Starbucks is a worldwide coffee shop chain, famous for its wide range of premium espresso and coffee drinks. The iconic Starbucks symbol is globally recognized and millions flock to their locations to get their coffee fix, whether it’s to grab some cold brew iced coffee or a piping hot cup of their famous Pike Place roast. Many people also stock up on their bagged coffee, bringing their favorite coffee chain brew in the comfort of their own home.
Starbucks has a wide range of bagged coffee, regardless of your roast or bean preference. But where does the coffee giant get their coffee from? Starbucks gets their coffee from multiple sources, bringing variety to their stores and bagged coffee options. Let’s take a look at Starbucks coffee and where it comes from:
Quick History of Starbucks
Founded in 1971, Starbucks opened a shop in the now-famously named Pike Place Market. The Seattle-based coffee shop started as a tiny little shop selling Caffe lattes, but they eventually created a new focus on the coffee industry: premium, artisanal coffee. Instead of selling cheap, average-quality coffee, Starbucks started to concentrate on where their coffee came from and raised the bar on quality.
By 2000, Starbucks was the main kickoff to this new view on coffee quality and paved the way for specialty coffee. Coffee shops opened up everywhere, trying to compete with the coffee giant and created a new industry for local businesses. Today, Starbucks still maintains this focus and proudly sells premium coffee, both in their locations and as bagged coffee in grocery stores.
Where Does Starbucks Get Their Coffee Beans?
Starbucks sources their coffee from multiple locations globally, searching extensively for the best coffee bean farms and top-notch quality. Although South America, specifically Brazil, is the capital of Arabica bean production, Starbucks surprisingly sources a lot of its specialty coffee beans from Asian-Pacific countries. Regardless of where the coffee comes from, the important part is that the coffee is of high-quality, fair trade, and ethically grown.
What is Starbucks Reserve Coffee?
While all their coffee is carefully sourced, Starbucks has a select line of coffee called Starbucks Reserve. They’re sold in small-lot batches from very specific locations, sometimes selling single-origin coffee. Single-origin coffee is a batch of coffee from one farm, with no other coffee beans from other locations. Their reserve line is for coffee enthusiasts looking for select notes that only appear in specialty-grown coffee, so it’s only available in limited quantities.
Conclusion
Although more famous for its flavored drinks, Starbucks is responsible for the quality coffee revolution. Their coffee standards paved the way for a new niche in the coffee industry, competing against the older brands that monopolized the coffee market. With low-quality coffee dominating the market, Starbucks’ approach to high-quality, more expensive coffee was a game-changing concept. Thanks to the iconic coffee giant, high-quality, artisanal coffee beans from all over the world are available to try from the comfort of your own home.
See also: Learn how to make the stunning Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino and Rainbow Frappuccino at home!
Featured Image Credit: Adam Lukac, Pexels
