Specialty coffee market getting hotter

Piping hot or ice blended, market has opportunities spilling out of its cup

By April Y. Pennington
MSNBC

Did you grab a cup of java this morning to enjoy while checking your e-mail? Like technology, specialty coffee is continuing in its skyrocketing appeal and availability.

According to the National Coffee Association USA, 49 percent of Americans age 18 or older drink some type of coffee beverage daily, and many of them are waiting in lines at specialty coffee retailers to get their fix. The cafe segment of the specialty coffee market -- including cafes, kiosks, carts and coffee bean roaster/retailers -- reached $8.47 billion in 2003 and continues to grow. And it's become clear that, even in a world where Starbucks has been crowned the unofficial figurehead of specialty coffee, franchises are reaching for a piece of the bean.

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