viva verde

i really do not go into Starbucks that much these days. the coffee usually tastes burnt, the service is more like an assembly line and the service is just not comparable to what i would receive at the local coffeehouse down the street. PLUS, with the amount of coffee they purchase it is sad that a small, small percentage is fair trade. according to the NY Times, i guess other consumers are feeling the same way and Startbucks is closing about 100 of it’s under-performing stores this year. they have reportedly had the worse 3-month performance in their history. some of the things that Starbucks will be doing in the coming year:

- open only 1,175 locations rather than 1600

-only open 75 more abroad (for a total of 975)

-stop making their Breakfast Sandwiches (that didn’t last long!)

-a possible “redefinition of the in-store experience”

i guess we will here more at their March annual meeting.

i don’t want to jump all over Starbucks, they have really help transform coffee culture and brought it into a dominant way of life, heck i partake in that way of life everyday (and they treat their employees pretty well from what i hear). i just think Starbucks needs to just cool their jets and produce GOOD, FAIR, ORGANIC coffee….and chill out on the expanding! 1175 new locations! i mean guys, i don’t think that you are going to go out of business any time soon (although the article did mention that McD’s and Dunkin’ Donuts are gaining ground on them).