Starbucks to Sell Coffee-Makers
Friday, November 26th, 2010This holiday season in order to boost sales, Starbucks Corp., the world’s largest coffee-shop chain, announces that it will sell krup coffee machines
and DeLonghi espresso machines.
Priced at $129, the KitchenAid machine will be trimmed in red and available only at Starbucks. The DeLonghi Magnifica machine will cost $999, according to the Seattle-based coffee retailer.
Starbucks Chief Executive Officer Jim Donald will bring back holiday drink flavors including peppermint mocha, eggnog latte and Christmas Blend coffee to boost revenue of espresso based drinks.
The company will sell felt stockings and carrier bags for $4.95 each that can hold a pound of coffee, biscotti and other Starbucks items costing $20 or less.
Starbucks Corp. has been working, for years, to make itself the favorite stop for a cup of coffee. Increasingly, it also aims to be the only brand that comes to the mind of every consumer when they think about coffee time.
In order to sell pre-made coffee drinks, coffee beans for home brewing and other branded caffeinated products, the Seattle-based coffee retailer is increasing efforts, including wider distribution, a new advertising campaign and even plans for vending machines.
Starbucks maintains that its core business will always be to have thousands of Starbucks stores that will dot the world, which the company likes to refer to as a “third place” between work and home. But increasingly, executive Gerry Lopez said, the company also is realizing that there are many other times when they might be able to sell someone a Starbucks beverage.
