Owner: All Starbucks, All the time! URL:http://thedripp.blogspot.com Join Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:51:02 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Random thoughts about Starbucks, howard schultz, coffee, and how to turn our beloved company around! Site statistics:Click here
How Starbucks Got it's Grove Back 2008-04-28 13:09:49 Starbucks History is it's Future I happened to be up late last night after drinking way too much coffee and I watched CNBC's American Made program on Starbucks...again. I say again because I have seen it probably twenty times and I can't tell you how passionate Howard Schultz comes off during the interview. What strikes me most during the interview is concept of the "3rd place".Because this is truly an idea only a handful of organizations could capitalize on, and I think Starbucks is not doing such of a great job of it right now. It seems that each new store I go into gets smaller and smaller and therefor less appealing to pull out the laptop and spend some time in. Translation..buy more stuff.Now, I am not sure if the store's shrinkage is purely a square foot issue or does there appear Read more:Starbucks
, Grove
"Starbucks Coffee Recipes" Sunday April 27th 2008 2008-04-27 12:07:17 The Dripp is starting a new feature; "The StarbucksCoffee
Recipes Sunday
" post. We will include Starbucks coffee recipes we are able to find on the net and include links so you can try at home.BUT...what we would really like is to post YOUR favorite Starbucks coffee recipes instead. So, today we will launch with one of our favorites, but submit yours for selection now to admin @ thedripp.com!Here goes......The Starbucks Frappuccino2 shots (3 oz.) espresso1/4 cup granulated sugar2 1/2 cups low-fat milk1 Tbls. pectin OR 1 tsp. pectin + 1 tsp. arrowroot-Stir sugar into espresso. Cool mixture.-Stir milk and pectin into espresso mixture until pectin is dissolved.-Fill a glass with ice and either serve mixture over ice, or pour glass contents into blender and blend for 30-45 seconds.VARIATIONS: Read more:April
Starbucks Coffee Boycott - Union Busters 2008-04-26 17:56:59 Starbucks Baristas - Give them freedom or give them death!I was over at iww.org site reading up the the latest Starbucks response to the anti-union intimidation charges in Grand Rapids, Michigan (see story). And I thought to myself, how can this be helping Starbucks recover? How can this be helping them in the eyes of the American people as they try and convince us to come back into the stores in the era of $4 dollar a gallon gas? Then I thought...the blue collar customer has never been the target market for Starbucks. In fact, the union busting, send everything off to India or China capitalists have been their ideal customer for a long time. Now drill down one more level and you then realize that the soccer moms married to the capitalists who close down factories here and send manufactur Read more:Starbucks
, Coffee
, Boycott
, Union
Free Starbucks Wifi - Almost 2008-04-25 14:01:10 Free as well as paid Wi-Fi access will be provided to laptop users in more than 7000 Starbucks
stores starting in May.Amen....... "AT&T and Starbucks today announced the beginning of the rollout of AT&T Wi-Fi service at company-operated Starbucks stores, kicking off a nationwide effort that will continue through 2008. As of May 1, qualifying AT&T high speed Internet and Wi-Fi customers will have Wi-Fi access at more than 7000 Starbucks locations nationwide.At the 2008 AT&T Annual Meeting of Stockholders in San Antonio, chairman and chief executive officer Randall Stephenson announced that the companies have already started the deployment of AT&T Wi-Fi service at Starbucks locations in San Antonio.Free AT&T Wi-Fi service is currently offered with AT&T's three hig Read more:Almost
, Free Starbucks
Howard Schultz Reads My Blog! 2008-04-25 12:00:18 Starbucks Taking Stock in Music Play - Read Article I say Mr. Schultz
reads my blog because in less than eight hours after suggesting he "stick to his knitting and make good coffee", the boss decides to cut heads in the music division of the coffee retailer. In a statement, Mr. Schultz said the company was "committed to examining all aspects of our business that are not directly related to our core."He got that from me ;) Obviously tongue planted firmly in cheek, I think this is another good move by the struggling Starbucks, however I am not sure that the former CTO is exactly the right person to run a music company. For one thing, I think the XM satellite deal was a bad idea as the exposure was limited at best and as the merger between XM and Sirius dragged on and on, the relationship Read more:Howard
, Howard Schultz
Starbucks Coffee Boycott 2008-04-24 09:33:47 Well, if there was ever a reason for a Starbucks
boycott this would be it. I mean, the video is really hysterical!
Read more:Coffee
, Boycott
The Re-Birth of The Siren! 2008-04-24 09:19:24 Welcome to The Drip!Well, it appears as if Starbucks has gotten itself into a bit of a pickle. I for one, being an avid coffee drinker don't think for a moment that Howard and the gang in Seattle can't right the ship.While the rest of us prepare for a Summer of $4.00 a gallon gas prices, we are resolute on paying whatever it takes to get our fill of that nectar called Starbucks.I decided to start this blog because I have lived my life inside many a Starbucks all over the country. No not as the guy that has traveled to all the Starbucks all over the world but as a regular guy who traveled for business and couldn't get a good cup of coffee anywhere.Many people will dispute the "good cup of coffee" but for me, it works. I have been known to put from 20oz to 140oz of dark, burnt, fountain of y Read more:Siren
Starbucks -Start Making News & Stop Being News 2008-04-24 07:25:27 The Starbucks
StoryI just read a great article by Douglas A McIntyre titled "Schultz Can't Win After Two-Minute Warning"where he talks about Howard Schultz making corporate decisions in essence "from behind his desk." Mr. McIntyre notes that famous CEO's such ans Sam Walton and J. Willard Marriott could signal a downturn months in advance because they were out in front leading the charge....in their stores or hotels everyday talking to employees, customers, suppliers, etc. Now, I know for a fact that Mr. Schultz gets out there and mixes it up, but this is where Starbucks is loosing. Howard Schultz is allowing the company to lose the war in the one place they can win...the PR war. What do I mean? Well for starters, I don't understand how Starbucks Coffee allowed the words Starbucks and McD Read more:Start
Starbucks Brass: "Worst Consumer Environment Ever!" 2008-04-23 15:29:46 Starbucks lowered guidance today and commented that it is the worst consumer environment that the company has ever seen. Whew, and I thought we were in a market downturn!Good thing Howard has opted for the $1 cup and coupons or we wouldn't be able to live without the go fast juice. Anyone invested in Starbucks (full disclosure...me) better hold on for a longer ride.In the video, Howard talks about the daily brew.
Read more:Starbucks
, Brass
, Consumer
, Environment
Can We Call You Howie....Didn't Think So 2008-04-23 14:20:02 Starbucks - Whats in a name?So Elizabeth Harrow writes and article about Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz trying everything under the sun to turn around the coffee company that we all know and love. While presenting some fair points on opportunities lost and failed projects, Ms Harrow takes the opportunity to calling Mr. Schultz "Howie". Now, my name is Darren, named that by my mother not for the famous t.v. show husband that I just so happened to grow up with during the shows heyday, but because you couldn't shorten then name. So forgive me for lashing out in defense of someone I don't know at someone else I don't know either.So why bother? Because you Ms Harrow are supposed to be a professional writer with all the baggage that goes with it. You see, you are paid for your opinions, and I mere
No title 2008-04-23 08:14:14 Organic Coffee Revs up All Things Organic Conference and Trade Show in Chicago With sales of organic coffee soaring, Equal Exchange will keep attendees buzzing at the upcoming All Things Organic™ Conference and Trade Show in Chicago April 27-29, 2008. In addition, Fresh Harvest Products' Wings of Nature™ coffee will be served at the OTA Welcome Party Sunday, April 27. The two companies are participants in the Organic Coffee Collaboration, a project of the Organic Trade Association along with Dallis Coffee, Elan Organic Coffees, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company. Save the Date: The media is invited to sample Collaboration participants' organic coffee and get the most recent market data May 13 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Zagat-heralded Union Squa
Note to Starbucks - Don't Franchise! 2008-04-29 10:58:30 Dunkin' Donuts - The Holes Arn't Just in The DonutsI just finished a great article by Cindy Gluck who is a Dunkin' Donuts franchise owner in Brooklyn, New York, home of the imperial leader Howard Schultz. In the article Ms Gluck questions the response she gets from Dunkin' Donuts corporate over her attempt to better her franchise.Because I wanted our store manager to share in our success, I offered to sell him a 15% stake. I wanted everything to be upfront, so I immediately notified Dunkin' Donuts.The corporation's response? A lawsuit. Dunkin' said that even though the transaction had yet to be completed - and even though I had notified the company beforehand - I had still violated their policies.To be clear, the deal was never consummated, and, when informed of the policy, I immediately w Read more:Starbucks
Starbucks Earnings Talk 2008-04-30 15:34:31 Starbucks Earnings
in Line With Estimates April 30th, 2008So the mother ship has just released Q2 earnings and to my happy surprise they came in in line at 15 cents a share on a 15% increase in revenue to 2.5 billion for the second quarter. Net earnings totaled $108.7 million vs. $150.8 million for the same period a year ago. Earnings per share was down 21% from $0.19 per share last year. Here is some interesting info: For second quarter fiscal 2008, United States operating income declined by 27.5 percent to $193.9 million. Operating margin contracted 500 basis points to 10.0 percent of related revenues from 15.0 percent in the corresponding period of fiscal 2007. The decrease was driven by lower than expected revenues, higher store operating expenses and higher cost of sales includi Read more:Starbucks
Starbucks Earnings Talk 2008-04-30 11:50:16 Starbucks Earnings
Q2, 2008 - Big Day for The Siren The mother ship reports earnings today for the fiscal second quarter and there has been some serious activity over the last three months. Let's take a look at what has been going on over at Utah Ave. The quarter started out by firing Jim Donald, and bringing former CEO and current chairman Obi-Wan-Kenobi (Howard Schultz) back into the spotlight as part of its plan to re-energize the high command. Mr. Schultz exclaimed that it is currently the "worst consumer environment the company has ever experienced" as Starbucks watched sales begin to slide amid a weak economy in which consumers are slowing down their spending in order to pay for necessities like food and gas. Howard also announced that he was no longer going to brown bag it an Read more:Starbucks
What's on Starbucks Menu - A Distinctive Cold Beverage Platform 2008-05-01 07:16:18 I have spent some serious quality time locked in my office writing about Starbucks
getting their "sexy" back. Talking about the "3rd Place" philosophy, getting the free wifi rolled out to more than just AT&T customers, and just getting the "warm & fuzzy" back into the marketplace. If for nothing else but to assure the what used to be 44,000,000 people that bought a coffee every week that the company will do whatever it takes to make sure they bring back the funk. Why do I use words like "funk" and "warm & fuzzies"? Because I am in sales and marketing and have spent my entire adult life trying to figure out how to market something to someone, then sell it to them.So I applaud companies that can bring it. Apple is cool, BMW is sexy, and Steve Jobs could tell your mom to jump off Read more:Beverage
, Platform
Starbucks Menu Item - Free Wifi 2008-05-02 11:51:19 Dear Mr. Schultz,pic courtesy of chrisdiclerico.comI just wanted to drop you a line and say thanks for the free wifi. I couldn't wait to be able to order my small coffee, fill it a 1/3 of half & half, hook up to the net, and spend the next eight hours using your wifi and electricity!By the way, refills are free with my registered card right?The lady in the background is priceless! She's like what the eff!
Read more:Starbucks
Starbucks Menu : Continued Growth Overseas 2008-05-02 07:33:07 Starbucks Tips - Keep Growing OverseasAfter digesting all of the earnings news this week, I find myself questioning the international plan."International store openings are expected to remain as previously announced at 975 stores"As I read the release again, I though, why not continue to expand in hyper-growth markets abroad? If Cardiff can be the first store in Europe to have a drive-thru, then you there have to be opportunities in every market.Part of Starbucks turnaround plan has to include taking out other local companies that are not as strong. I mean Starbucks could weather the storm for some time in order to grab market penetration, unfortunately, the 17 analysts that follow the company only care about what Howard is going to do three months from now, not three years.But if I were H Read more:Starbucks
, Growth
Starbucks Coffee Recipes - Sunday May 4th, 2008 2008-05-04 08:00:03 Starbucks Coffee
Recipes - Iced CoffeeIt's time once again for my Starbucks coffee recipes for Sunday
May 4th, 2008. I thought I would find a video for those of us (me included) who would like to watch something being made as oppsed to reading about it. So, I present to you this fine Sunday morningThe Starbucks Iced Coffee Recipe Video
Read more:Starbucks
Free Starbucks Wifi - Now You Did It! 2008-05-04 01:04:25 Knock knock, anyone in Seattle listening to the people out here? I told you guys don't get in bed with this free Starbucks
WiFi and at&t thing. I told you guys to wait and just roll it out for everyone.Now, it appears as if you might have a bit of a PR problem (shocker) on your hands.AT&T already turns off free WiFi for iPhone users?by Ryan Block, posted May 3rd 2008 at 5:27PMEasy come, easy go: looks like that free WiFi for iPhone users could already be turned off, as apparently users are starting to get login screens instead of the free web access they so quickly came to expect. The only real question is whether the whole free iPhone WiFi was simply flipped on early, and will be officially announced at a later time, or AT&T changed its mind about the whole thing. Guess we'll Read more:Free Starbucks
McCafe vs. Starbucks - It's All in The Name 2008-05-03 16:19:29 Starbucks Corporate CultureIt's a cool, overcast Saturday afternoon here in the Philadelphia suburbs and I really should be cutting my lawn. However, I am going to go on a bit of a rant here. In order to stay abreast with the goings on with the green mother, I use Google Alerts to keep me in tune with the latest news. In so doing, I also have every other major coffee company from all over the world as well as general terms such as "coffee" and "Latte" tagged for updates. So I get almost 600 alerts a day from people updating their blogs, or news outlets, or just random forum posts with sentences like “I just got a latte at Starbucks" or “we sat outside and had coffee and talked".You know the one thing I never hear? The use of the word McCafe in any sentence structure listed above, and t Read more:Starbucks
Starbucks Corporate Culture - Early Adopters 2008-05-05 06:45:01 Cute Kids or Early
Brand Adopters?It was one of those days yesterday that makes me forget that 90 degree weather is right around the corner. Sunny and 75 with a great breeze, it was a fantastic day for a walk in the park with the family followed by a stop off at the local Starbucks
. My Wife ordered her usual, iced coffee, I got my regular large coffee of the day, and a sample cup of what my daughter thinks is ice cream but in reality is just a dab of whipped cream. We opted to sit outside since this was one of the few Starbucks in my area with outdoor seating, something to do with the local laws or something and while we were enjoying our refreshments and my daughter feeding the ants, the question dawned on me, am I raising a future paying drone (read customer) for the mother ship?It’s a
Starbucks Corporate Culture - Your Out Tom 2008-05-07 06:45:02 As I was leafing through the Starbucks
2007 annual report, I noticed how many people the Starbucks corporate has in top level management. I was amazed to count no less than 33 Sr. vice Presidents among the flock.So I did some research. The average benefits package for a Sr. VP in the upper north west is $350,000. That includes base salary, medical, vacation, bonuses, so on and so on. Now, there are thirty three boys and girls wetting their beaks at the siren's trough to the tune of more than eleven million bucks a year. Seems like a lot to me and at first glance I would not mind if Howard started to ask for some of the keys to the executive restrooms back.But hold on...I decided to do some comps. I looked at Yum! Brands, Inc. since they have just about the same amount of sales ($10,416,00
Free Starbucks WiFi - One Bad Connection After Another 2008-05-06 06:45:01 Hello...Is This Thing On?Let me start by not saying I told you so Starbucks
. In my posts on free Starbucks wifi I begged you not to roll this out piece meal. I specifically said that cherry picking wifi customers by the wireless carrier they were on was going to backfire.And What Did You Do?You went and told the good people of San Antonio that they could have free wifi as long as they were at&t customers which was a mistake, but so be it. Now, you have gone and turned off the spigot.You have taken the worst step possible in your recovery. You have pissed off the geeks, yours truly included. Think I am wrong? Read on: Starbucks and non-free Wi-Fi May 4, 2008 · I don’t get it. Entire city of Mountain View has free Wi-Fi. The New York City central park has free Wi-Fi. Almost every Read more:WiFi
, Free Starbucks
Starbucks - Let Me Feel The Love! 2008-05-08 06:45:02 Note to Starbucks
- Charity Begins at HomeI was reading an interview with Howard Schultz by Mario Bartiromo in the Business Week “Face Time” section back on April 9th, 2008. It’s pretty standard issue feel good stuff about how bad business is right now, how good it will be once the economy turns and things get back to normal, and how we are going to improve the customer experience in the mean time. Then I got to this part: Maria asks “So people have been spending less on $4 lattes?” Howard answers; “no question about it, our research suggests they're not going anywhere else; they're just coming to us less frequently.” I thought to myself, that is the eureka moment! If the green monster’s own research suggests that their customers haven’t abandon ship for another, the
Funny Video Friday - Starbucks Hires New Music Sr. VP? 2008-05-09 12:40:02 It is funny video Friday
, and in the wake of the vacancy in the music division, it appears that Howard Schultz has two potential candidates coming in to interview today....Glen and Hank.Both have fine pedigrees, great Ivy League backgrounds, both come from gentrified families on the Main Line, one has a great movie theme from the 80's and the other a crowd of faithful fans.It's a tough contest, each took the time to research the position. One brought a band, the other dressed himself and his fans in Starbucks
green. Not sure who won? Watch the videos, the scroll down further for the winner. Then you vote!GLENHANKAnd the new Sr. VP of Starbucks Music
is.....????????????????ROY! Have a great weekend!
Read more:Funny
, Funny Video
, New Music
Howard Schultz - Indian Giver? 2008-05-10 12:31:01 Shareholders to Howard
- Time to Get Your Game Face On!As a Starbucks shareholder and Non-Seattle resident, I hope that Howard is able to get the Sonics lawsuit wrapped up shortly because I fear there may be a few too many things going in Mr. Schultz
's life.I say this because I get over 400 feeds a day talking about Starbucks and Mr. Schultz, and most reference this lawsuit. Now, I understand what it is you fighting for, but I am not sure it is in the best interests of the shareholders. My point is, Please remember who it is you are working for, and that owning the Sonics was what I am sure a fantastic opportunity, but none the less it was an local hobby compared to your day job and one that most people outside of Seattle (and some in Seattle) could care less about.
Read more:Howard Schultz
Howard Schultz - Indian Giver Part 2 2008-05-12 15:26:11 Howard - Throw in The Towel! Just read a fantastic post over at SuperSonicSoul stating if Howard wins his case against the investment group that has vowed to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City is prepared to force the Sonics to play in Oklahoma, not in Seattle. As I said last week in my post Howard Schultz
- Indian Giver Howard should forget this lawsuit and get back to work at the Read more:Howard
, Howard Schultz
Starbucks Corporate Culture - Changes Name to Slutbucks? 2008-05-12 12:22:00 So there is another Christian group upset with a multinational corporation....When isn't there? Here goes from Mother Jones:Starbucks
' Slutty Mermaid Making Waves " The Starbucks logo has a naked woman on it with her legs spread like a prostitute," explains alarmist Mark Dice, of a Christian group called The Resistance. "Need I say more? It's extremely poor taste, and the company might as wel
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