IS STARBUCKS THAT BUSY?

ristretto · February 2003

Hi everyone,

Living and working in Sydney means I eat and drink at many cafes.

Unknown · February 2003

Great topic Ristretto, A few people on this board need to try some tea it's the other hot beverage. (less caffeine, less politics) I am not too much of a politician, so keep the heavy stuff for after class. I want more people on this forum,

caf_fiend · February 2003

E.F. Interesting point of view, personally I have always supported the little guy and coffee is something that the little guy can have a go at. At uni I loved my part time job working at a small cafe where the owners were really nice people and the customers were great too. Ask a Macca's workers if they have the same story to tell. At Maccas it seems to be step 1 cook meat patty, step 2 pick up meat patty, step 3 join meat patty to bread roll etc etc. Coffee made by this formula will never get my business. Go the little guy. Caf Fiend

i_love__robusta · February 2003

Just got back from a long o/s journey S/B everywhere, quality :P I drank alot of tea

over_extracted · February 2003

Wellin their brochure that other big chain . says that they only select & use the top 1% of the worlds coffee beans.but it dosent taste like it???? have any of you tried it???

coffee_gruva · February 2003

What about Hudsons... any thoughts... maybe if we cover the coffee with syrups and sugar it might be drinkable (I only said might!!!!) ;D ;D ;D

caf_fiend · March 2003

Could not agree more, these mega stores would never have taken hold if cafe owners trained their staff properly to make good quality espresso, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. >:(

Unknown · March 2003

Not that I'm into it, but have y'all heard Playboy magazine is doing a pictorial on "Girls of Starbucks" in an upcoming issue? I saw it on the news, really...

admin · March 2003

Hi guys - just happened to walk in to a Gloria Jeans the other day (market research...) and noticed one of their brochures claiming: 1. we select from the top 1% of Arabica beans 2. we offer Australia's widest coffee bean range (...among other claims). Just wondered if anyone was familiar with the chain, and how they justify claims like this?? Admin

ristretto · March 2003

Admin, Can't comment on the claims by GJ.

admin · October 2004

Heard a rumour the other day that Starbucks is not intending to open any more stores in Australia (at least in the near future)...has anyone seen/heard any reports to this effect? Admin.

Unknown · October 2004

No I haven't but here some of my own very subjective statistics / oops I mean, "observations". SB in Oz & Asia Pacific possibly already have more stores / growth than the parent in the US (certainly that way for GJ as well). That gives them in oz at least, very little room to grow further. We have a miniscule population that is already streets, nay, highways, ahead of the US in terms of its cafe / espresso / coffee culture generation. Unless you go to a few of the right areas in the US, you only see an occasional SB, and no GJ AND, you dont see any "real" cafe's either, & almost nil espresso machines except in very metropolitan areas. So in the absence of any real number of cafes or espresso scene within the non existent cafe's, SB & others of similar ilk are seen to be the saviours of quality coffee in the US and are a good thing over there if you want any kind of coffee approaching a reasonable standard. Over here quite the opposite applies. There is a burgeoning cafe scene, more cafes than houses (well almost), a good number of specialty roasters doing the right things, and I am afraid that they (SB in any case) have nothing to teach us. Over here, they are just another cafe in a long line of others, albeit offering very special coffee accompaniments such as...sofas...as well as the very best "shiny" coffee beans burnt / I mean roasted to a cinder. (perhaps this is the roaster that someone in another thread says is using veg oil). I am therefore not surprised if they have reached saturation point and are not planning great expansions over here. Anyone else? Mal The Real Koffee Politik.

Reschsmooth · October 2004

For mental stimulation, I was watching the Simpsons last night. Bart went to a mall to get an earring - as he was walking down the mall, he walked past SB after SB, and then past a shop which had closed and sign in the window saying that a SB was about to open. He went to the jeweller to get his earring and the guy there said that he had better hurry up, because in 5 mins they were about to turn the jeweller into a SB. The funniest bit was Bart walking out of the jeweller with his earring, and a cup with a green logo on it. Hilarious but sad. P

Tony · October 2004

dear forum readers.... Well I live in toorak melbourne and the starbucks on toorak road closed approx 3 months ago due to lack of business. Fantastic. they could not compete. surrounded by cafes serving fairly good coffee for 2.50 to 2.80 in cup with metal spoon. laurant pastry shop down the road serving nice coffee etc. starbucks 3 dollars paper cup.. plastic swizel stick luke warm coffee. hard choice so it shows if your in an area where coffee is appreciated they face a tough market plus the franschisee has to give a percentage to the US. it only ever had kids in the shop who basically love all the american look and the couches which i must say is a plus. on the other hand gloria jeans is very good for coffee. well it is in south yarra........they use a milk temp guage..........and while you baristas may scoffe it means the milk is pretty much on the money and they dont screw it up. plus they beans are far nicer than starbucks. still in a paper cup with plastic spoon but beats starbucks crap. the couches in there win the crowd over too. very cosy i must say and a big drawing point for myself with children, so they are fairly busy. lived in america and its right what other posts say....starbucks are great over there as most yanks drink perculated rubbish. machines are scarce. unheard off in the country often when i travelled. getting better. anyway as i say good news/\\ starbucks closed. another point...another chain.......coffee bean and leaf company from US as well is trying to make a push as well. but im told in armadale melbourne its really struggling with a serious lack of customers. too expensive, average coffee and woeful surrounds. glorias is a winner there and puts a lot of other cafes to shame. i think far from rubbishing all US chains a few cafes have taken noticed and lifted their game in certain areas. so as a consumer i like them all....i dont really go to them but i like the competion. Plus if my children are with me, GJ wins. cheers tony

admin · November 2004

Just had another press release through, talking about how Starbucks has made yet another record profit, through opening it's trillionth worldwide store...blah, blah; but I still can't help but wondering how they're doing down under...any further anecdotal evidence would be much appreciated. Cheers Admin.

Steamed · November 2004

Not that I keep a close tab on *$'s business but I noticed the other day that their store on Pitt St (Sydney) between Martin Pl and Hunter St has closed. Not sure when this actually happened but it does show that even a mega $ corp like *$ is not without it's problems. *$ stores, from what I have seen in Sydney at least, occupy some high profile locations and one would imagine high rent. Yet the impression I have of their stores is they are frequented by people who have one drink (coffee or otherwise) and hang around for a long time. There are only so many seats in their store so if there is not a high volume of customers and the average sale is mediocre (I'm speculating) one wonders how long before they write off a particular store. Still, they have just opened a new store next to the CBA on Market and Castlereagh Sts so they must have a positive outlook. So how are they doing down under??? Surely someone knows!! ??? ???

pkb · February 2005

Can't say I have been into a STARBUCKS but one thing I do Give them is That if it wasn't for them I don't think Coffe as we know it would be here today. Yet COFFEE soups as they serve are not the go. PLUS the Small roasters out there have created and evolved a good tasting cup of coffee in todays world (not the eightys) THANKS TO STARBUCKS FOR PUTTING THEM ON THE MAP

FreshCoffee2 · February 2005

Hi PKB, afraid I beg to differ as it really depends on the market and I think this was discussed a few posts up or on the first page of this thread if memory serves correct. Your point is certainly correct for the US or in other places where there hasn't already been a strong espresso scene when they (starbucks) got there, but I dont believe they have started anything ot taught anyone much over here in Oz (except by way of causing already established or new local specialty roasters and cafes to look over their shoulders and firm up their own businesses just in case) and came into an already established and fast growing espresso culture that already had its own direction happening. Parochial to the last ;D Regardez, FC.

john · February 2005

pkb I also have to strongly disagree. The average coffee down under was right up before this company was even thought off. This company has not taught the local industry anything about 'espresso' coffee OR put anybody in OZ on the map, except the owners. Obviously, they do a good job on the marketing side of things. I also have not bean into the store so can't comment on the quality. John

FreshCoffee2 · February 2005

And to answer the question, specifically with regard to the topic's title..... In this market...no! Regardez, FC.

JoJo · May 2005

Hey Admin, Regarding Starbucks and if they will be opening anything more stores in Syd. Unfortunately yes they are. Right across the road from my cafe. But i have no fear as i have a good customer base and from the research i have been doing...........noone is interested in Starbucks unless they are coffee dinkers wannabe. Real coffee drinkers will not venture inside a Starbucks.........unless the world was to come to an end and Starbucks was the only place standing......just like a cockroach. Regards Jojo

Greg41 · May 2005

I think it is a natural Australian reaction to be very wary/sceptical of any newcomers onto our shores.I remember when Mc Donalds first arrived into Brisbane everyone was very anti Macs,mainly because they were yanks looking to take over.There are heaps of other franchises i need not mention,we all know who they are,and more on the way.I am a customer and i personally dont like them,but i am guilty of using some of them for convienience.The bottom line is where your morals are,the taste of the coffee and the surroundings where you enjoy that cup.That's my opinion anyway.But i'll back the small guy 99.9% of the time.

admin · May 2005

Hi guys - just thought you might be interested in the following: Motley Fool is an investment advisory site out of the US and they recently interviewed one of the senior Starbucks execs - if you click on the link you can view the transcript, which is quite interesting in terms of understanding a little more of their expansion philosophy: http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2005/commentary05052501.htm?source=mppromo Admin :-/

campos · July 2005

with regards to starbucks being not too busy, i would like to add that starbucks is no longer a coffee shop serving great coffee as it did when gordon and andrew owned the company many years ago, but is a global brand trading in coffee futures, currency and building a very large property portfolio here in australia. with capital growth within the commercial cbd growing at around 15% pa, starbucks would be making $2million in capital growth alone. coffee, what coffee?

siren · July 2005

firstly do your research first, this store closed down for a number of reasons, not linked with the number of other cafes in the area. secondly these stores acctualy produce some of the finest coffe in australia thirdly how many other companies pay as much per pound as starbucks who has raised the living standards of a lot of coffe farmers and their families by conribute to the communities welfare as for the prices look at the size of their beverages if you look at the volumes in most cafes and the same size in starbucks you will find that they are fairly competitive please note that whilst that store maybe closed there are still plenty more coming

dear forum readers.... Well I live in toorak melbourne and the starbucks on toorak road closed approx

Reschsmooth · July 2005

"secondly these stores acctualy produce some of the finest coffe in australia " Based on what standard? I am not disagreeing (or agreeing) with, you but comments like that are like a broken pencil.....pointless. The coffee I make at home is some of the finest in Australia! "as for the prices look at the size of their beverages"...so the bloke who orders 30ml of espresso and pays $2 is getting ripped off? Or if 350 ml of scorching milk is added, that makes it better?

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