CoffeeForums Coffee Facts

If you want the best coffee or cappuccino you will probably end up in a Starbucks joint, but that's not the case if you are Settle, Washington, USA. Starbucks in Seattle goes by the name Seattle's Best Coffee; or rather it's a subsidiary of Starbucks with grocery sub stores and retail stores in 20 provinces and states in the District of Columbia.

Established in 1969 in Coupeville, Washington as a coffee house/ice cream parlour called "Wet Whisker", Seattle's Best Coffee has continued to build a reputation as a top coffee retailer with great tasting coffee. It was founded by brothers Dave and Jim Stewart. Later, between 1969 and 1991, it was named "Stewart Brothers Coffee" After 1991 it took on its current names and continues to outshine many other coffee houses that have sprouted with time.

AFC Enterprises bought Seattle Coffee Holdings in 1998 and renamed it Seattle Coffee Company. With AFC Enterprise still holding the reins of ownership and leadership in the company, Seattle's Vashon Island roasterie was revamped and upgraded. Meanwhile organic coffee line was established in the company at the same time. In July 2003, AFC Enterprises was between a rock and hard place brought about by failure of Arthur Anderson Accounting Firm forcing it to sell Seattle Coffee Company to Starbucks while retaining franchise rights in Hawaii, U.S military bases and eleven counties.

But in November 2004, the collapsing AFC sold the remaining franchise rights that included Cinnabon to a new comer in the market, an affiliate of Roark Capital Group, Focus Brands Inc. Starbucks wanted to remain at the prime of their game and so they shut down the Vashon Island factory in October 23, 2003 and made strategically moved production to Washington, in their Kent roasterie.

Out for better prospects, Seattle's Best Coffee signed a contract with Borders bookstore that saw the transformation of Borders bookstores into Seattle's Best cafes. True to their word, Seattle's Best Coffee had converted nearly two thirds of Borders domestic stores into their own as of 2006. To crown it all, Seattle's Parent company Starbucks Corporation, signed a contract with Barnes and Noble, to sell it coffee products in Barnes Cafes. While other coffeehouses went to sleep, Starbucks worked hard and now owns and controls operations in Indigo Books and Music store as well as Chapters Bookstore both located in Canada.

"Latte-Tudes" and "Caf? Promenade" are the names used to identify Seattle's Best Coffee outlets in 21 ships that make the fleet of Royal Caribbean International.