Beans to a Cup: The Commodity Chain of a Cup of Coffee

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Coffee is a growing part of people’s daily lives. Just before the 9-5 weekdays, and even during the 9-5, it is common for the working class to drink a cup of coffee. To support this accustomed part of our culture, it involves a complex supply chain that allows those coffee beans to turn into a cup that can be consumed. This paper is structured on how Starbucks, the top coffee supplier in the world, can supply its stores, from raw materials to manufacturing, right to the start of someone’s day.
CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, originally had the idea that Starbucks would have the community/traditional feel in their stores, and still serve high-quality coffee (“Our Heritage” 1). Adding an Italian vibe to the coffee shops, keeping its traditional logo, which is based on a mythical creature, and advertising some of its products in a more “traditional” style accomplished the first goal. For an example, Starbucks recently created a commercial about their Refreshers, which was about cooling someone down in the summer time, with the scenery of Tuscany in the background. Serving high-quality coffee was obtained by ordering coffee beans from where they naturally grow and giving it a perfect roast to give to a customer. It was a marketing strategy that helped Starbucks grow and transform its commodity chain to support gathering more raw materials for a cheaper and more efficient way.
The most important part of the cup of coffee, the coffee beans, is typically harvested from South America, mainly because of the fact that Starbucks uses Arabica beans (Weinberg 1), which is dependent on a temperate climate that exists on the majority of the continent. The country that provides the biggest market supply of coffee beans for Starbucks is Brazil ...

... middle of paper ...

...l Could Leave 700 Elmhurst Dairy Workers Unemployed." NY Daily News. N.p., 15 June 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. .
"Our Heritage." Starbucks Coffee Company. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. .
Root, Jessica. "Green Living." TLC. Planet Green, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. .
T., Kate. "A Cup of Low-Cal Goodness." Starbucks Coffee Company. N.p., 16 Apr. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. .
Weinberg, Benett A. "Burned Beans — The Shame of Starbucks." World of Caffeine. N.p., 09 Mar. 2011. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. .

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