President Hu would rather be drinking Starbucks coffee

Chinese president makes comments at dinner hosted by Bill Gates.

MEDINA, Wash. (Reuters) - Less than 24 hours into his visit to Seattle, Chinese President Hu Jintao was already serving as a promoter for the city's homegrown Starbucks Corp.

Speaking to business executives, politicians and other dignitaries during a dinner Tuesday at the home of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, Hu expressed his desire to be a regular at the ubiquitous coffee-store chain.

"Starbucks coffee shops have mushroomed in China's cities," said the Chinese leader through a translator.

"If I were not serving in this office, I would certainly prefer to go into one of the coffee shops run by Starbucks," said the usually reserved Hu, drawing laughter from the crowd, which included Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz.

More...

Costa Coffee plans to expand in India

NEW DELHI: Bullish on India, Britain's Costa Coffee said on Wednesday that it plans to open 290 outlets in the next four years in the country at an investment of Rs 150 crore.

"Costa will be expanding in a big way in India. Since the launch of its first outlet in September 2005, Costa Coffee has added 11 stores. This year it will add another 50 outlets," Devyyani International Ltd (DIL), Costa Coffee master franchisee, CEO Vir ag Joshi told PTI.

"We expect to be in all major cities in the next two years," Mr Joshi said talking about the Costa's expansion plans.

More...

Eagle Eye Cam

I recently found a most fascinating website that I want to share with you. It has nothing to do with coffee, so please forgive my transgression.

It is a camera of an eagle's nest, with two eggs that are due to hatch very soon. The nest is near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. If you have broadband access, you can watch and hear the two eagles taking turns sitting on the eggs, and very soon, you will be able to see the baby eagles. (Internet Explorer works better than Firefox.)

How many American Bald Eagles have you seen in the wild?

See them at Eagle Eye Cam

Coffee Guru Gives Single-Cup Coffees Two Thumbs Up!

WATERBURY, Vt.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kenneth Davids, editor of the independent Coffee Review, has awarded an outstanding 90 score to Heifer Hope Blend in K-Cups(R) produced by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR).


A K-Cup is a patented design that holds a single serving of coffee or tea. It is inserted into the Keurig(R) Single-Cup Brewer to create a fresh cup in seconds. Heifer Hope Blend was created to support Heifer(R) International's fight against world hunger. It is one of four new "Partnership Coffees" packaged in K-Cups that allow consumers to support good causes, one cup at a time.

In his March review, Davids described Heifer Hope Blend in K-Cups as having "a complex and rather exotic profile." He noted the coffee's "wine-like acidity, with apple, floral, chocolate, nutmeg-like spice notes" and its "long, quietly rich finish."

Like wine, coffee is judged on aroma, acidity, body, flavor, and aftertaste on a 100-point scale. Connoisseurs look for a score of 80 or above, and a 90 is considered "outstanding."

"We are thrilled that an independent, third-party has confirmed what we've always known," said Bob Stiller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. "Our Partnership Coffees are a convenient way for people to enjoy world-class coffee, and an easy way to support the work of our non-profit partners. We like to think of it as better coffee for a better world."

The company's three other Partnership Coffees in K-Cups also scored high marks from Davids. National Wildlife Blend was described as "silky in mouthfeel and mild in flavor" and received an 85. Newman's Special Blend Extra Bold was praised for its "very mild, sweet, smokily cedar-toned aroma" and also received an 85. Newman's Special Decaf had "distinct caramel notes and hints of butter...vanilla and chocolate" and scored an 87. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is the exclusive roaster of Newman's Own(R) Organics coffee, and Paul Newman donates all of the royalty he receives after taxes to educational and charitable purposes.

All four Partnership K-Cups are Fair Trade Certified(TM) and organic--which means the farmers were paid a fair price for their crop, and their exceptional beans are grown without chemicals. More information on Partnership K-Cups can be found on Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' website: www.greenmountaincoffee.com/cstm_partner_k-cups.aspx.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. is a leader in the specialty coffee industry and offers over 100 coffee selections including estate, certified organic, Fair Trade Certified(TM), signature blends, and flavored coffees that it sells under the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters(R) and Newman's Own(R) Organics brands. While the majority of Green Mountain Coffee's revenue is derived from its wholesale operations, the Company also operates a direct mail business and an e-commerce website (www.GreenMountainCoffee.com) from its Waterbury, Vermont headquarters. Each year the Company contributes at least five percent of its pre-tax profits to support socially responsible initiatives. Based on its performance, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has been recognized for the past six years as one of Forbes Magazine's "200 Best Small Companies," for the past three years in the top ten on Business Ethics magazine's list of "100 Best Corporate Citizens," and for the past two years as one of the Society of Human Resource Management's "Best Medium Companies to Work for in America."

Contacts
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.
Rick Peyser, 866-881-7475

Starbucks China: Cultural differences ironed out

By KRISTEN MILLARES BOLT
P-I REPORTER

When Starbucks Corp. executives talk about China, they tend to do so in superlatives.

And why not? China is the Seattle coffee company's fastest-growing international market and could become its largest global market.

As of April 4, there were 238 Starbucks locations in China, including Hong Kong and Macau. Thirty-five of those stores are company-operated, a departure from the company's initial strategy to seek joint-venture partners. In Taiwan, the company has 171 stores, all licensed.

More...

Coffee, caffeine consumption continues to rise

By Jordan Galloway, The Lantern (Ohio State U.)

(U-WIRE) COLUMBUS, Ohio - It is tiny, brown and millions of people wake up to it every day. It is commonly called a coffee bean.

The number of American adults consuming coffee as their caffeine fix has increased in recent years.

Americans consume more than 300 million cups of coffee every day, according to the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

"I drink five or six cups of coffee in a day," said Patricia Andueza, a linguistics graduate student. "I drink it not only for the caffeine but to break the rhythm of the day. I take a break, have a coffee."

Mornings are a popular time for caffeine consumption.

"What people look at in caffeine is that it tends to be somewhat of a stimulant," said Sharron Coplin, registered dietitian and program manager for the department of human nutrition and food management. "People use it as part of their wake-up routine."

Caffeine has medicinal properties as well.

"There are a lot of pharmaceutical manufacturers who combine caffeine with aspirin and stuff like that," Coplin said. "Caffeine sometimes can constrict the small capillaries. Some headaches are caused by a dilation of those capillaries."

More...

South Africa drinks more coffee

By: Johann van Zyl

Johannesburg - South Africans are drinking more coffee in restaurants and at home, according to research recently conducted for the hospitality industry.

Judy Bird, of EatSafe Marketing, says that 12 of the 14 coffee groups polled in the survey experienced real turnover growth of 9% to 18% in the two years to end-December 2005.

There are at least 1 150 coffee shops in SA, about 60% of them independent.

More...