Starbucks takes Clover brewing systems out of seven Boston stores

Has Starbucks lost interest in Clover now that it's taken it away from the independent coffee shops? Here's what the company says: "Starbucks remains committed to the Clover Brewed Program, and we look forward to expanding the program to more than 250 Starbucks stores in 2010." We'll see -- and bet that it'll never happen. Read "Starbucks tweaks test of Clover brewing system"

Comments

[bostondrinker]

Have a feeling my neighborhood Starbucks (Harvard Ave in Brookline) is going to be one of the ones losing the Clover. Whenever I order a cup, I get a surprised reaction from the baristas, definitely not the feeling that they are serving a lot of it. It's a shame, the coffee is so much better than the regular drip at Starbucks.

[b. murphy]

Sudbury? LOL. Does anyone even know that Starbucks exists at all?

[me myself and I]

I guess since they took it away from the competition there is no more need to expand it. No thread from competitors with clovers anymore.
And I guess since the much cheaper pour over method was just rediscovered it does even make sense from a mass market business decision standpoint. The machines are too expensive and don't offer the extra value to enough customers. Too bad they had to take it away from the guys that really appreciated it.
How about selling it? I'm sure there will be takers.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

250 stores throughout the US will have Clovers. I think thats pretty amazing.

[Garchy]

b. murphy - Yes, because I've worked there ;-)

[me myself and I]

So you say 5 clover stores per state is amazing???

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Or it could mean that maybe they're going to be opening new stores in New England?

[crema_the_crop]

Theft of the Clover from the Specialty Coffee world = one of the top 5 things Starbucks has done of which I am ashamed.

[CamSpi]

Hey, we said the laptops would never happen... but they arrived this week at my store.
It'll happen... it'll just take a long, long, long, long time till 250 stores get the Clovers.

[CamSpi]

@crema_the_crop what are your other top 5 things?

[Barista Ben]

I wish my store had a clover.

I'd steal it away from those terrible people who I work with. They would just... do terrible things to it.. ruin it with terrible coffee.

[Melody]

The irony here is that Starbucks has this tension within themselves: Not to over-expand the Clover so that all Clover stores are unique, baristas and customers both appreciate, and so that they can still effectively source and distribute the "small batch" coffees which are the real charm of having a Clover in your store. Clover will die fast if it becomes a dime-a-dozen-every-single-Starbucks experience. Starbucks could kill the cache & dearness of the Clover with a single ill-thought out decision.

It's not a "small-batch coffee", really, if you can distribute it to 8,000 to 16,000 stores.

Every Clover store also has to have a customer base where spending $2.00 to $3.50 per tall cup of black coffee won't freak customers out. Not every area can support that.

The fact that 5 stores are losing their Clovers just seems like no big deal in the big scheme of things considering that 250 will add it. All I hope is that Starbucks doesn't manage to over-commoditize the Clover and just slap it in stores with little barista training, and areas that can't support it.

@crema_the_crop: I'd want to know your other 4 things on your list too!

I put the link to my blog entry on the Clover in my name, though it's only the first of a two part series on the Clover, and part 2 is still being written! I need to get it posted because there's still a lot more to say about the Clover. I think it is fun to look at old Clover menus. :-)

[144xxxx]

250 is a good number for Starbucks to try to obtain, but the question is how many stores is it in currently? The clover really is a specialized product that I think would only work in larger markets. The soccer moms that come through my store prefer their chai lattes and skinny vanillas.

With all the recent changes to Starbucks management and training, it would seem like this would get thrown in with the training, but I'm not sure how much attention it would get. It's kind of sad that the clover isn't getting that much attention considering that this could be used to revitalize the brand and bring it back to what its core was, instead of "game changers" like VIA.

[b. murphy]

@Garchy - Was that store busy or did everyone else overlook it like I did?

[spence]

We are not a drive through store. Yeah! Anyway, even though we are a small town in the south, I think it would be successful. We are a brewed coffee store. A BOLD brewed coffee store. Heck, we brew bold all day all night.
My point is that it doesn't need a city to be successful.

[happy bar partner once again]

One of the stores that are losing Clover is the store down the street from mine. I guess it wasn't really popular with their clientele. I think that EVERY store should have a Clover, as it is an awesome addition to our brand.

[144xxxx]

I don't think EVERY store should have a clover. There are stores that are definitely more of a brew store and those are the ones that should have it, but the stores that are more lattes and frappuccinos don't really need it. My store for example wouldn't need it because we have more lattes and specialty drinks, but the store couple blocks down has a higher brew and french press percentage which would be perfect. Having a clover in every store in my opinion would be a waste, they should try to target the stores where a clover would enhance the experience.

[baristajack]

How about some more labor, less pressure to sell Via, and a change in attitude that we are lucky to have the job, I am amazed at the changes in the 2+ years I have been here, the tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife, if the company doesn't realize this is evident to the customers they have their heads in the clouds, I think we lost customers due to the hard sell we are required to do with the Via. there is never a pat on the back for doing a good job, it's always more, more, more. I know of 2 shifts in my district ths week that gave notice, these shifts were partners for almost 10 years, working without breaks meals etc, because of the lack of labor, It is a shame to lose good partners over this lack of respect for the people who make this company successful..and those are the workers behind the counters..we are the ones who try to make starbucks the 3rd place, I think that thought process is out the window, it's all about the numbers, I was told when I was hired we are in the people business, but not anymore its all business.. remember slow and steady wins the race, not this grasping at anyway to make a buck

[v v v VIA/CLOVERED]

So we did the unthinkable today....

...v v v VIA (Italian) Clovered!!!

It took a while to get the measurement right but boy it was good...

Assignment for tomorrow:

v v v VIA (Columbia) Iced... Stay tuned...

[is it so hard to be civil]

There was a lot of waste in this company. I do think that they over corrected. There hast to be a happy medium between pushing the daylights out of what ever promo is running and the money is coming out our ears and we can do what ever we want attitude.

I'm afraid that Sbux has turned a corner for the worst and it's permanent.

[DARKROAST]

It really sounds as if sbux is just grasping for straws--it's certainly not the old Sbux of a few years ago, as Baristajack alluded to. Yeah, yeah, recession and all things considered, Sbux is trying to keep up, but the Suits in Seattle are doing NOTHING to keep the company solvent! And everyone can agree that the obvious desperation displayed by Sbux is doing no good for their reputation. What can they do at this point? Maybe listen to the baristas for a change. They know what makes this company run from being right there on the front line.

[Jethro]

As a former manager of one of the stores losing clover, I am very disappointed. That store operated clover properly and used it as a tool to grow customer and partner appreciation of premium coffee. The stores I get clover from downtown don't get it. No connection with customers, no promotion of the coffee, not even a thank you. Today I ordered a grande anniversary and it wasn't even made right. I understand about making choices based on sales, but it upsets me when ignoring the core of the program is rewarded at the expense of those who tried to do it the right way.

[Chauncey]

I've wanted Starbucks to put Clovers in their stores here in Chicago. But,alas not one Clover machine in Starbucks in Chicago

Yet,you can get a Clover coffee in Chicago. All Intelligentsia Coffee Stores serve only
Clover brewed coffee! Drinking Clover brewed coffee is like dieing and going to heaven.
Thanks, Chauncey

[Edgar Estima]

Does anyone know which stores in the greater Boston area will be losing their Clover machines?

[Melody]

My latest blog post is another episode about the Clover:

http://tinyurl.com/yzntxkt

[Baristar]

It just makes sense to shave and shave every cost in the store.

C'mon. It was pretty risky to build stores in BOSTON to try to take on Dunkin Donuts. The DD owns Massachusetts.

Why spend extra money to lose money?

[Brett]

I can't remember if it was 30 or 50 Clover stores in New England when they put them in. But if they are taking some out now they better hope the stores they move those machines to actually do well with it because its $7000 to install.

I don't understand why they ever put it in Sudbury, that's such a small store businesswise. Then again *bucks isn't exactly the smartest company around anyway.

[scoremore]

I heard that this coffee machine even got an IP address,I'm not a huge coffee fan, but I did have the opportunity to drink a cup made from a Clover machine when I was in Seattle last year and l can confirm, even for an amateur like me, you can DEFINITELY tell the difference and it was well worth it...