Move Over Starbucks, Juan Valdez Is Coming

The New York Times ^ | November 29, 2003 | SHERRI DAY

[chicagolady]

Juan Valsez. another Illegal Immigrant!

[Petronski]

The average Starbucks' latte costs $2.25 to $3 a cup; a mocha costs $2.45 to $3.25.

And on top of that, it just doesn't taste good, certainly not that good. Just what the hell are people thinking?

[Petronski]

And speaking of coffee, Madison Square Garden has now made Starbucks the official coffee for all Knicks games, meaning that perennial fan Spike Lee's big mouth will now be available with foam.

[lelio]

The federation paid $1.5 million to buy him a cameo appearance in the Jim Carrey movie "Bruce Almighty."

Dang that's a lot of money, how long was the appearance?

Juan Valdez is forgetting that the reason they get 1 cent per cup is that its expensive to operate retail stores. Plus where is Juan going to open a store that doesn't already have a Starbucks on the same corner?

[boris]

There must be some upper limit of the ratio (fancy coffee dens/person). Surely it is less than unity.

Me, I buy my coffee from The Flying Bean and I am my own Starbucks for less bucks.

--Boris

[boris]

This also reminds me of one of Boris' Laws: the law of conservation of Italian restaurants. The number is constant; some go out of business, some start up, but the overall count remains roughly the same.

Probably true for any sort of ethnic cuisine.

--Boris

[cyborg]

I agree as a former Starbucks customer

[chicagolady]

I will have a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee anytime!

[cyborg]

Notice how a pound isn't 16 ounces anymore? A pound is now 10 ouces... how did they weave that magic?

[EggsAckley]

I always marvel at how many Asian-designed buildings house Mexican restaurants and how many Mexican motif buildings house Asian restaurants. Heheheh.

[mylife]

I will have a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee anytime!

I never thought I'd see the day when I'd go to a dunkin donuts but I have to say they make a fine cup of coffee!

[chicagolady]

The Police who sit in thier shops think so too!

[lelio]

Just on paper, having real Colombian coffee and creating a retail shop around it, they do win the authenticity factor

People that buy higher end coffee aren't going to be swayed by this authenticity. They're selling the same stuff as Starbucks, minus the other brands (Kenyan, etc).

[Cicero]

I agree. When I take Amtrak up to Vermont late at night I have learned to finesse the Amtrak coffee and wait until I can stop by a Dunkin Donuts just up the hill from the station where I get off. At that time of the evening it saves a lot of heartburn.

[Bogey78O]

volume versus weight I'm guessing.

[cars for sale]

well I'm just an ole country boy but the suggestion
in the piece to destroy the surplus and raise prices
on the new yield implies exceess bean(o')s and
probably means always......heck grind the excess
thow it in the back yard , add the egg shells and raise fishin' worms...say for a buck ten a bucket...just
more do rey me on the table.....hehe

[KarlInOhio]

......heck grind the excess thow it in the back yard , add the egg shells and raise fishin' worms

Jittery wide awake fishing worms.

[vetvetdoug]

Juan Valdez is coming

The way I see it, the s.o.b. is everywhere in the US already.

[NewRomeTacitus]

Don't be down on old Juan. He represents the Columbian farmers raising legal crops while their neighbors have given into the lucrative (and violent) drug markets. "Juan" doesn't even want to move here. Recieving a bit more profit from his work helps him defend against the pressures to join the dark side (or at least pay the S.O.B.'s off to leave him alone).