NewsCloud.com Coffee News

Starbucks to close 600 stores in the U.S.

Starbucks Corp. said Tuesday that it has drastically increased the number of stores it plans to close and could eliminate as many as 12,000 full- and part-time positions as a result. The company said it now plans to close 600 company-operated stores in the United States, up from its previous plans to close 100 stores.

Life In Gaza: Contemplating Coffee

Gazan blogger Heba Z took a break from writing because she was starting to lose faith that it would change anything, and in her words, no one was listening anyway. It was a simple cup of coffee restored her faith in humanity. Read her story - and let her know you're listening.

Starbucks has high hopes for its new espresso machine

But she's not sure it can. In her opinion, the once-small Seattle coffee company's product is over-roasted and suffers from being mass-produced -- problems no machine can fix. David Schomer, espresso guru and the founder of Espresso Vivace, agrees there's more to good coffee than good technology. "For perfection it is necessary to bring together a perfect blend, perfect equipment, and a very skilled barista," he said. "If any of these broad factors are missing or sub-par, the espresso will suffer accordingly."

Fair Trade in Bloom

The NYT has a big feature on Fair Trade Coffee on the front page of the business section today!

Starbucks to source coffee from China

Starbucks has been working with coffee farmers in China's southwestern Yunnan province to help them meet sourcing standards and has sent coffee shipments to the United States for testing, Starbucks China President Wang Jinlong said at the Reuters China Century Summit on Tuesday.

FLO International: Global Fairtrade sales increase by 40% benefiting 1.4 million farmers worldwide

Consumers worldwide spent 1,6 billion Euros on Fairtrade Certified Products in 2006, according to Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO). This is a 41% increase on the previous year, directly benefiting over 1,4 million producers and workers worldwide.

Deal brewing in the Starbucks coffee fight

With its carefully designed ethical image badly tarnished, Starbucks is about to announce a deal with Ethiopia over its claims in premium coffee brands. And for Ethiopian farmers, it could be worth millions of dollars a year.

Starbucks coffee roasted

Ethiopia's coffee growers are creating problems for Starbucks which has an annual turnover of $7.8 billion, not much lower than Ethiopia's gross domestic product. Ethiopian farmers make a pittance on the coffee and Starbucks has refused permission for Ethiopian farmers to trademark their beans.

Some coffee stands get steamier

Howard Schultz never thought of that: "Do you like my leg warmers?" she asks. "Aren't they hot?"

Working out of a 'third place

Adding this to NewsCloud from my third place - Seattle's Herkimer Coffeehouse on Phinney Ridge.

Starbucks Raises Prices on Coffee

Starbucks Corp. said Thursday that it planned to raise prices of its lattes, cappuccinos, drip coffee and other drinks by 5 cents, or an average of 1.9 percent. O'Neil said the company decided to charge more because costs, including fuel and energy, are going up.

Drinking coffee makes you more open-minded

The coffee you drink as a pick-me-up in the morning could also make you more open to persuasion, researchers say. Evidence from a new study suggests that this happens because caffeine revs up the brain, not because it generally boosts mood. Previous studies have show that consuming caffeine can improve one s attention and enhance cognitive performance, with 200 milligrams (equivalent to two cups of coffee) being the optimal dose.

Genetics Found to Have a Hand in Coffee Risk

Those who metabolize caffeine slowly are more likely to get heart disease, a study says.

The dark story of poverty in your coffee cup

Starbucks is evil.

Judge sides with Starbucks in name dispute with "Sambuck's"

Sam says she doubts people have trouble distinguishing her 10-foot-wide shop from a Starbucks, and that her business logo is not easily confused with that of Starbucks.