Summary
Starbucks made its name with fashionable coffee stores that spread across various countries and high speed, changing habits, adding convenience and a relaxed and informal atmosphere. It was also Starbucks that developed like no other the concept of "coffee on the go".
Analysis
Being into vending and also wine for my professional activities. and knowing a lot of the drinking cultures across Europe Following from the summary above, beer is probably the product that fits Starbucks essence best - however is still a major change: from hot drinks into beer. Personally see European countries where it may work out but others where certainly I see the chances very slim.
Having said this about beer, let's then think about wine: Starbucks brought into certain countries like and Scandinavia the culture of espresso coffee. In UK this was quite an achievement like with COSTA that you find in airports all over UK. Why an achievement? UK is not only a tea drinking country but also a fresh brew coffee market. Espresso was seen until not long ago not the real drive. However even today, espresso taste differs a lot from Northern Europe to Southern Europe. Credit should though be given to Starbucks - it clearly improved espresso awareness and consumption in UK and other markets.
What about wine? - here things get trickier. Drinking wine, in a proper way, is still today elegant, good wine is expensive and has a while tradition in making and distributing, and it is nonetheless a status drink: Good wine is to be enjoyed in exceptional places or company or events and occasions. So will Starbuck become an affluent place to those seeking to have a real glass of wine usually served like in a ceremony and in a specific glass according to the wine characteristics? Will Starbucks have a wine boutique like those in Russia where wines can be demonstrated? Or will it be something like the recent pubs where you can have wine pumped out of a barrel like an ale or a lagger? Not in Portugal, Spain, France or Italy where the "bag on box" failed.
The above certainly does not match the wine culture that is based on refinement, glass cups and slow taste at a table. Nothing like "on the move".
It will either be a man achievement or a utterly failure but one things has to be given credit to: This takes courage and risk and this in business usually compensates.
This author consults with leading institutions through GLG
Analyses are solely the work of the authors and have not been edited or endorsed by GLG.
