Strong sales put buzz in specialty coffee industry

David Goll

Americans feeling the economic pinch may be putting off purchases of sailboats and dining room sets, but don't even think of asking them to give up their daily double low-fat latte with a dusting of cinnamon.

In a nation that once thought something resembling dishwater was acceptable coffee, consumers of every income level have made today's burgeoning specialty coffee industry virtually recession-proof. That's reflected in earnings reports released both by industry behemoth Starbucks Corp., which operates about 6,200 stores worldwide, and its much smaller rival Peet's Coffee & Tea Inc. of Emeryville.

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