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submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by davriellelouna@lemm.ee to c/youshouldknow@lemmy.world

Good article from the New York Times.


Summary

Starbucks China is losing customers at a very rapid pace. Starbucks corporate executives are angry. Brian Niccol, the new $100 million CEO of Starbucks, sounded the alarm in October, calling the competition “extreme”. For the Chinese Lunar year, Starbucks released a pork flavor latte. It cost more than $9 and was widely seen as a disaster.

Billionaire Howard Schultz, Starbucks’s former CEO, insisted that Starbucks would not enter a price war in China. He claimed "as chinese customers become more knowledgeable about coffee, they will want to upgrade from lower-end or discounted products"

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[-] Zenith@lemm.ee 63 points 2 months ago
[-] edgemaster72@lemmy.world 33 points 2 months ago

Exactly what I was thinking. Why should I give a shit that Starbucks is failing in China? I didn't even know they were in China.

[-] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 13 points 2 months ago

Yeah this more an Uplifting News article, but I guess people who still shop at (nonunion) Starbucks should know it.

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[-] Brunbrun6766@lemmy.world 13 points 2 months ago

Right? Post this in news this isn't a YSK, and the OP fails to explain WHY YSK

[-] stephen@lazysoci.al 60 points 2 months ago

Personally, I’d like the entirety of the United States to buy local from all types of restaurants instead of letting corporations pave over our regional food cultures.

[-] rhvg@lemmy.world 17 points 2 months ago

Those Chinese brands mentioned in this NYT piece are all national/international chains, massive cooperations similar to McDonald and Starbucks, not local mom pop shops…

[-] johnthebeboptist@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

Sure, but there is a difference letting one corporation overpower the market and supporting a national or even international business.

We got Taco Bell some years back where I live and suddenly all the actually good places died, and sure, some of them were genuine local businesses instead of just corporate chsins, but I'd much rather support anything other than some American super corporation, get a shittier product that's more expensive, just because they have the money to push their shitty product more than some smaller, albeit corporation shit.

Most American super corporations have enough influence and power as it is. Nothing wrong if we get some competition and variety. Lesser of two evils you know.

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[-] h54@programming.dev 35 points 2 months ago

Well, of course. Putting geopolitics aside, Starbucks coffee is overpriced and not good. I wonder what the CEO who commutes via private jet to work will take away from this. Likely nothing.

[-] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 11 points 2 months ago

That's the thing about these parasites... They get paid life changing money upfront.

Zero skin in the game.

[-] hark@lemmy.world 28 points 2 months ago

Billionaire Howard Schultz, Starbucks’s former CEO, insisted that Starbucks would not enter a price war in China. He claimed “as chinese customers become more knowledgeable about coffee, they will want to upgrade from lower-end or discounted products”

They got more knowledgeable about coffee which is precisely why they're choosing places other than starbucks.

[-] NotJohnSmith@feddit.uk 12 points 2 months ago

I know right? The absolute balls on the guy - anyone that's had a Starbucks knows that it's that shit that you move on from. It's not far removed from a McDonald's milk shake.

I'm hoping here (UK) and certainly continental Europe we see similar decline in their revenue, and other US companies that forget to pay tax

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[-] Bartsbigbugbag@lemmy.ml 26 points 2 months ago

Coffee culture in China is on another level. They have fast coffee like Luckin, Cotti, and dozens more brands, all of which are better and have more variety than Starbucks, and they have high end coffees with artisan beans, and all of them are cheaper than Starbucks. They’re not going to win there, for sure.

[-] overload@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 months ago

If Starbucks cannot compete on price, it is nothing. They failed in Australia for being worse than what we already have here.

[-] lowered_lifted@lemmy.blahaj.zone 26 points 2 months ago

lol, Starbucks laments that people actually know about coffee there now.

Nowadays people in China have access to amazingly cheap coffee grinders, because many great ones are made there (DF series, Timemore). Their colonial projects in Africa have resulted in relationships with lots of African coffee farmers. The Chinese province of Yunnan has coffee farming in the mountains and I really want to try some, one of these days. I think burman coffee has some green from there. They also have access to lots of coffee grown in Vietnam where the historical patron client relationship of tribute and suzerainty between the two countries has resulted in lasting coffee relationships. I find that Chinese roasteries I have seen online tend to have a lot of information about their beans published, as well as extensive cupping notes.

Specialty coffee in China is probably a more innovative scene than the West Coast USA one but I don't have access to everything they've got in terms of beans and equipment and vice versa.

[-] renzev@lemmy.world 20 points 2 months ago

So I used to think that people hated on starbucks because "hurr durr real men only drink black coffee" and starbucks had extremely sugary and milky drinks that had barely any actual coffee in it. "No problem" I thought, "I like sugary drinks!". So I went to a starbucks at the shopping mall close to where I live and ordered something and it was literally just a glass of ice cubes with like three sips' worth of milk and syrup squirted into it. It genuinely felt like the barista forgot one of the ingredients or something. I thought it was a fluke but when I was at that mall at a different time I got a different iced coffee and it was the same stuff: glass full of ice cubes with a squirtling of syrup and milk. What even is the point!?

[-] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Oh hey, glad the Chinese figured out Starbucks is bad.

I too prefer locally owned coffed stores!

... Too bad I'm from Seattle, and Starbucks pretty much killed them all.

Fuck Starbucks.

They appropriated the 'chill local coffee shop you can hang out at all day', ran most of those out of business, first in Seattle, then nationwide, then all over the world, and now they just run a coffee themed fast food empire.

Fuck. Starbucks.

Pork Lattes for the Chinese, coffee flavored milkshakes for Americans.

What a fucking joke.

[-] JargonWagon@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

Just came back from Seattle and drank coffee from various coffee places that were not Starbucks every single day.

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[-] RisingSwell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 months ago

They failed miserably in Australia as well.

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[-] njm1314@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago

Cuz it's truly legitimately just bad coffee?

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[-] Seditious_Delicious@lemmy.world 17 points 2 months ago

Big corporate just siphon money to another country and rich executives. Supporting local business, means the money stay local and they spend it back in the same community that spent it on them.

Plus the Star Bucks coffee is shit.

[-] spittingimage@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Local companies are out-competing the multinational on price, quality and local knowledge. Isn't this the free market working as intended?

[-] PieMePlenty@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

pork flavor latte

disaster

That tracks.

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[-] BackgrndNoize@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

That last line from the ex CEO is so stupid, Starbucks is the lower end coffee shop, it's the McDonald's of coffee. Anyone who cares about quality coffee would prefer local roasters with fresh coffee anyways

[-] spuninh@feddit.org 10 points 2 months ago

To be fair “luckin” and “coti” coffee is genuinely leagues ahead in taste, and not more expensive than Starbucks, so I guess it was coming sooner or later

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[-] thequickben@lemm.ee 10 points 2 months ago

Starbucks coffee is shit anyway. Support your local roasters and shops, or roast your own if you have the means. It’s a great and delicious hobby.

[-] thequickben@lemm.ee 9 points 2 months ago

Coincidentally when I saw this post I was in the middle of roasting a batch.

[-] jaybone@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 months ago

Now put a pork chop in there.

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[-] Almacca@aussie.zone 8 points 2 months ago

“as chinese customers become more knowledgeable about coffee, they will want to upgrade from lower-end or discounted products”

Sick burn.

[-] shaggyb@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

I couldn't give a single shit what any Starbucks executive thinks about any decisions anyone else makes.

[-] Tattorack@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

Here in Copenhagen Starbucks has had trouble opening up shop as well. We have quite a few street corner or park trolly baristas, as well as a local chain called Joe and the Juice.

Starbucks now finally has one or two places locked down over here, but it was pretty funny to see a Starbucks popping up, only for it to be replaced with a Joe and the Juice 6 months later.

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[-] andybytes@programming.dev 7 points 2 months ago

Starbucks coffee tastes like my shit smells.

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[-] obvs@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Your neighbors pay your salary. The more money in your community the more there will be for your salary.

Sometimes you're likely to want to get groceries.

Sometimes you're likely to want to go to restaurants.

Sometimes you're likely to need to get housewares.

Sometimes you're likely to need services from plumbers or mechanics or electricians.

If you choose your local community, that money stays in your community, and it's likely to make it back to you.

If you buy from a company headquartered in a different city, the money you spend goes to that other city.

So next time you're buying a burger and fries, check out your local restaurants.

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[-] BigBenis@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago

Beyond supporting local businesses, Starbucks' coffee is just objectively poor quality in comparison to that of any local roster.

[-] underline960@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 months ago

As someone who worked at a local roaster, the coffee was objectively better, but the owners were trying really hard to be like Starbucks in every other way.

I wish the employees had a union, but it was a college town.

[-] xePBMg9@lemmynsfw.com 6 points 2 months ago

Customers want a reasonably priced and not shitty coffe.

[-] b161@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 2 months ago
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[-] metallic_substance@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago
[-] OrteilGenou@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Smart folks

[-] apfelwoiSchoppen@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Centering execs is very on brand for NYT.

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this post was submitted on 18 May 2025
229 points (85.7% liked)

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