September 09, 2014 - Blog
In two seemingly unrelated coffee-centric announcements this week, Starbucks will be introducing a new uber-gourmet concept, and a huge collection of scientists generated a “high-quality" draft genome of the species Coffea canephora, more commonly known as Robusta coffee.
In a press release dated Sept. 5, 2014, Starbucks revealed the “launch of a one-of-a-kind, interactive Starbucks Reserve™ Roastery and Tasting Room dedicated to roasting, coffee education and increased availability of their fast-growing, highly successful small-lot Starbucks Reserve® coffees. This consolidation of small-batch roasting will allow the company to expand their Starbucks Reserve® coffee line to 1,500 locations globally, as well as open at least 100 stores designed to highlight these rare coffees exclusively."
This will take advantage of the growing trend of specialty, c raft and custom products in foods and should appeal to those who no longer consider carrying a standard Starbucks coffee a sufficient status symbol and take advantage of the push for more-custom food and beverage products. The company is trading on the success of its Starbucks Reserve brand, an “exceptional collection of unique, small-batch arabica coffees."
Said Howard Schultz, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Starbucks, Seattle: “Everything we have created and learned about coffee has led us to this moment. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting room is a multi-sensory experience that will transform the future of specialty coffee. We plan to take this super-premium experience to cities around the world, elevating the Starbucks experience not only through these stores but across our entire business."
Transitioning from the art of coffee marketing to the science of the coffee bean: The first coffee gene has been mapped, that of the plant that produces robusta coffee. Including the genes that code for enzymes involved in the plant’s caffeine production (“The coffee genome provides insight into the convergent evolution of caffeine biosynthesis," Science 5 September 2014: 1181-1184.) Other genes found include those related to plant defense, and to alkaloid and flavonoid enzymes involved in secondary compound synthesis.
Gene mapping can enable a number of genetic agricultural techniques (not limited to GMO, genetically engineered plants). So, this might lead to a number of interesting coffee variations—anything from a bean that grows without caffeine and eliminates the extraction processes currently used to improvements in the robusta’s flavor to making a plant that thrives despite climate change. And while anything developed might not be artisan enough for Starbuck’s Roastery, perhaps they might be interested in a bean that create its own Pumpkin Spice Latte flavor.
-Lynn A. Kuntz
In two seemingly unrelated coffee-centric announcements this week, Starbucks will be introducing a new uber-gourmet concept, and a huge collection of scientists generated a “high-quality" draft genome of the species Coffea canephora, more commonly known as Robusta coffee.
In a press release dated Sept. 5, 2014, Starbucks revealed the “launch of a one-of-a-kind, interactive Starbucks Reserve™ Roastery and Tasting Room dedicated to roasting, coffee education and increased availability of their fast-growing, highly successful small-lot Starbucks Reserve® coffees. This consolidation of small-batch roasting will allow the company to expand their Starbucks Reserve® coffee line to 1,500 locations globally, as well as open at least 100 stores designed to highlight these rare coffees exclusively."
This will take advantage of the growing trend of specialty, c raft and custom products in foods and should appeal to those who no longer consider carrying a standard Starbucks coffee a sufficient status symbol and take advantage of the push for more-custom food and beverage products. The company is trading on the success of its Starbucks Reserve brand, an “exceptional collection of unique, small-batch arabica coffees."
Said Howard Schultz, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Starbucks, Seattle: “Everything we have created and learned about coffee has led us to this moment. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting room is a multi-sensory experience that will transform the future of specialty coffee. We plan to take this super-premium experience to cities around the world, elevating the Starbucks experience not only through these stores but across our entire business."
Transitioning from the art of coffee marketing to the science of the coffee bean: The first coffee gene has been mapped, that of the plant that produces robusta coffee. Including the genes that code for enzymes involved in the plant’s caffeine production (“The coffee genome provides insight into the convergent evolution of caffeine biosynthesis," Science 5 September 2014: 1181-1184.) Other genes found include those related to plant defense, and to alkaloid and flavonoid enzymes involved in secondary compound synthesis.
Gene mapping can enable a number of genetic agricultural techniques (not limited to GMO, genetically engineered plants). So, this might lead to a number of interesting coffee variations—anything from a bean that grows without caffeine and eliminates the extraction processes currently used to improvements in the robusta’s flavor to making a plant that thrives despite climate change. And while anything developed might not be artisan enough for Starbuck’s Roastery, perhaps they might be interested in a bean that create its own Pumpkin Spice Latte flavor.
-Lynn A. Kuntz
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