Things are still changing at Starbucks. First off, they’re going to buy the maker of “Clover” the crazy $11,000 coffee machine that makes one cup at a time.
Starbucks, the world’s largest chain of coffee shops, also said today it would acquire Coffee Equipment Co., the maker of the $11,000 Clover machines that brew one cup of coffee at a time. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.“You have an economy that really is in a tailspin, and many would say the consumer is in a recession,” Schultz told more than 6,000 shareholders at the company’s annual meeting in Seattle. “We are dealing with things that we haven’t seen before in terms of how people are responding to how tough it is.”
Secondly, they’ve announced a rewards program:
Customers will be able to get free syrup or milk alternatives for their drinks, or free refills on brewed coffee, if they use their Starbucks card.
“Register your card and we will customize your beverage basically for free,” Schultz said.
Does the idea of a rewards program appeal to you? Or no?
Starbucks Chief Doesn’t See U.S. Economy Improving (Update2) [Bloomberg]
(Photo:Ben Popken)
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@arch05: It’s not a credit card it’s a reloadable pre-paid card (like a gift card).
I had no idea this thing was a like a super controllable french press. pretty awesome.
The Clover is actually a cool machine though reliablity seems to be an issue I have been told at the local coffee shop.
If you want the “Clover experience” at home, try this:
[www.instructables.com]
@Michael Belisle: It’s basicaly an inverted French Press, see the link above for how to “replicate” it at home
Starbucks made a very shrewd move by buying the company responsible for the Clover. Over the past couple years, I’ve enjoyed many cups from a Clover at a neighborhood cafe, and it’s the only coffee I can drink without adding anything. This is a big win for everyone. We as customers get whatever kind of coffee we want, brewed fresh for us on the spot, and the cafe eliminates the waste caused by coffee going stale in air pots (which should quickly add up to more than $11K in savings). Don’t be surprised if Starbucks starts adding some amazing, crazy expensive roasts to their in-store lineup because of this.
@AbstractConcept: clovers make one cup of coffee at a time. like another poster above, i frequent intelligentsia and they have a couple of clovers that clearly require a lot more attention than the trash called “coffee” served at starbucks. although tbh i don’t think even if starbucks did add these machines to their stores that would change much.
Now wait… it is really the rechargeable gift-card or is it their SBux Duetto Visa?
To answer the original question, I would totally use it if it is the gift-card (no way if it is their credit card). I’m not too cool to admit that I drink Sbux… and when I’m by a mom n pop shop, I ‘ll drink that too.
I take back what I said about Starbucks bringing the future to my doorstep. There’s just not enough excellence to roast it by the ton.
You beat me to it, crazylady.
@Snowrunner: I hope that’s a joke. It’s like adding a racing stripe to your Pinto and saying it’s just like the cars at Le Mans. (Physically, pressing up is the same as pressing down. Why not avoid the overextraction problem by offloading the excess output to a thermal container? Bonus: it stays warm for hours.)
I’d just put the machine Starbucks stores in several key areas with a high concentration of wealth and coffee drinkers – New York comes to mind.
Make some promotional materials available and watch the uber-yuppy dollars roll in.
STARBUCKS PURCHSED THE COMPANY THAT MAKES THE MACHINE, not the machine itself. Super rare chance that any Starbucks will have a Clover.
The Starbucks Verismo espresso machines already cost $10,000.
It still gets me that people don’t understand the basic difference between espresso and coffee.
“Starbucks is so expensive! I can make it at my house for pennies!”
No you can’t. Because you’d have to have an espresso machine. Starbucks lattes cost just as much as any other coffee shop. Their fancy drinks are overpriced. Drip coffee is extremely comparable.
@Super_Kitten: Glad you’re enjoying the first Intelligentsia outside of Chicago. You know what we’ve known for years.
The rewards program is loooooong overdue. However, they need to make the card work in ALL starbucks locations (airports, supermarkets, barnes &noble, etc.) rather than only in their stand-alone stores. I gave up on the card as soon as I realized I could use it, well, basically nowhere. When I am coming off a flight, juggling a laptop, a rolling suitcase, a purse (that I probably just had to retrieve from my rollalong suitcase-thanks Delta!), my cellphone/blackberry to catch up on what I missed in-flight and directions to wherever I am going, nothing pisses me off more than to be told that the goddamned card I’ve just carefully retrieved ‘can’t be accepted in that location’.
@jesseraub: plenty of us have espresso machines at home
@jesseraub: plenty of us have an espresso machine at home.
@B: Exactly! Kind of like “ATM machine” LOL
Didn’t Starbucks just post some disappointing financials? I guess they are hoping this will drum up business.
With the right knowledge, equipment and beans you can make an even better espresso drink yourself at home.
I for one welcome our brushed steel, coffee-brewing overlords. Many places I travel just don’t sell much coffee through the day, so I often wind up with coffee from an air pot that is just about to be pitched. I guess I could order an Americano instead, but I keep stubbornly rolling the dice with their house coffee. Bringing in Clover coffee (which I enjoy often in the PNW) would be a big step up, provided the beans are worthy. As for the cost to equip the cafes with a Clover, Starbucks won’t be paying anything close to the retail price once they own the manufacturer. Starbucks could also save money on coffee when they’re able to stop pitching air pots of unsold coffee every couple hours.
It’s also likely that Starbucks will help CEC complete their rumored “home Clover” model and tap into a juicy revenue stream when that product can be ordered from any Starbucks location.
It’s a shame that they bought out clover. The machine is amazing. Now you will only be able to drink tasteless burnt beans from the machine.
@Techguy1138: This seems to be a case where the steakhouse is offering better steaks to get people in the door.
You have mistaken sizzle for steak.