Clover founders never expected to be acquired by Starbucks

Zander Nosler and his partners targeted independent coffee shops as Clover  customers because investors wouldn't give money if the company was counting on a windfall from Starbucks to be profitable. "We consciously trained ourselves that Starbucks would never do business with us, much less buy us," says Nosler. Of course, Starbucks recently announced it acquired the company that makes Clovers -- much to the dismay of many Clover fans. (Read the Seattle Times story)

Comments

[AmericanoMan]

Howard Schultz may have just bought the "better mouse trap".

However, considering that the company lawyers can't accomodate the differing wage and labor laws of the various states (and countries, just wait), nor do they have a lot of experience in buying companies, I see many legal problems ahead that will make the purchase of Clover turn into a bad business decision. (I really hope I am wrong.)

[Paul]

Clover is a true American success story. I'm headed to Seattle in two weeks and I will be trying coffee from the Clover machine. I can't wait!

I think that they have a lot of experience in purchasing other companies. There is Ethos, Tazo, Hear Music, and Seattles Best just to name a few, all of which have been very successful.

[fl barista]

anyone know when we'll start to see these in more stores?

Here where I live (canada) they are referring us to an indy shop if we would like to see a clover for real. Funny, eh?
That guy probably makes the money of his life since every starbucks barista now comes to him for a cup of decent coffee (send by their bosses!!!)

[Dolce]

"Here where I live (canada) they are referring us to an indy shop if we would like to see a clover for real. Funny, eh?"

"Eh?" lol, that was cute.

Here in Portland, Stumptown used clovers but decided they were too good to be associated with Starbucks and quit using them. I think that's extremely immature and bad business!

Here in Portland, Stumptown used clovers but decided they were too good to be associated with Starbucks and quit using them. I think that's extremely immature and bad business!

Yeah, but by doing that, they get all the anti starbucks peoples attention (there are a lot of them too) and what have they really lost? Is the clover the BEST way to make a cup of coffee, I don't think so.

[Dolce]

But they lost the people who came for clover coffee to Starbucks! After the initial hoorah, all the Starbucks haters will lose interest in the whole scandal and trickle away.

[z]

stumptown won't be losing customers to starbucks any time soon.

clover machines aren't miracle workers- they're just a great way to get the nuances out of the bean. however, if the bean's only nuance is "dark", not even a clover can do much with that.

[anon]

please. colver is basically drip french press coffee. that is why stumptown was using it. they are pissed. this is one of the better moves starbucks has made in a long time.

[Ken]

"all the Starbucks haters will lose interest in the whole scandal and trickle away."

I disagree. Hate sticks around. If something is populer, people love it, but it fades away and people forget about it. If people hate something, they hate it for the rest of thier lives. People don't hate Starbucks becase of scandal, they hate them for what they are, what they see them standing for. Starbucks haters won't "loose intreast"

[james]

I was in a Salem Starbucks today - drip coffee very 'light' - the mngr. gave us a free bag of the pike place blend. nice touch!

An hour later I was at Stumptown. Extreme staunchy attitude there. They removed the Clover machines ONE DAY later after the sbux announcement. I was a bit shocked at the rapidity with which they did this...

Stumptown - best drip coffee I have ever tasted - it's not even close. wow! Very arrogant indifferent attitude, though.