Starbucks buy Clover!

[ivdp]

I don't think it matters who owns a company as long as the products are freely available.
Obviously the company was bought because their product is good, if not very good, and the profit margin (very) high.
Since this is not the only method of making a coffee, why care. Let's stick to make a better cup than big brother.

[Chrisweaver]

its not freely available, last I heard, they'd pulled distribution.It's only available if you are prepared to drink starbucks coffee!!And last I checked.. it's not that great...

and for anyone who wants to suggest this is snobbery, I class quality as the terms we set on here... and Starbucks is yet to achieve a single one, including bean freshness, good roasting, trained baristas etc.

[BazBean]

Chris .. you ever tryed a filter (freshly brewed as well) not sat in the urns for 15 minutes?
you might be surprised !

[Chrisweaver]

to be honest baz, if I do ever end up in *$'s, which I used to occasionally, filter is all I drank, and yeh it came in various degrees of freshness, however, you cud still taste the badly roasted beans, and lack of freshness at a bean level!

Chris

[lukas]

Chris, there are many valuable (and cheaper!) alternatives of pouring fresh special coffee per cup for each customer. It may not taste exactly the same as a well dialed in clover'ed cup (I've had a few, and I am still hooked), but: A well prepared Melitta-filtered cup, a well prepared Aeropressed cup, a well prepered Frenchpress and a well prepared Vacpot still have the possibilty of revealing a massively good cup of coffee. It's all in the training and possibilities of the coffee and the people who produce it. Clover is just one of many valuable and good (though expensiv) brewing methods, I am stunned by it's clarity, but I'm also regularly stunned by well prepared somehow-other brewed cups.

Clover is not, just as espresso, the be-all-end-all. I find it sad that it's not available to the public anymore, yes, and I think it has possibilities of making repeatedly stellar cups, but I don't think it's such a bad thing for coffee in general. There will be competition and innovation (the market somehow dictates this now), and Starbucks will have quite some work to do to deploy the clover and to get good cups out of it.

[Chrisweaver]

hmm this is getting a little far

I'm not obsessed with the Clover by any means, I don't even know how amazing the coffee is. I recently got a chemex and I love it... however it'd be hassle in a shop!!

I think starbucks buying the clover, is more to me a showing of the power we have given these corporations, to basically buy out new technology to stop competition and as such the need to improve your use of it.

It is a great product from point of cleaning and rapid use, but there'll be more, I know that, and hell, filter isn't big in england yet anyway!!

[espressomattic]

I think starbucks buying the clover, is more to me a showing of the power we have given these corporations, to basically buy out new technology to stop competition and as such the need to improve your use of it.

So finally we see that you are in fact a Socialist

[Chrisweaver]

ha haa.... I am highly interested in socialist theology and writings, however I appreciate it is an unachievable utopia, prevented by human greed and the need for ease, speed and the next best thing...

But I digress...

[Gouezeri]

I'm on the fence with beanie on this one. We don't actually know what *$ are going to do with it. Yes, I'm concerned, but I don't think we really have grounds to criticise yet.

If my local *$ had a clover and it was well maintained, then I might very well be tempted to try it. That was extremely unlikely to happen with any of the independents around here, who were not likely to have afforded it.

I do agree that it is often a pity when innovation like this is bought up, but I doubt very much that the competition will just sit on their hands and do nothing, if *$ decide to deploy it widely. So there is a chance that this might provoke further competition and innovation. Again, at the moment I think it is just too early to say.

One positive (possibly optimistic) outcome is that this might actually help the general public to taste coffee as it should be tasted, without all the milk, whipped cream, syrups and sprinkles! And that can only be a good thing surely?

[Beanie]

I'm on the fence with beanie on this one. We don't actually know what *$ are going to do with it. Yes, I'm concerned, but I don't think we really have grounds to criticise yet.?

He agrees with me?!!!? Run for cover, the sky is falling! The sky is falling

This thread is kinda making me think of Starbies as the Microsoft of coffee

Anyway, just the volume (how many shops worldwide now?) of the green giant will make production of the Clover 'cheaper'... even if it's just realeased to its own shops. Maybe they'll do both, an in-shop and home version. Seriously, don't most companies buy other companies, not just for the product(s) but for the IP? And if so, don't they want the IP, not just to halt distribution, but also to develop that IP? It is an 'investment' after all.

There are references made to *$ shops not being able to afford the Clover in certain areas... well, that was the case before even *$. Also, I thought *$ is not your typical franchise (as in no franchise owners) but jv & licensing agreements. As more than half the outlets are company-owned, can't they place the Clover wherever, if they choose?

I think I'm changing my mind... whatever Starbucks decides to do with it, this move has generated more exposure about that elusive cup of 'quality' coffee. As said numerous times before as well, this also might incite further innovation from non-Starbies

[espressomattic]

Beanie, Dom....

I love that you are so eloquent....you put into words just what eats me up. Thank you. I feel better now you have said what I could not

[AlexV]

The price of the clover 1 has nothing to do with the cost. The reason it is priced quite high is because there is nothing like it (yes the technology isn’t new, but the application is different). I’m sure the cover isn’t that expensive to make. If Starbucks use the clover instead of filter machines they will save tones of wasted coffee a year, which will probably pay for the purchase of the company. I’m sure we will see a similar machine on the market very soon, from another manufacturer.

[Chrisweaver]

hmmm... I still think that they could have just bought machines to place in well placed stores, and still allowed indie's to buy it. It's the pulling of distribution which niggles me.

Anything that gets consumers to try new and better coffee is good, but I can't imagine someone in a starbucks store, especially in uk where espresso reigns supreme, giving the Clover the exposure it deserves, it'll probably just sit in the corner, until someone orders a filter coffee, and then it will be used with no admiration or ceremony.

Put as you guys put, for the time being this is purely speculation, we'll see what happens!

[Gouezeri]

From a more pessimistic perspective, it is possible that they bought the technology to stop anybody else from using it. So in this respect, it will be interesting to see to what extent they use it themselves!

I know where you are coming from Chris, espresso based drinks do seem to hog the limelight. However, I have experienced *$ in London promoting their filter coffees on a number of occasions, almost like a cupping, getting people to try different origins. I find this interesting as they are then putting the emphasis on cup profile/origin rather than roast, which is by far the dominant, if not only, feature which comes across in their espresso. Will it be truly appreciated, no probably not. But it might make enough of a difference to encourage people to buy/drink decent coffee rather than freeze dried and that in itself is a step in the right direction.

[keepitlikeasecret]

I would think it would be a starbucks initiative to promote the clover as much as possible in whatever stores it is put in. Staff will have to ask and tell you about it, signs will go up, and SO beans will start to be promoted; quite likely with lighter roasted options. This is no sit-in-the-corner step. Whether we see many in the UK is a big question though, i would think this is geared more towards the US market and big company rivalry there.

I am on the positive side of things though; given the Clover was extortionate and relatively rare, this thrusts it right into a competitive market. I'm with Alex in thinking this will only speed new brew development along, with a new machine coming along in the near future. If anything it is at least promoting brewed coffee again against the espresso fad here in the uk.