Independent coffeehouse owners
in the USA filed lawsuits against Starbucks Corporation, claiming the company,
from its monopoly position in the coffee market, engages in a range of
anti-competitive activities aimed at eliminating competition. Many people believe
Starbucks has become such a dominating force in the coffeehouse segment, it has
become a monopolist. It is clear that they swallowed mom-and-pop coffeehouses business
in the USA. You also can say that they bring the coffee service level too high,
those small operations wouldn’t compete with them. The line between monopoly
and better business is very fine, but Starbucks uses anti-competitive steps to
avoid fair competition. First of all they control the retail spaces. They make
such agreements (contracts) with Real Estate firms and building owners to not
possible to rent any other retail space other coffeehouse business. Which mean
they blocked consumer demand in these locations. Another complain about Starbucks
is in number of US cities Starbucks used predatory tactics for offers to buy
out competitors at below-market price, and if offer is rejected, threatens to
open stores nearby. For additional information regarding this suit, contact
Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro visit www.hbsslaw.com web site.
One of my good friend in Chicago,
whom used to work in Starbucks as a barista, once told me; “Starbucks is new fashion
candy store for grownups. We serve oversized sugary products”. My friends’ impression was totally right. They
work for the problem of this century, Obesity. Can you imagine 16ounce (470 ml) whole milk Caffè Mocha with
whipped cream is 370 calories, 19 grams of fat and 175mg of caffeine. Maple
glazed scone is 440 calories and 18 grams of fat or apple fritter 420 calories
and 20 grams of fat. Of course Starbucks
is not responsible to make healthy choice for their customers, but it is fact
that they are hitting below. Nowadays they have nutrition fact information in
their website, which I don’t know why, but I think they are trying to enact
their candy store products.
There is no clear number, how
much Colombian coffee use Starbucks at this moment. But they said they have
been purchasing coffee from Colombian growers for 42 years, and they are entering
into a partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development to
increase Colombian coffee yields and provide technical and agronomy support to
Colombian farmers with a combined $3 million investment in the Starbucks Farmer
Support Center in Manizales, Colombia. These words are too big to me to
understand… I looked in the internet to find really how much Colombian Coffee
Starbucks purchases or what is the really help Starbucks doing here in
Colombia. Do you know what did I found??? NOTHING… So what help they will give
to Colombian Coffee growers? They say they will roast their coffee in Medellin
(in Colcafe) and serve in their store Colombian coffee roasted in Colombia. That
is the obligation from Colombian Coffee Federation. If they would be
able to do other way around I am sure that they would send from Seattle.
Actually that is how they do in their store all around the world. Roasting
Colombian coffee in Colombia sound is good…But…
Let’s take a look at what kind
of products they have in Starbucks retail stores?
Beside of bag of international
coffees, bag of instant coffees, espresso drinks, iced coffee drinks and
regular coffee drinks Starbucks store has; tea, juice, chocolate, smoothies,
Starbucks refrehers beverages, sandwiches, Panini, salads, baked goods, yogurt,
fruit, ice cream, merchandise, even in some locations beer and wine.
As you can see Starbucks is promising
to sell Colombian coffee only in brew coffee. What about the other international
coffees they will bring to Colombian land? They have over 40 different types of
coffee from all around the world different then Colombian; it is published in
their web site. So this is the way they would like to help to Colombian coffee growers?
I am not against
to Starbucks, I always thought that they gave somehow a planch to coffee business
in the USA. But when you say “we accepted Starbucks to Colombia because we believe
they will help coffee business here in Colombia” have to see behind the
picture. Therefor I would like to give piece of my mind in order to you don’t get surprise in the future.