Who cares when the coffee is "scooped"? It's the roast date that counts.

Jacob Grier picked up a bag of Starbucks beans at 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 12. He later noticed this on the bag: "Freshly roasted on: 5-12-08." What's up here? Grier was told by a former barista that that's when the beans were scooped into the bag, which means absolutely nothing when you're judging freshness. Truth in packaging, please. (Read the JacobGrier.com post)

Comments

[Gord]

Here's the best part... take all the people who have ever purchased anything from Starbucks in the history of the company, take the few who complain on here and remove them from the equation (because let's face it, they don't actually count in the grand scheme of things) and look at how much the scooped on or roasted on date means to them and guess what, you'll realize it means completely nothing. That's right, why in the blue hell anyone would ever care makes no sense. I don't go to the grocery or any even any other restaurant and wonder how long took the food to get there. I decide what I buy simply based on what I like or dislike. If I bring it home and don't like it, then I don't buy it again. If I do like it, then I will buy it again. It's a very simple equation. I one thing I don't do though, go on a website and complain and moan that green pepper I bought wasn't quite green enough, or the coffee I bought wasn't roasted exactly 93 minutes and 4 seconds before I ground it by hand because a motorized grinder isn't accurate enough, then brewed it using only water sourced by a virgin standing in the last well on Earth that is completed untouched by man (aside from the virgin standing in it) in a hand-made, coffee machine made out of only natural materials because plastic may ruin the taste. Think I'm over-exaggerating that last bit... take a look at some of your posts.

I shall summarize... you like it, you buy it, you don't like it, you don't buy it.

[z]

ah, but gord, what if you only like it because you've been duped into believing it's the best out there? and sure, it's alright, but there's SO MUCH better out there. starbucks has millions of dollars to dedicate to making you believe they're the best, so they don't actually have to spend the money to be the best.

it's like you could spent you're entire life thinking mcdonalds had the best food in the world, because they've got an excellent marketing campaign, and they tell you that they're the best.

the reality is that neither starbucks, nor mcdonalds are the best. it's worth finding better.

[Darleen]

ah, but gord, what if you only like it because you've been duped into believing it's the best out there?

Are you saying that customers are too stupid to think for themselves? Not everyone believes everything they hear, some of us are smart enough to know that.

[z]

I am saying that people by and large, go to starbucks because in the early 90s, they were the "best". since then, they have become the most ubiquitous, and they can rightly claim credit for introducing mainstream america to the latte.

however, the days are LONG past that starbucks being "the best espresso in the neighborhood" is anything more than a marketing slogan, especially if you live in a metropolitan area.

the third wave coffee movement has superceded starbucks, but doesn't have the marketing money behind it that starbucks has. so people continue to believe starbucks is the best, because they don't know any better.

it's not that they're too stupid, it's that starbucks is too loud. and like many, many other things, just because starbucks says it, doesn't mean it's true.

[Darleen]

Z,
Do you work for 3rd wave?

[jabanga]

darleen 3rd wave isn't a brand. its more of "movement" of high quality coffee roasters and shops that work to elevate the quality of the coffee shop experience.

[z]

jabanga is right. and they way they are elevating the coffee house experience is by elevating the coffee experience.

they are very intentional about the way the coffee is sourced, roasted, and prepared- all to make the best cup of coffee possible.

the "first wave" of coffee is when folgers etc. made coffee accessable to make at home.

the "second wave" is when the coffeehouse experience began. starbucks made this accessable to the masses.

the "third wave" is about excellent coffee, intentionally roasted and brewed tor bring out the very best qualities of the bean.

[Darleen]

Thank you Jabanga and Z for clarifying, I'm intrigued, care to tell me more about this?

[z]

coffeegeek.com is a good place to start. if you google third wave coffee, you'll find a lot of interesting blogs. the scaa.com also has a lot of interesting stuff, and if you can find any of the comentary and video (it should be up on the interent by now) of the united states barista championship, when you hear the comppeditors talk about the coffee they're using, it'll give you a good idea about what the third wave is about.

[Ian Halliday]

drink fresh brewed coffee and espresso...support your local roasters and all small businesses...good training and less mumbo jumbo...Coffee Slingers OKC..ya' heard?

[AndyCR]

I saw the "scooped on" label and thought the same thing; "Why do I care when they scooped it? Tell me when it was roasted and I'll be interested!"