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COFFEE AND A TIP
COFFEE AND A TIP One of the challenges of multi-career marriages is allotting time for the family and for each other. Some years ago, Sherry and I began to realize this and decided to take steps to insure “our time” every day. So, we began going to...
History of Jamaican Coffee
The history of Jamaican coffee begins half a world away in France in 1723 when King Louis XV sent three coffee plants to the French colony of Martinique, some 1200 miles to the SW of Jamaica. Five years later in 1728 the governor of Jamaica, Sir...
History of Mexican Coffee
Mexico has a long history of coffee production as well as its Latin neighbors the south. Mexican coffee is grown mainly in the South central to Southern regions of the country. Coffee from Coatepec and Veracruz is much different from Oaxacan Plumas,...
Kona Coffee - The Cadillac of Coffees
How to start off about Kona Coffees. First talk with an expert about coffees. Like: what is his or her favorite type of bean, almost invariably you’ll hear one variety mentioned: Kona coffee. Kona beans are grown in Hawaii and are treasured...
Who, When and Where in the History of Coffee
Coffee has been a part of culture for over one thousand years. The history of coffee varies widely depending on which sources you use. This is especially true when something as powerful as coffee is involved, as coffee has brought much wealth and...
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Starbucks Coffee History
To summarize something as phenomenonally successful as Starbucks coffee history might be a challenge. Many volumes have been written on the subject, it is examined and taught in business schools, and whole semesters are dedicated to the marketing genius of the company. The amazing success of Starbuck’s business model certainly deserves commendation if not adoration in the business world.
The story of Starbucks coffee history begins in Seattle in 1971, when three friends with a passion for fresh coffee, Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker, opened a small shop and began selling fresh-roasted, gourmet coffee beans and brewing and roasting accessories.
In 1980 Zev Siegl sold out to pursue other ventures. By that time Starbucks was the largest roaster in Washington with six retail outlets. In 1981 the small coffee company caught the attention of Howard Schultz, a plastics salesman that noted the large quantity of plastic drip-brewing thermoses that they were buying from Hammarplast, the Swedish manufacturer that Shchultz represented here in the U.S.
In 1982 Starbucks coffee history was changed forever when Baldwin hired the energetic Schultz as the new head of marketing and shortly thereafter sent him to an international housewares show in Milan, Italy in 1983. Schultz found himself infatuated with the vibrant coffee culture of Italy. While in nearby Verona, Schultz had his first caffe’ latte’ and, as he observed the café patrons chatting and laughing joyously while sipping their coffees in the elegant surroundings, inspiration struck.
In what he describes as an epiphany, the idea hit him, "why not create
community gathering places like the great coffee house of Italy in the United States?" He wondered. This idea would place Starbucks coffee history into the annuls of business journals for decades to come.
However, his idea was not well received by Baldwin as he wasn’t too keen on getting into the restaurant business and distracting him from his original plan of selling whole beans. But he did let him test a small espresso bar in the corner of one of the stores. It was an immediate success and Schultz branched out on his own and opened Il Giornale, a coffee house named after Italy’s largest newspaper, ‘The Daily’.
In 1987 Starbuck’s was up for sale and Schultz raised the $3.8 million by convincing investors of his vision, one hundred and twenty-five outlets in the next five years. Schultz modified the Starbuck’s bare-breasted mermaid logo into a more socially acceptable figure, changed the name of Il Giornale to Starbuck’s and converted the six existing Starbuck’s roasting shops into elegant, comfortable coffee houses. Starbucks coffee history was just was beginning to take shape.
Shultz exceeded his goal of one hundred and twenty-five stores in five years, in 1992 there were 165 cafés in operation. Today there are over 8,000 stores in 30 countries and annual revenues in excess of $7.5 billion.
© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.
About the Author
Randy works with his son on Ultimate Coffees Info. Randy owned and operated a very successful storefront/mailorder business from 1988 to 2003. Currently full time owner/operator of several online businesses.
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