The Starbucks annual meeting is being live-blogged here

Thanks to Vicki Verona for taking the lead. You can also listen to the meeting at investor.starbucks.com

Comments

[Vicki Verona]

"Don Valencia, investor of frappuccino extract, passed away"

[Vicki Verona]

Operating Margins highly impacted by increase in commodities like dairy.

9 billion in revenue, we hit EPS target

[Vicki Verona]

FY 09 will be the first year in history where international growth will exceed US growth

[Vicki Verona]

I didn't hear this all the way, but he said something about utilizing retail stores more in respect to whole bean/retail would be a $1 billion idea.....sketchy quote so don't take it literally.

[Vicki Verona]

Transformational Agenda started in 3 buckets

3 buckets:
1 ) enhance US business
2) Reignite emotional connection with partners and customers
3) Make big investments for the future

[Vicki Verona]

Howard is playing a news story about the kidney donation by a barista to a customer. He is playing this story to remind us about being in the people business serving coffee.

[MunkayMunkay]

Cross-posting:

Does it make me a bad person to say that I'd never donate a kidney to a customer?

[Vicki Verona]

Howard gets a roaring laughter when he mentions he didn't forecast how much PR that Starbucks got for the store closure/re-training session.

[Vicki Verona]

Playing Dennis Leary clip I think?

[STARBUCKS GOSSIP WEBMASTER]

That's the Stephen Colbert footage.

[Vicki Verona]

".....and people wonder why we don't advertise"

roaring laughter from crowd

[STARBUCKS GOSSIP WEBMASTER]

Here's a link to the Colbert/Starbucks footage that was just played...

http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/20940112.html

[Vicki Verona]

"We're not going to embrace the status quo"

[Vicki Verona]

He is now talking about manual vs automatic machines in a dialogue with a SBUX exec.

[StarbucksCustomer]

Thanks Vicki for the play-by-play. I tried to load the webcast but no luck. It wouldn't connect. Imagine their link is swamped right now.

[Millstone]

Really appreciate you guys doing this. Its taking forever to dl firefox so I can listen! Caring green apron card for sure

[james]

mistrena? does anyone have a pic?

[Vicki Verona]

"What can we do to significantly enhance the perfect shot of espresso?"

A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. WILL SET GOLD STANDARD. WILL ADVANCE.

I think he said "Mistretto"

[james]

the applause is a little forced ie contrived.

[*Starskills!*]

Vicki:

Thank you so much for the live blog. you are my hero, at the moment.

[Vicki Verona]

New espresso machine will have height reduction so you can see your customers again while on bar.

[Vicki Verona]

They are demonstrating the new machine live in front of the audience.

[Vicki Verona]

New machine has digital timer display and it will automatically show shot times of each shot as you pull it.

[UPod]

Ditto, thanks so much Vicki, I'm listening to the webcast while at the same time reading your commentary.

[Zipy]

Woah, what does this mean? Are they going to really roll out new machines, or is this just for new stores?? Hum. listening to this on my lunch break! Very intresting.

Same here, does that make me a dork?

[Vicki Verona]

The machine has been tested in certain stores for 3 months

Mistrenna?

75% of stores will have the machine by the end of 2010

[Vicki Verona]

30% of US stores will have machine by end of the year, 75% by end of 2010

[Vicki Verona]

2nd bold initiative is about to debut....

[STARBUCKS GOSSIP WEBMASTER]

This is the company that's making the new machines -- Switzerland-based Thermoplan.

http://www.thermoplan.ch/

[Vicki Verona]

With regards to coffee farmers and giving back....

[StarbucksRants.com]

Are these the same machines that some stores around Seattle have had for a few years? I know that Coal Creek Parkway on the east side has had machines that look similar. Does anybody know. I posed the question on my site as well.

[NanaimoSM]

Did he annouce if these were only for US stores?

[Vicki Verona]

How we're sourcing coffee....

[I. Am. Legendary.]

The webcast won't load for me!! Grrr!! Thanks for the play-by-play Vicki!

I look forward to these changes, as I just found out I'm being promoted to shift supervisor!!

Go Starbucks!!

[Jason]

omg i cant believe today is finally here! thisis so exciting!

[VM]

Same here, does that make me a dork?

Posted by: | Mar 19, 2008 10:43:48 AM

If you are, then I am too because I'm doing the same thing...as well as watching the stock...

[Vicki Verona]

Howard sure has a way of building suspense.....so he's showing a video about Conservation International

[Peaches]

My friends think I am crazy for being so ridiculously interested in this. Hopefully the new machines hit the Grande stores first, I want to use them!

I'm doing all 3 -- listening, reading SBUX Gossip, watching the stock....PLUS shopping on eBay :)

[WAShift]

Not the same machines as the ones they tested a few years back, that some stores still have.

[Jason]

If you're using firefox you cant see teh webcast, switch to IE like I did and download the activex control

It's worth is!! YAY!

[Vicki Verona]

Co-chairman of Conservation International now speaking....

[Vicki Verona]

In response to global climate change....

[Millstone]

You guys aren't dork you're on your lunch break. I rushed home from work and am currently texting the play by plays to my sm and asm. Then I'm planning on printing it out and taking it to my store as soon as it ends to discuss with everyone else...and yes they do make fun of me :P

My store is getting renovated in May , do you think as part of the renovation they would install these new machines?

[embean]

ugh just tell me what the partnership is!

[Vicki Verona]

OMG this is going to make my bladder explode