Now that all of my brain activity is influenced by Starbucksese (latte language not to be confused with some kind of coffee inspired rash or disease) I can barely remember what it was like to think about aspects of life without an extra shot of espresso.
Haha, I am kidding, people. I haven't been that entirely converted...Yet. Before you know it, though, I will start speaking in a "ccino" and "atte" sort of pig latin. I guess that's what it's like if you work at McDonald's. Everything's a Mc.Something and can be deep fried in under 30 seconds. :)
I did laugh out loud one time when I was watching "Scrubs" and they were at CoffeeBucks. It still makes me laugh when I say it out loud and I almost named my blog CoffeeBucks just for the sheer joy of getting to say it every day.
Starbucks has done a fabulous job of saturating the world with its brand name. That's one thing I love about the company. People come to expect great things when they walk through that door. Whether it be a Venti, a Grande, a hot drink, a cold drink, a green drink, a red drink, and I am beginning to sound like a Dr.Suess book! :) Go Dog Go!
Actually, it was a wonderful first day. The regional GM was at our location and I got to do a coffee experience with him. We took small porcelain cups of my favorite coffee and we smelled it, slurped it (so that it would cover our whole palate), talked about it, and recorded our experience. I have to do that same process with all of our coffees as I research them one at a time. It was very interesting and I was glad to know that it really is about the coffee, too. The best way to be equipped to help a customer is to be informed. My pathetic palate still kind of likes 7-Eleven coffee, but at least I have a deep appreciation for the time and energy that goes into making a Starbucks coffee special.
And who cares about what it tastes like when we will make YOURS extra special fit to your exact specifications, temperature, and even write your name on the cup in the process.
Hey, and next time you are in Starbucks, ask your Barista if they have any ideas of what kind of pastry or snack goes with the coffee that is currently brewing. In our coffee passports where we record our "experiences," we have a section where we get examples of great pairings depending on the flavor of coffee (just like wine connoisseurs except with a beverage you can drink on the road...legally...)
I am happy with my new job. Excited to see about the possibilities we have in this area of Dallas for marketing and community involvement. We have some schools nearby and I think our location manager has some great ideas on how to help inspire our local neighbor children to be creative, write, and make a difference in their community. Just like we do at Starbucks- one cup at a time.
Your favorite Coffee Connoisseur-
Kara-ccino!
so, how many different coffees have tasted from how many different countries, with how many different flavors, with how many different strengths?
ReplyDeleteHi Kara! I found you from your post at MyStarbucksIdea! That's a nice start! A coffee tasting with a Regional Manager? Fabulous.
ReplyDelete@Bill - Starbucks produces 3 groups of coffee. When you walk into a typical Starbucks, you'll find the "core" coffees - The "core" coffees include Sumatra, Verona, Gold Coast, Red, Italian Roast, French Roast, Kenya, Espresso Roast, Pike Place Roast, Organic Yukon, Shade Grown Organic Mexico, House Blend, and a few others.
Out of the 16,000 Starbucks world-wide, about 55 of them world-wide are "Clover" stores which receive ADDITIONAL special 'small batch' coffees - Rare high quality coffees where the farms don't produce enough beans to supply thousands of stores.
And thirdly, there are "international" coffee offerings, for example in Europe one would find "Organic Washed Yirgacheffe" as part of their core line up, but its not in the US.
That's generally how it works: Starbucks producing (1) core coffees (2) Small batch Clover-designated coffees and (3) special international coffee beans.
When all is said, and done, it's hard to find anything other than the "core" coffees because few customers are located near one of the 55 Clover-designated Starbucks stores, nor are they in an international market.
I produce a Starbucks blog. ;)
You are so clever! Karaccino! Neat blog!
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