Starbucks Coffee Company

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

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.

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. When Starbucks Coffee opened its 6th store in downtown Seattle, the idea had become a hit. 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.

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.

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

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.

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A Coffee Gift Idea

Are you tired of receiving the same kinds of gifts over and over again? One quotation says --- It is better to give than to receive. Now is the time for you make a difference. Go and pack a unique gift for someone very dear to you.

There are many ways by which you can stuff your gifts. Usually, gifts are packed in boxes, paper bags, paper or tinsel wrappers, pail, baskets while some just give it as it is. Don't you feel overwhelmed when someone gives you a present? I'm sure you'll be very thankful for that person, especially when you received the gift of your choice.

Some people give gifts during birthdays, Christmas, New Year, anniversaries, weddings, baby showers, house blessing, graduation, baptismal and many others.

It has already been a custom, that people give gifts whenever there's an occasion. But is a special occasion really necessary, before you decide to give? It will cause someone to thank you if you give him/her a present in ordinary days. You can give to show someone your appreciation.

There are several ideas by which you can be creative in packing your gifts. Use your imaginations. Be inventive and artistic. For coffee lovers, a basket full of assorted coffee would be a good choice. You can mix and match roasted coffee with instant ones. You can also include cups and saucers and mugs too.

Coffee gift basket could be a pleasant gift for all occasions. It would be great for couples, as well as for small and large groups. Since break time is coffee time, this gift would surely promote sharing of thoughts and ideas during meetings and small gatherings.

Gift baskets are readily made and available for order and immediate purchase in coffee stores. However, you can do it yourself for a more artistic touch of your hand. In case, you don't have time doing so, the internet is there to accompany you to the well-known coffee basket dealers.

With a little research and some initiative you can get great coffee and arrange for it to be packed in a gift basket with other coffee related items, even some mugs or an espresso machine, and create a wonderful coffee gift basket. If you know the people who you are buying to coffee for you can take advantage of that and get them things you know they like, or things you think they will particularly enjoy.

Celia Namart an avid traveler has collected her thoughts and ideas during her many travels around the world. A recent discovery is the option of using coffee as a great gift idea, read about how to setup a great Coffee Gift Basket as a surprise for your friends and family.

Coffee Gift Basket

latte art coffee cappuccino espresso get yours in style

Coffee is a almost a food group to most people. It gets us going in the morning, keeps us going in the afternoon, and tastes good after a fine meal.

But coffee is no longer just "coffee".. there are so many options now. Have you ever gone to a specialty coffee shop?.. It can be more complicated that getting a takeout burger! Non fat, low fat, espresso, double espresso, cappuccino, latte, low fat latte, chocolate latte.. and the list goes on, as you can add toppings.

This of course does not help the waistline any, but man it taste good. If you are unsure of what the basics are of specialty coffees, here is a quick breakdown.

Latte: dark roast coffee made with milk

Cappuccino: dark roast coffee made with steamed milk and milk foam on top

Espresso: caffeine jolt!.. concentrated dark roast espresso coffee.

Each one of the above can be altered with different roasts. So now you have to pick your roast, what type of milk or milk foam, and toppings of course!

You can make these at home, there are many machines on the market now, that will help you create your perfect cup of coffee, what ever form that is. No longer are we dependent on that old coffee percolator our parents or grandparents had, that was hauled out for Sunday breakfast!

With this new surge of coffee and coffee stores out there, there are coffee artists that will make your coffee look to good to drink. Check out the free video clip of a "Latte Artist" and you could get some ideas for impressing your friends with your new found coffee talents!

Who ever thought there would be such a thing as a coffee artist?
latte art free video

latte art free video