Seattle Chinatown >> Seattle Community News >> How Starbucks Became Worldwide Success
7/29/2007 Seattle-- Starbucks coffee is
one of the top names in the coffee industry, producing high-class beans, brewing
accessories and building coffee shops worldwide. However, Starbucks coffee
started out the same as any other business - with a few shops and enough
products to sell.
The history of Starbucks coffee began in Seattle around 1971 when three friends
(Zev Siegl, Gordon Bowker and Jerry Baldwin) opened their small shop and began
selling freshly roasted coffee beans and brewing accessories. It branched out to
six outlets throughout Washington around 1980, when Zev Siegl sold out in
pursuit of other ventures.
Howard Schultz and His Vision
In 1982, a plastics salesman named Howard Schultz was hired as head of the
marketing department of Starbucks coffee. During a trip in Italy around 1983,
Schultz found himself obsessed with Italy's coffee beans and industry, which
started his idea of setting up a coffee shop in the United States.
Unfortunately, Baldwin wasn't too excited about Schultz's idea, but he did let
him test the idea by implementing a small espresso bar in one of the Starbucks
stores. Because of its immediate success, Schultz opened up his own store named
"II Giornale".
It was only in 1987 that Shultz started a worldwide name for Starbucks coffee
when Baldwin decided to sell the company for $3.8 million. Schultz convinced
several investors of his vision - 120 Starbucks outlets for the next five years.
He converted the six Starbucks shops into coffee houses and changed the name of
II Giornale shops into Starbucks.
In 1992, the Starbucks coffee shops in operation totaled 165, exceeding
Schultz's original vision. Today, over 8,000 cafes in thirty countries are in
operation with annual revenues of over $7.5 million.
Starbucks Coffee Liqueur
Starbucks coffee liqueur is the company's "adult-only" version of their line of
coffees. Sold in 750 ml bottles, the main idea of the company is to sell the
liquor, their coffee and the name Starbucks into one. The product itself comes
from 100 per cent Starbucks coffee combined with 20 per cent alcohol. This line
of liquor-coffee product is a result of a joint venture with Jim Beam Brands,
which is a major player in the wine industry. The reason for the marketing of
this product was due to a Starbucks survey that revealed that over 50 per cent
of their loyal clients consumed coffee liquors.
Starbucks coffee has collaborated with other companies, such as Dreyer's Grand
Ice Cream and Pepsi-Cola Company. With the company's collaboration with Jim
Bean, Starbucks coffee reports that their DoubleShot remains the number one in
the liquor-coffee category.
With the production of high-class coffee beans, brewing accessories, coffee
makers and espresso machines as well as the collaboration of different top
players in other industries, Starbucks coffee continues to produce well-known
products that both loyal patrons and new coffee drinkers love.
Roland Parris Jefferson III is an online researcher based out of Los Angeles, California. For free tips, recipes and expert advice on Coffee, please visit our Starbucks Coffee Resource.