Starbucks coffee not as tasteful as business practices
By Lisbeth Wells-Pratt
Rocket Columnist
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: Opinion
I have a beef with certain types of coffee.
Number one on my list is Starbucks coffee.
For as popular as it is, this coffee mega chain, to me, still has bad-tasting coffee.
And yes, even now, I still think Starbucks regular brew is sub-par.
I say "still" because of a column I wrote last spring.
It criticized Starbucks and their business practices, as well as their coffee. It caught the eye of several livid Baristas, as well as the former president of Starbucks, Howard Behar. He invited me to visit the headquarters in Seattle, and I did.
I visited the headquarters last June and met with several "partners" about the social responsibility that Starbucks promotes.
I was also given a tour of the Starbucks plant itself, as well as tasted some unique coffees. Not only that, I met with Mr. Behar himself over dinner and discussed what Starbucks is all about.
Behar's business philosophy is best highlighted by the title of his book, "It's Not About The Coffee: Leadership Principals from a Life at Starbucks".
To Behar, it's not always about the coffee, in fact, it's about people.
The employees, or "partners" of Starbucks, as well as the coffee growers and coffee consumers, are at the top of Starbucks's priority list. Starbucks, along with Behar, takes the stance that people don't need to be taken advantage of in order for the corporation to function.
What? A corporation making millions upon millions of dollars a year doesn't make it by cracking a whip while poor Juan Valdez harvests coffee in Colombia? They don't make money while the latte girl is forced to repeatedly clean out the espresso machine in a sort-of caffeine induced purgatory? They actually treat these people like humans?Apparently so-and I think it's a great philosophy.
To run a massive corporation based on people and what they want, rather than a business based on exploiting workers, is great. Starbucks might be a big corporation, but they at least try to keep their hands clean.
They're not Lockheed Martin, and certainly not Halliburton. These people are selling coffee and doing it well.
I personally don't think the coffee is particularly wonderful, but it is admirable to be able to run a successful business and not do it at the expensive of every employee around. So I have to concede to Starbucks that they are certainly running a more ethical corporation than most.
Their coffee, they will tell you, is more expensive because they actually pay their coffee producers. They don't solely buy coffee from fair trade producers, because fair trade is a co-operation that not every coffee producer belongs to.
Many of their coffee suppliers operate under "C.A.F.E. practices" (Coffee and Farmer Equity), which, according to Starbucks, promotes and supports ethical coffee trade practices, as well as environmental sustainability.
They will only buy from suppliers who fulfill the criteria of being socially and environmentally responsible.
I'm still of the opinion, however, that Starbucks is mostly a status symbol to many people. Celebrities are usually found photographed with some kind of Starbucks cup in their hand. The Starbucks label is aesthetically pleasing and recognizable, and who doesn't like coffee-drinking sirens? A lot of people still buy Starbucks because it looks significantly trendier than a Dunkin' Doughnuts cup-never mind who has better coffee.
Something Starbucks has definitely gotten right, though, is the frighteningly rapid explosion of stores across the world.
Maybe they expanded too quickly, and that's why they're in a little trouble, but I'd rather have a surly Barista in a rest stop than no coffee at all. It was always a major disappointment to me while studying abroad when I would walk out of a train station, assume a Starbucks had to be right around the corner, and end up in some ghetto Starbucks imitation.
Where is my Frappuccino? Where is my overpriced lemon tart and coffee breath gum?
I don't care how expensive it is, I want my regular thing, I don't want that ghetto knockoff Starbucks!
Nonetheless, a big thanks needs to go out to Howard Behar, his assistant Kathy Lewis, and all of the people that work for Starbucks's Seattle headquarters and coffee plant.
I learned a lot about the company and their business practices…and also got to meet some really great people that really gave me more insight into Starbucks.So, props to Starbucks for taking over the world and not turning into Halliburton.
It's great when a big company can handle itself without going berserk and forgetting why they went into business in the first place. I'm glad the Baristas are happy and I'm glad Juan Valdez can get paid to harvest his coffee. I'm glad I can find a Starbucks on every corner in London, Stockholm, Paris, even Cleveland--and get déjà vu like no other.
See? I do like some things, especially my drug of choice.
Lisbeth Wells-Pratt is a junior creative writing major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
Number one on my list is Starbucks coffee.
For as popular as it is, this coffee mega chain, to me, still has bad-tasting coffee.
And yes, even now, I still think Starbucks regular brew is sub-par.
I say "still" because of a column I wrote last spring.
It criticized Starbucks and their business practices, as well as their coffee. It caught the eye of several livid Baristas, as well as the former president of Starbucks, Howard Behar. He invited me to visit the headquarters in Seattle, and I did.
I visited the headquarters last June and met with several "partners" about the social responsibility that Starbucks promotes.
I was also given a tour of the Starbucks plant itself, as well as tasted some unique coffees. Not only that, I met with Mr. Behar himself over dinner and discussed what Starbucks is all about.
Behar's business philosophy is best highlighted by the title of his book, "It's Not About The Coffee: Leadership Principals from a Life at Starbucks".
To Behar, it's not always about the coffee, in fact, it's about people.
The employees, or "partners" of Starbucks, as well as the coffee growers and coffee consumers, are at the top of Starbucks's priority list. Starbucks, along with Behar, takes the stance that people don't need to be taken advantage of in order for the corporation to function.
What? A corporation making millions upon millions of dollars a year doesn't make it by cracking a whip while poor Juan Valdez harvests coffee in Colombia? They don't make money while the latte girl is forced to repeatedly clean out the espresso machine in a sort-of caffeine induced purgatory? They actually treat these people like humans?Apparently so-and I think it's a great philosophy.
To run a massive corporation based on people and what they want, rather than a business based on exploiting workers, is great. Starbucks might be a big corporation, but they at least try to keep their hands clean.
They're not Lockheed Martin, and certainly not Halliburton. These people are selling coffee and doing it well.
I personally don't think the coffee is particularly wonderful, but it is admirable to be able to run a successful business and not do it at the expensive of every employee around. So I have to concede to Starbucks that they are certainly running a more ethical corporation than most.
Their coffee, they will tell you, is more expensive because they actually pay their coffee producers. They don't solely buy coffee from fair trade producers, because fair trade is a co-operation that not every coffee producer belongs to.
Many of their coffee suppliers operate under "C.A.F.E. practices" (Coffee and Farmer Equity), which, according to Starbucks, promotes and supports ethical coffee trade practices, as well as environmental sustainability.
They will only buy from suppliers who fulfill the criteria of being socially and environmentally responsible.
I'm still of the opinion, however, that Starbucks is mostly a status symbol to many people. Celebrities are usually found photographed with some kind of Starbucks cup in their hand. The Starbucks label is aesthetically pleasing and recognizable, and who doesn't like coffee-drinking sirens? A lot of people still buy Starbucks because it looks significantly trendier than a Dunkin' Doughnuts cup-never mind who has better coffee.
Something Starbucks has definitely gotten right, though, is the frighteningly rapid explosion of stores across the world.
Maybe they expanded too quickly, and that's why they're in a little trouble, but I'd rather have a surly Barista in a rest stop than no coffee at all. It was always a major disappointment to me while studying abroad when I would walk out of a train station, assume a Starbucks had to be right around the corner, and end up in some ghetto Starbucks imitation.
Where is my Frappuccino? Where is my overpriced lemon tart and coffee breath gum?
I don't care how expensive it is, I want my regular thing, I don't want that ghetto knockoff Starbucks!
Nonetheless, a big thanks needs to go out to Howard Behar, his assistant Kathy Lewis, and all of the people that work for Starbucks's Seattle headquarters and coffee plant.
I learned a lot about the company and their business practices…and also got to meet some really great people that really gave me more insight into Starbucks.So, props to Starbucks for taking over the world and not turning into Halliburton.
It's great when a big company can handle itself without going berserk and forgetting why they went into business in the first place. I'm glad the Baristas are happy and I'm glad Juan Valdez can get paid to harvest his coffee. I'm glad I can find a Starbucks on every corner in London, Stockholm, Paris, even Cleveland--and get déjà vu like no other.
See? I do like some things, especially my drug of choice.
Lisbeth Wells-Pratt is a junior creative writing major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Amy
posted 4/17/09 @ 4:55 PM EST
Although I agree that Starbucks has a sub-par cup of regular coffee, their espresso drinks are second to none! I love their Latte's and Cappucino's. I don't agree it to be a status symbol. (Continued…)
Kasey
posted 4/19/09 @ 2:43 PM EST
Nice to see that you're writing about something positive and actually praising something; especially a corporation like Starbucks that deserves the praise. (Continued…)
No way
posted 4/19/09 @ 4:40 PM EST
Ridiculous, or terrifying.
How can somebody be so brainwashed ?? Let's assume it is youth and inexperience.
Off course it's a matter of image, of status. (Continued…)
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