Seattle’s Best Gets New Logo
Seattle is known to be a coffee city, and yet we cannot deny that their carrier coffee shop, Seattle’s Best Coffee, does not have the brand recognition that it ought to around the world. For example, did you even know that Starbucks bought the company in the early part of this decade? While Starbucks – the name, the coffee, and the logo – is quite recognizable to most anyone, Seattle’s Best seems to have a long way to go.
The company is not going to sit back and let status quo prevail, though. Yesterday, Seattle’s Best Coffee launched a massive campaign that aims to make the brand as well known – or even better known – than Starbucks. It all started with a stunt, which MarketWatch describes as:
To celebrate the unveiling, red-capped “invaders” scaled Starbucks’ headquarters and stealthily replaced the famous “siren” atop the clock tower with the new Seattle’s Best Coffee logo. The intent? To put Seattle’s Best on the map as the universal symbol for great coffee.
It is an interesting stunt, I have to say. The siren superseded (albeit temporarily) by a modern looking red and white logo – never thought I’d see the day! Take a closer look at the logo.
Isn’t it just…blah? I don’t get it. I may have my complaints about Starbucks, but the logo is perfect. It is not boring. It’s a good conversation piece. It has recall. It is pretty to look at. But, this red and white thing? What are they thinking? Or maybe I don’t know anything about branding at all.
What do you have to say about the logo?
How Late Do Coffee Shops Stay Open In Your Area?
I came across an article over at LAist targeting coffee shops in their area. After reading it, I didn’t realize just how much I took the coffee shops in my city for granted. Here in my city, you can find at least one coffee shop that stays open round the clock, especially during the weekend. The others are open till at least midnight or 2 a.m.
One would think that in a city such as Los Angeles, the coffee shops would ALL be open even at 3 in the morning, wouldn’t you? This is the plight of the coffeholics in LA:
Los Angeles, for all that it has to offer the late night set in the way of tacos, deli meats, dancing, and beautifully vacant streets, can’t seem to find it in its heart to make a goddamn chai latte past 11pm. Why? There are more than enough night-owl neurotics with script deadlines (or even term papers due) that you’d think every third Starbucks would be open around the clock. Yet there are vast swaths of our fine city that go dark to couture coffee culture once the clock chimes over to a new day.
This may be splitting hairs, but it sure feels like there is a sustainable subgroup of folks who don’t want to sit at a diner, slugging down pitch-black Folgers just because it’s the only 2am option. A recent scouring of Mid-City / Mid-Wilshire / Miracle Mile turned up nothing past 11pm, with the nearby Insomnia Cafe on Beverly kindly keeping the lights on until 1am.
I feel for these guys! Two or three a.m. is not that late for a lot of people. I cannot imagine not having an option at this time of the night.
How about in your city? Till what time do the coffee shops normally stay open? I am seriously curious.
Dark Brewed Coffee: Stomach Problem Cure
I must be pulling your leg, right? To be honest, I am not quite convinced about this piece of news, but it is just too good not to share. According to new research (we have new studies ALL THE TIME, don’t we?), there is something in dark brewed coffee that can help stomach problems.
This is what The Med Guru says:
People who were earlier forced to resist the much-desired morning coffee cup due to the fear of stomach pain can now have it without another thought, claimed the study.
“This discovery is going to help a lot of people who suffer from coffee sensitivity. As coffee-lovers, we’re very excited about this research,” said Dr. Veronika Somoza from the University of Vienna in Austria, and Dr. Thomas Hofmann, from the Technische Universitat Munchen in Germany, who conducted the study.
Don’t get me wrong – I am very much in support of the idea behind the study, but my experience does not seem to agree with the findings. I have a very acidic stomach, and it just gets worse whenever I have too much coffee. And, yes, I do drink black brewed coffee for the most part. As much as I love coffee, I have to admit that I have had to cut back so many times due to the stomach problems.
They say it’s all about this component:
The study found that the components that triggered molecular mechanism of acid production in the stomach cells were caffeine, catechols and N-alkanoly-5-hydroxytryptamides.
The finding revealed that there wasn’t one single irritant, but a mixture of compounds that caused the irritant property of coffee.
Moreover, one of the components, N-methylpyridium (NMP), helped in stagnating the production of hydrochloric acid by the stomach cells, which can reduce stomach irritation.
The darker roasted coffee beans contain almost twice the amount of NMP than the raw coffee beans. The level of NMP in the beans depends on the roasting method and the natural variety of the bean, revealed the researchers.
I guess it’s now a question of making sure that we get the component, isn’t it?
Coffee Can Lead To Food Addiction
And you’re telling me that NOW? I know, this kind of news is simply not welcome at certain times. While we’re in the middle of Lent, a lot of people are actually practicing abstinence of one sort or another. No need to talk about food, right?
Sorry, I can’t help but share the results of this recent study that I just read about. According to the article, fatty food and junk food are addictive; and this includes items like coffee, sugar, and meat. More:
Paul Kenny at Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Fla and colleagues also found when junk addictive foods like bacon, sausage, pound cake, and candy bars were removed from their diet, the rats went on a hunger strike – they did not eat anything for two weeks.
Furthermore, the researchers discovered that eating the addictive food literally changed brain chemistry by suppressing the dopamine D2 receptor in the brain’s reward system, leading to compulsive eating.
The study suggests that the tasty junk foods may play a big role in the national obesity epidemic.
Seriously, people. Get a life! We know that we get addicted to food. We know that certain people get addicted more easily. But, we also know that we can’t live without coffee. So what do you expect us to do?
You know what I was thinking? If the researchers keep it up, we just might have organizations for coffee addicts in the next several years. We might even have programs that will help people get off of their coffee addiction. Oh how sad.
Stop And Inhale The Coffee
If you think that you are too busy to even gulp down a shot of espresso to give you that jolt in the morning, think again. This professor from Harvard (whom some have described as nutty) either has no time to mess around waiting for a cup of coffee or has too much time on his hands. Either way, he was able to create a whole new product that can give you that much needed wake me upper: inhalable coffee.
Dubbed Le Whif, the product is just like a contraption that would normally contained candy powder. In order to “eat” the candy, children would have to suck at the tube – similar to asthma inhalers. Instead of the usual flavors, though, Le Whif is pure caffeine. In fact, one tube contains 100 mg of caffeine – the same amount that you would get from a shot of espresso.
Of course, the product was designed so that the particles will not go straight to your lungs. Instead, the coffee (or chocolate; there is another flavor) particles are big enough that they will stick to one’s tongue and cheeks when inhaled. This results in the person actually getting a taste of the flavored concoction inside the tube.
Each tube, or stick, costs $3 if bought individually. They also come in boxes of three, which go for $8 – you make a dollar savings.
What do people have to say about Le Whif? Let’s just say that hours after it was launched, the candy store went out of stock of Le Whif!
I think I shall be conventional and stick to my brewed cup in the morning. How about you?
Farewell, Emilio Lavazza!
Last week marked the end of an era for the world of coffee for Emilio Lavazza, the boss of the Italian coffee giant of the same name, has passed away. Lavazza has long been known in Italy as perhaps the most reliable name in the coffee business. The family business was founded way back in 1895 by Luigi Lavazza. The males of the family have run the helm since then.
Emilio Lavazza may not have been the founder of the company, but he is undoubtedly the person behind its expansion. He engaged in various activities that propelled the Lavazza name to great heights, both locally and internationally. I suppose that many of us should thank him for introducing their brand to the rest of the world.
For those of you who may not be that familiar with the name, here is a short teaser from their web site:
Spreading the aroma and quality of Italian espresso around the world has always been our main aim.
That is the reason why we strive for excellence and innovation, drawing strength from our experience established over more than a century of activity, since the early 1900′s, when Luigi Lavazza first invented the concept of the blend, the art of mixing coffee of different origins to obtain a harmonious and tasty product.
Today Lavazza is the leader when it comes to quality and is the symbol of Italian espresso and Italian identity worldwide.
Ask any Italian friend about them and you’ll probably get an earful (positive or negative, depending on who you ask). In any case, whether you know the brand or not, it is but right to pay homage to someone who played a huge role in the world of coffee. Farewell, Signore Lavazza.
Specialty Coffee Association of America’s 22nd Annual Exposition & Symposium
From April 15 to April 18 of this year, Anaheim is set to host the 22nd Annual Exposition & Symposium of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). Fondly called “The Event,” the symposium will welcome coffee professionals from over 40 countries. The Event will focus on everything specialty coffee including trends, products, technology, and coffee farmers’ livelihoods. There will also be a special focus on sustainable farming.
There are two other special reasons to look forward to The Event. These are the United States Barista Championship (USBC) and the Roasters Guild Coffees of the Year Competition. These two contests are traditionally held during the annual symposium and draw a lot of attention. The first contest, USBC, will feature the best baristas from all over the United States. They will be preparing and serving 12 orders. More than having the distinction of being the best of the best, the winner of the contest will be representing the country in the 2010 World Barista Championship which will be held in London this June. The second contest focuses on various coffee products hailing from all over the world. Judges will be sampling and tasting the coffee based on their fragrance, aroma, taste, flavor, aftertaste, and body. Naturally, the winner will hold a prestigious position in the world of coffee.
There will also be seminars, workshops, trainings, and exhibits at The Event. For those who want to learn to become baristas, this is the place to be in April. For more information, visit the web site of The Event.
Drink Coffee, Win A Nobel Prize
Finally – a formula for winning a Nobel Prize! Well, maybe not quite – my excitement shows just how much I am NOT in the running for one of those prizes, but it does show how passionate I am about my favorite brew, doesn’t it?
Anyhow, the current winners for the Nobel Prize in three categories (namely chemistry, economics, and physics) have let the word out: coffee is instrumental to their success. The say that – alongside intellectual freedom and independent research – coffee has contributed to their achievements in their own fields.
The benefits of coffee have long been known to many. Coffee stimulates you, giving you that often much needed jolt to keep you going. If you ask these distinguished intellectuals, though, it is not the caffeine that they hold in high regard. As a matter of fact, it is the idea of coffee breaks that they praise. They say that these breaks provide time to discuss ideas, to air out them out, and to sort out a cluttered mind. Indeed, it does not matter if it’s coffee or tea that you drink – heck, maybe even fruit juice will do the trick!
What’s this got to do with us coffee lovers then? I guess it’s about time that we realize that our favorite drink is not the end all be all. Those times that we get together with friends for coffee should also be recognized for what they really are: enjoying each other’s company and spending time with people who matter. The coffee is the icing on top of the cake!
Here’s to a Nobel Prize in our futures?
America’s First Cannabis Coffee Shop
Is this America or The Netherlands? I really am talking about the United States, and yes, the first ever cannabis coffee shop has opened in this country. Believe it or not, it has happened. Located in Portland, Oregon, Cannabis Café is the first and only legal marijuana coffee shop in the country. It opened earlier this week.
You might be wondering how this could have happened. Well, the Obama administration has left it up to each state to determine how they will deal with the use of marijuana. Apparently, the state government of Oregon is okay with this.
Those who are iffy about the issue should know that going to the Cannabis Café is not as easy as going to your run-of-the-mill coffee shop. In fact, only people who are enrolled in the state’s Medical Marijuana Program may go to the shop. Furthermore, only Oregon residents are allowed to join this program. Individuals who are suffering from illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer’s, and glaucoma are qualified to join the program, and they have to pay a $100 fee PLUS a certificate from a doctor.
The requirements do not stop there. In addition to the above requirement, patients must also join National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) – the Oregon chapter, naturally. The fee is $240 yearly. In order to enter the Cannabis Café, you would have to have two ID cards from the two organizations mentioned above.
So where does the coffee come in? It’s always available at the shop, for those who want it!
Free Coffee At Coffee Bean
Hold on – before you get too excited, this piece of news is only for a small population of our readers. I ran across this bit of information – the good news is that today, November 12, participating Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf stores in three states will be offering free drinks.
Dubbed The Holiday Open House, some Coffee Bean stores will be serving 12 oz holiday drinks from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Drinks on the roster are Peppermint Latte (or Ice Blended), Pumpkin Latte (or Ice Blended), and Winter Dream Latte. Naturally, only one drink per customer is allowed.
The stores that will be participating are those located in California, Arizona, and Texas. Unfortunately, those stores located in school campuses are not part of the promotion. (I wonder why?;))
I am pretty sure that a lot of people will be grabbing this chance to get a free drink. Never mind that it’s just a 12 oz drink and that you can only have one – that’s several dollars you can save! More so, this is the perfect opportunity for those who may want to simply try the holiday drinks and are not sure if they want to spend that money on something they may not like.
I wish that Coffee Bean would do the same for other stores in other parts of the country – and the world for that matter. Now I am pretty sure that Starbucks will follow suit, one way or another. Wanna bet?
