Very important coffeee question

[Coffeewhore]

I realize that we have many coffee coniciers on here, many that probably don't like Starbucks, but I think it is the most "popular" in the US. There are others that are more regional, but not with the network of Starbucks.

That being said, What would you say is the 2nd or 3rd "most popular" coffee place or are there even any that come close? Any good regional places (Seattle's Best, Coffee Beanery, etc etc) thanks

 

[Coffeewhore]

Man, did I butcher "Connoisseurs" sorry,,LOL

 

[Rowley]

If you are only going by shear numbers, then out here in California "The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf." But personally I enjoy any place with "Seattles Best" and seak them out whenever I see it is served.

 

[javahill]

Seattle's Best is a subsidiary of Starbucks. They have more flavored coffee and a larger food service business (colleges, convenience stores etc.), though they also have their own retail stores.

You're going to need to try hard to escape the scaly grasp of the green mermaid.

Gloria Jeans is a subsidiary of Diedrich's coffee. They always struck me as the "Crabtree and Eveyln" of coffee. Not a place for a grown man to get a cup of coffee. But for the people who like that sort of thing, that's the sort of thing they like.

Peets has some good stores. Check their web site for locations. You can also go to www.transfairusa.org and look up their listings of coffee retailers. You'll miss some who do not have fair trade certified coffee, but in terms of finding a good list, it is one of the easiest.

 

[espresso98072]

Javahill. You forgot Coffee People also held by Dietrich and Dietrich Mfg. the roasters Martin's brother Steven. You might also want to consider another company like Torrefazione Italia also held by the green maiden. Still a good coffee company aquired by Seattle's Best Coffee before the moster merger. SBC was aquired for the purpose of vast market distribution within grocery chains. Big chains rarely have good quality in the cup though. Let us not forget Tully's though. They are striving to compete with the Maiden but with a lighter roast profile and arts and crafts erra decor. A fairly good cup of coffee.

 

[javahill]

Yep, all the engulf and devour in the coffee industry. There will be more before it is done. There is far too much money for selling out not to be appealing. There is far too much money to not be tempted to buy someone else who has done all the hard work of getting on the map.

From what I recall, Seattle's Best strength was in food service (by the cup) and the supermarket was of secondary value. They carried many more flavored coffees than S'bucks. That gave them a better fit with food service applications (delis, convenience stores, corporate feeders, etc.) than the creature from the green lagoon.

Torrepastafazoli was supposed to anchor the high end retail. Each of these was to round out the portfolio. SBC had flavors to go afte the suburban market of soccer moms. Telisaliva was coffee snobs who know coffee.

Over the summer I did a map of S'bucks store and Dunkin Donuts stores in Manhattan and the bouroughs. The island is awash green with few D'Donuts. The burbs are drive through donut shops with no mermaids. SBC was better suited to help the insatiable siren to eat the burbs.

It is like they are assembling their own team of Power Rangers, each with its own color and own superpowers. THe thought makes my teeth hurt.

 

[Coffee Guy]

Ah heck...If you're looking for a great coffee, slowly roasted in small batchs & roasted with alot of TLC...just get mine :wink: I'll never sell out to the "Evil Empires" :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

I've watched the BIG 3 almost from the beginning (SB's,SBC & Tori). You're right in saying that Tori positioned itself with the high brow crowd, but one of the biggest benefits that SB obtained from SBC was the sheer wholesale volume that SBC had control of. Sure the supermarkets, etc provided big bucks, but nothing near what they controlled in the independent espresso market, and landing the McDonald's account for drip coffee didn't hurt either. :wink: I think that $72 million was bargin price for that kind of return. Wish I could have gotten my hat in the ring when that sale went down, but I was a little short in the pocket that month... :wink:

 

[topher]

Hey coffee guy....when you say slowly roasted....how slow are we talking?

 

[Coffee Guy]

One Bean at a time

 

[topher]

No wonder you can't afford to buy drinks!!

 

[Coffee Guy]

 

[BaristaTrainer]

yep, you know a coffee is "quality" when they serve it at McDonalds.

Here are some of my favs:

Caffe D'Arte
Dominic's
Stumptown
Caffe Vita
Gimme Coffee

Hey CG ... you should read Home Coffee Roasting by Kenneth Davids ... how small of batches? My FreshRoast does 1/2 a pound at a time, good for profiling. What roaster do you have, drum I imagine for "slow" roasting ...

 

[Coffee Guy]

Yep we have a drum roaster. A Diedrich IR24. Been looking for a used sample roaster for a reasonable price. But so far no reasonably priced ones. :evil: Hummm, I'm not familiar with Stumptown or Gimme Coffee, where are they from? The other guys are in my back yard.

Read a book??? Are you kidding, I'd rather wait for the movie :wink:

 

[javahill]

GimmeCoffee is in Ithaca. I've heard good things about them. I have a sample of their coffee that they co-label for the business school at Cornell, but I haven't brewed it yet.

 

[cmonroe50]

Travel

Ok, my sister and I are real coffee snobs. We have the Vienna Saeco automatic, It has gotten so bad that we have to take my coffee espresso machine with us on cruises. The problem is it would fit in the over head of the airplane. I had to check it. It made it ok but was a worry. Any suggestions on a way to transport it without breaking. Does anyone know of a place that makes special custom cases.