Starbucks Takes on Coke

[Mulboyne]

Bloomberg: Starbucks to Sell Bottled Coffee in Japan vs Coke
Starbucks Corp., the largest U.S. coffee-shop chain, will sell bottled coffee at stores in Japan and Taiwan to gain part of a growing $10 billion-a-year market led by Coca-Cola Co. Starbucks signed an agreement with Suntory Ltd., Japan's fourth-largest brewer, to make and distribute chilled drinks in Japan...Starbucks's venture may earn more in Japan than the $30 million it gets annually from bottled Frappuccino coffee drinks in the U.S...Coca-Cola, PepsiCo's rival in the global soft drink industry, sells canned Georgia coffee drinks in Japan, one of its most profitable markets...Georgia is the No. 1 coffee sold in Japan.

[emperor]

Have they been doing this is in the US already?

Is that a glass bottle?

[Mels]

Have they been doing this is in the US already?

Is that a glass bottle?

Yep. It reminds me of gyunyu bins. The coffee is pretty good. The first time I tried it, it tasted like ice coffee in Japan. They sale these bottles everywhere....gas stations, conbini, grocery stores, you name it.
A lot of items are sold in plastic containers....so having starbuck in glass bottles, it seems to go over well. I believe it has been on the market for several years now.

[gkanai]

I think if they bring that product over as-is, it may do well, but it's also clear that Japanese consumers would also like an option for a smaller-sized version.

I think the American one is about 12 oz? maybe 14? That's not as big as a 500ml bottle, but definitely bigger than the smaller coffee ones that are ubiquitous here.

It's also pretty expensive. $3? Something like that.

[Mels]

I think if they bring that product over as-is, it may do well, but it's also clear that Japanese consumers would also like an option for a smaller-sized version.

I think the American one is about 12 oz? maybe 14? That's not as big as a 500ml bottle, but definitely bigger than the smaller coffee ones that are ubiquitous here.

It's also pretty expensive. $3? Something like that.

The small size they have is similar to the Japanese milk bottles they sell at the rail stations and conbini. they also have a larger size. The small ones are perfect for the J community and come in a four pack.

What I see is this....they will fit it for the J comsumer. I went to Starbucks in Tokyo, the largest coffee they had is considered a medium here...in the US we have a Venti size with is rather large. The problem is, the prices are much higher.....I was paying a lot more....the med sized coffee price was more then the venti size in the US. But that is the way it is in J town.

[ketchupkatsu]

The starbucks bottled Frappuccino coffee in the U.S. is sold in a 9.5 oz (about 281mL) size. I think there is a larger size but it is uncommon.

The price per bottle is about $2.00.

It kinda tastes like the bottled ice coffee you would find in Japan. It is just a little to sweet for my taste

[dingosatemybaby]

TARO - COME BACK!!!

Okay, got that off my chest. Can Starbucks compete with all the faux-Starbucks crap that infests the combinis here? You know, that "Mt. Rainier Latte" crap? The distributorship deal seemed a little Labyrinthine. I don't own Starbucks stock and hence don't care, but I think the gaijin company once again got screwed. TIJ.

[Mulboyne]

Let the soft drink wars begin.

Reuters: Seven-Eleven Japan to offer cheaper soft drinks

Seven & I Holdings Co...said on Thursday its 7-Eleven convenience stores will introduce low-priced bottled drinks, a move which could spark a soft drink price war. Seven-Eleven Japan will offer privately branded 98-yen tea drinks in 500 millilitre plastic bottles from Nov. 21, against just below 150 yen for national brand products...more...

[DrP]

Jeez - only $2.00? Starbucks is amazing - one of the truely uni-priced wonders of the modern world.. Go anywhere and regardless of the local economy Starbucks costs almost exactly the same!! The coffee jerk in Seattle is making about $10/hr jpulling $4 espressos and about $1/hr in China doing the same!!



p.s. spot the celebrities in this and i'll buy your next g&t at vetrushkas