By now many of you are familiar with the old “tastes burnt” comment offered by people who aren’t fans of Starbucks’ current coffee offerings. And after 40 years of serving up the dark stuff, the java giant announced today it will start brewing up a milder, blonde roast in January. [More]
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After Getting Slammed, Keurig Promises To Find Recyclable Versions Of K-Cups
By 10.14.11
Keurig’s single-use coffee pods might be convenient, but they can’t be recycled. Clean Water Action is calling on them to clean up their act, and Keurig has promised to try really hard. [More]
Zoka Coffee Responds To FDA Warning Letter
By 9.30.11
Yesterday, we reported how Seattle-based coffee seller Zoka Coffee had received a warning letter from the FDA regarding an April inspection that discovered more than a few rodent feces. After the story was posted, Zoka reached out to Consumerist to give its side of the story. [More]
FDA Warns Seattle-Based Coffee Company That Rat Poo Is Not Part Of A Seasonal Blend
By 9.29.11
UPDATE: Both Zoka and the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture have responded to Consumerist regarding the situation.
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Women Who Drink Coffee Have 20% Lower Risk Of Depression
By 9.27.11
According to a new study, women who drink caffeinated coffee showed a 20% lower risk of depression than non-coffee drinkers. [More]
Starbucks CEO Emails Customers, Recruiting Them To Stop Washington Gridlock
By 9.6.11
The CEO of Starbucks emailed customers on Friday asking them to join hands with him and other business leaders to urge Congress to stop the nihilist political gridlock and get on with fixing our country. Tuesday night at 6pm he will host an online townhall meeting. At the same time, he’s also set up an online petition where businesses can “pledge” to withhold campaign contributions as well as promise to start hiring employees. Is this the start of the “Coffee Party”? [More]
Starbucks To Place Single-Cup Capsules In Stores In November
By 8.31.11
Eying light coffee drinkers who don’t want to brew entire pots in the morning or lug themselves out to coffee shops to get their fixes, Starbucks will sell coffee and tea in single-cup Keurig capsules starting in November. The coffee giant aims to place the packets in all manner of marketplaces, including food, drug stores and department stores. [More]
Coffee Prices Finally Stop Hopping, Start Dropping
By 8.25.11
Percolate on this: After months of popular brands of coffee rising at grocery stores, a downward turn in coffee futures is causing those prices to dip back down again. So now you can get a jolt in your system without having to complain that coffee is so expensive. [More]
Addicted To Caffeine? Here's How To Wean Yourself
By 8.22.11
Once you’ve gotten to the point where you need caffeine to transform into a semblance of a normal person each day, it’s probably a good idea to try to distance yourself from the drug. [More]
Judge Tosses Gorilla Coffee's Suit Against NYT For Posting Workers' Walkout Letter
By 8.16.11
A popular Brooklyn coffee shop’s lawsuit against the New York Times just got chucked. The paper’s City Room blog had reprinted the letter penned by eight employees who simultaneously quit over working conditions, and the owners of Gorilla Coffee felt that the Times’ action was defamatory and an “intentional infliction of emotional distress.” A judge disagreed. [More]
Man Finds Camera Hidden In Starbucks Bathroom, Doesn't Even Get A Free Coffee For It
By 8.12.11
A plumber is pissed after finding a camera hidden inside a Starbucks men’s room. First it was the camera, then it was the employees’ blase attitude, then it was the police seizing his laptop. And he didn’t get a thank you from Starbucks for his deed, not even a free coffee. [More]
Want A Starbucks? Use Jonathan's Card
By 8.9.11
Jonathan is letting anyone who wants to use his Starbucks card. He’s posted a scanned copy of the mobile-app code on his Starbucks card and invited anyone who wants to to have a cup on him. The crazy thing is that it’s working like “leave a penny, take a penny,” with some people adding onto the card’s balance after they grab a brew. [More]
Starbucks Responds To Alleged "Attack" On Gay Worker
By 6.15.11
After a woman’s story about a Starbucks worker she allegedly saw getting forced to hand in his keys while being told by a shift supervisor his co-workers didn’t want to hear about him being gay anymore went viral, the coffee giant has pledged to investigate. [More]
Surprisingly, Panera Bread's "Pay What You Can" Model Is Working
By 5.18.11
Panera Bread has been trying out a donation-only “pay what you can” model at three locations for the past year, and says that it’s working. The chain says that 60% of people put in the full retail amount in the box, 20% put more in, and 20% put in less. Panera’s founder says it all works because “people are fundamentally good” but I’d like to see how well one of these stores located in an area where greed, theft, and self-interest above all is glamorized — like Wall Street. [More]
The Best Flowchart For Proper Office Coffee-Maker Etiquette
By 5.13.11
Does someone in your office not know proper coffee-maker etiquette? This flowchart will guide them through the decision-making process they should go through upon encountering a coffee pot. Installing several of these in high-visibility areas should help reduce the number of times you walk into the break room only to encounter a stinking hunk of boiling black sludge. My favorite part is where it says “Do you drink coffee? -> No -> Walk away -> But I want to turn it off!” and it just keeps looping back to walk away… We mocked Comcast when we posted their internal policy regarding making coffee, but maybe they were actually pretty forward-thinking. [More]
Consider The Mighty Coffee Cup Lid
By 5.11.11
For an item so ubiquitous, tossed without a care, and that costs only pennies to make, a ton of engineering and thought has poured into the design of the plastic coffee cup lid. Take a moment to look down the next time you grab a cup of Joe and see which sort you have before you, as there are all manner of species for all manner of purposes. [More]
Pickpockets Target Starbucks Customers
By 5.2.11
While you’re taking a break with a relaxing Trenta of Pike’s Peak Roast coffee at Starbucks, a thief could be silently snagging your wallet, reports the New York Times. [More]
Magic Metal Beans Keep Your Coffee Hot For Hours
By 4.28.11
I would trade a cow for these magic beans. Seriously. “Coffee Joulies” are a new invention that are stainless steel “beans” that keep your coffee at the perfect temperature for several hours. Hours. [More]
