Whats [NZD4], about AUD2
Sorry this is offtopic but I was thinking about that today... what good value the NZD looks at $1.28. I remember it normally being around $1.10.
Starbucks
- Thread starter LearningMan
- Start date
Sorry this is offtopic but I was thinking about that today... what good value the NZD looks at $1.28. I remember it normally being around $1.10.
Yep I'm off to NZ in a month or so, and have been watching the holiday get cheaper and cheaper by the week
Still off on that tangent, there are good, cheap fishing reels in the on-line auctions from NZ. Just bought an ABU bait-caster which is unavailable in Oz but looks to be better suited than the ABU 6000 to off-shore fishing up here for A$56. There are heavier leaver drag reels which could handle Spanish Mackerel, still under $100.
I personally think Esquire Coffee offers better value than Starbucks.. not the best coffee going around by all means, but still better than yankie stuff
SBUX share price has slid from a $40 USD high in November 2006 down to 15$ presently, they closed a bunch (600 or so) stores in the US with a change in the CEO, bringing back an old one I think.
Looks to be a company that correlates highly with the fate of the US consumption economy and as Rolf points out is a discretionary rather than staple consumer item.. So no sin benefit like alcohol or gambling in bad times it seems.
Looks to be a company that correlates highly with the fate of the US consumption economy and as Rolf points out is a discretionary rather than staple consumer item.. So no sin benefit like alcohol or gambling in bad times it seems.
IF you haven't already you should read Built For Growth. A great little business book by Arthur Rubinfield who designed and architected the expansion of Starbucks.
Not sure what happened here in Australia, but the company is very robust. It will consolidate it's position and start again.
From my experience the novelty factor wore off and people preferred to frequent the real community cafes where the owner works there and knows customers by name. We have no Star Bucks in our area as they would just not fit in culturally.
I also understood that exisitng cafes close to newly opened Star Bucks found that business improved as they got those sick of the queues and some cafes even deliberately opened near Star Bucks for this reason.
This is of course a commnet on those who can still afford the regular coffee.
I also understood that exisitng cafes close to newly opened Star Bucks found that business improved as they got those sick of the queues and some cafes even deliberately opened near Star Bucks for this reason.
This is of course a commnet on those who can still afford the regular coffee.
My Mum still buys those big tins of coffee for $ 3.99 each, just like the entire Aussie population did in the 70's, all of the 80's and half of the 90's.
They yield between 120 and 140 cups of coffee per tin.
Thank the lord all of high society isn't relying on her, half of Australia's inner city society would be bankrupt.
The well-to-do, or wannabe well-to-do, would no doubt look down on her choice, and that's their perogative. I don't - but then I'm biased.
To make the vast bulk of the coffee that she drinks, Mum also uses clean fresh water which is home-delivered in specially made copper piping costing about 15c per thousand litres.
Isn't it great we are all so different in our preferences.
They yield between 120 and 140 cups of coffee per tin.
Thank the lord all of high society isn't relying on her, half of Australia's inner city society would be bankrupt.
The well-to-do, or wannabe well-to-do, would no doubt look down on her choice, and that's their perogative. I don't - but then I'm biased.
To make the vast bulk of the coffee that she drinks, Mum also uses clean fresh water which is home-delivered in specially made copper piping costing about 15c per thousand litres.
Isn't it great we are all so different in our preferences.
Sounds like my coffee only her water sounds alittle upmarket for me hehehe
I do enjoy a coffee out buy its hardly daily (or twice daily!) event
I do enjoy a coffee out buy its hardly daily (or twice daily!) event
I love Hudsons coffee - they are the only ones who can make my half-strength latte with extra foam exactly right. And they're an Aussie company.
And so did my Mum. But she also had the percolator for the special events. There were the filter makers for coffee and tea. And I had the cappuchino maker in the early 80s. Then there were the filter bags. And the other attempts to translate the smell of fresh coffee to the taste.
Once you could only buy beans and have to buy a grinder- or buy pre ground. Then you could buy grinders.
There were so many attempts to try to convert the semll of fresh coffee beans to taste. And I don't think many (if any) succeeded.
Even the smell of a freshly opened instant coffee (well, a reasonably good brand anyway) is still good. Even if, like fresh coffee, the tatse does not match the expectations given by the smell.
Is that starbux & GJ swill actually classed as coffee?
Unfortunately marketing beats quality, which is why franchises have boomed.
But time will weed them as well.
btw "latte" only means milk.
Unfortunately marketing beats quality, which is why franchises have boomed.
But time will weed them as well.
btw "latte" only means milk.
let's not forget the lard spread over the fresh bread, the chook being plucked out the back and the ol' wringer washing machine. nuthin like grandmas international roast and a stale milk arrowroot to get a kid excited!
Yep I'm off to NZ in a month or so, and have been watching the holiday get cheaper and cheaper by the week
I think it might get cheaper still Mike.
The NZD is very close to its year low against the USD, and with further cuts to the official cash rate projected for the rest of the year, this slide is likely to continue.
This weakness should carry across to the NZD/AUS pair.
If you get here in time, you might be able to find a Starbucks that is still operating.
Paul.
What coffee do you serve Geoff? I have noticed all the subways seem to have either no coffee machine at all or some small crappy one. Is this not part of the system?
ah! But think of the "latte factor".
Some items are way cheaper than the traditional grocery stores. Stuff like laundry products etc.
More freed-up investment dollars though. Gotta love that.
This thread has actually put a smile on my face!
Such an appropriate discussion for a coffee lounge!!
....don't mind me - please continue the discussion
The other thing going against Starbucks is the social conscience of people is gathering momentum.
I never bought Starbucks in the US because of the rip-off prices for a start, the coffee wasn't that great anyway, and I didn't want to be one of the "sheeple" who thought it was cool to wander around, looking like a doink, with a Starbucks in your hand.. Very Hollywood, and very annoying. I am an aquarian after all.
But more importantly, it became well-known that they were making a squillion out of each pound of coffee, at the expense of a total rip-off of the people who did all the work to grow the coffee. Slave labour, effectively.
Many people I knew simply boycotted the company, and I think it is gathering momentum around the Nation over there.
This has to hurt their turn-over and bottom line, and would contribute to the recent store closures here I'm sure.
