Starbucks offers 'coffee experience' to countries that take pride in 'café'

Associated Press August 30, 2002

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Starbucks Coffee Co. is opening its first chain of stores here next month, spearheading a push into Latin America, where coffee-growing is a matter of pride and a 50-cent "cafe con leche" is part of the culture.
But the Seattle-based company is trusting in a blend that has given it more than $2.6 billion in sales and a foothold in 24 countries: a strong brew, local beans and a cafe atmosphere.

Starbucks plans to charge about the same prices in Puerto Rico and Mexico as it does in the United States, where a small coffee costs $1.68 and a large specialty coffee drink tops $5.

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