. Can't say that I have ever had one but if I felt like having something big, brown and icy I know where I would head. Ristretto

Reschsmooth · June 2004

I have had a charbucks once - but as I said today, you can only know you have had the best when you have had the worst (and McCafe is in a totally different (and worse) ballpark) P ;D

admin · August 2004

In reference to Lars' post on the subject (see Aroma thread under 'Trade page') I checked out the issue of Hospitality he refers to, and Mr Schirato has something else to say: 'our cafe culture, originally built on a strong Italian heritage, is under threat from the likes of US-based Starbucks' - do we think this is a serious concern, or is it simply a case of the old fox 'crying wolf'? Admin.

FreshCoffee2 · August 2004

It's a serious concern for Les because the more retail clients go to these American Johnny Come Latelies (thank you G for this great descriptive phrase), the less go to regular cafes where his brand might be. Then of course that also makes it a concern for the rest of us that also roast / sell coffee beans. Then again, how is it that the paying public think that a chain store cafe can be such a good thing...is it the old "lifestyle" thing rearing it's ugly head again...such as is given a thorough reaming in the starschmucks cartoon? Are people that gullible? Honestly, a star somethingorother chain cafe is just another cafe in a line of cafes and if retailers (rather than roasters) are worried by their competition, then it's simply up to the cafes to present themselves in a way to be able to compete well within that line of cafes, no? It so happens I dont think that they are all that big a threat as they only "specialise" in coffee...reguler "cafes" do food, and I know where I go if I want something to eat followed maybe by a cup of coffee...it is rare that I would go out for a coffee only...

Reschsmooth · June 2006

There was an article in the weekend AFR about Starbucks and whether or not their venture into Australia had failed. Obviously, the MD of *$ Australia denied that the model didn't work here and defended the failed attempt at a relationship with Borders (which in itself is to bookshops what *$ is to coffee shops), etc. They still have very strong growth plans in Australia, but focusing more on suburbia rather than the CBDs. P

admin · July 2006

so, a second-rate, suburban, shopping-mall kind of setup?... not exactly the image the US head office would be happy with, I would have thought! Sounds like a bit of a come-down for the mighty Starbucks - has to make you wonder why they would bother. -A

askthecoffeeguy · July 2006

As far as I know, coffee consumption in an area where Star****s is located actually dramatically increases, and not just for Star****s alone, but for local custom in the area. I went to Star**** once years ago, in New Zealand, before they hit our shores (I believe) and couldn't see what all the fuss is about. Have been to Gloria Jeans a couple of times though (though NEVER again), and the coffee has been UNIVERSALLY BAD!!! Why is this? It's not just that the coffee's were badly made by pimply youths who I wouldn't let scratch my butt, but (no pun intended), the underlying cofee flavour (if that is what it can be said to be) tasted like REALLY poor quality coffee ingredients. I assume its the same for Star****s, but then, you gotta hand it to anybody who can charge top dollar for inferior quality, and still get away with it. Me, if I make one cofee during the day that I think is less than 100 per cent, I can't sleep at night. How do those guys get away with it? ACG

admin · April 2007

Hi guys - a bit of a wet old Easter weekend here in Sydney... was thinking about Starbucks and why they haven't done very well in this country [see earlier posts on this thread]. Could it be that in spite of the comments about bad coffee [mine included] that we often encounter in cafes, the main reason that Starbucks is pretty much stuffed in Australia is that we have such a vibrant, and on the whole, pretty good, espresso culture here? Or is it just that their product is so inferior? -A

Lovey · April 2007

There's so many other great cultures that have an influence on us here in Australia, maybe we're sick of having everything American rammed down our throats and told that its great. Starbies may well have been the last straw. It comes from a long line of culinary 'delights' that have been served up from the USA, like macca's, burger king, KFC, pizza hut, coke, pepsi, etc. Its just another mass produced, soul less, taste less product

Ross_Quail · April 2007

here's my take on the starbucks thing; Coffee in the us grew in direct competition with the soft drink market, the concept of bigger sizes, variety of flavours and everything else was shaped in no small part by the competition it faced on its home soil. It is not at all uncommon for people on holidays in a foreign country to go to a starbucks because there simply is nothing else, or nothing else recognisable. It's a last resort, we know it's going to be a let down but we needed the damm coffee ! So based on this rough hypothesis, is it any wonder as to why starbucks are under performing here ? We already have a thriving coffee culture and it will be quite obvious that they will move out of the city areas and into the suburbs, but that is still good ! More people will start drinking coffee out there, it will allow more cafes to compete and the cycle will continue. I say thankyou starbucks for being the carpet that the rest of us can walk over, at the end of the day the consumer will rule and bad coffee is just bad coffee. Let's drink to it !

nico123 · April 2007

there is a fantastic cafe chain out there that I believe is australian owned and operated and exisits in both australia and NZ called bb's cafe. It has the best food and coffee and is reasonably priced.

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