Did you know that in any given sixteen hour day Dunkin' Donuts sells 180 cups of coffee every second and Starbucks sells 272 cups per second? Using simple mathematics and Google these two coffee aircraft carriers of the industry sell 26MM cups per day (Dunkin' at 10.4 million and Starbucks at 15.7 million). Computing an average of 12 oz a cup, Dunkin' and Starbucks brew roughly 2.4 million gallons of coffee per day; enough coffee to fill four Olympic sized swimming pools. So when Dunkin' and Starbucks get to battling it out for sales they have us swimming in it! In order to stay ahead of this kind of incredible production the beans they use must be roasted and ready to go months in advance and set aside in a sealed container to stay fresh. Really.
Independent coffee entrepreneurs stay afloat through smaller more maneuverable businesses offering greater diversity and excellent customer service with blends and roasts created each day that can be freshly ground and freshly brewed right before your very eyes and nose. The independent coffee owner has a first hand responsibility to create something memorable and offer an experience of a lifetime for you. That means each cup is uniquely individualized. Many independent roasters and independent coffee entrepreneurs work directly with growers in Central America, Africa, and other parts of the world helping shape their economy and lives first hand; and that is significant when you can see your dollar making a world of difference rather than getting lost in a corporate bottom line.
Confession. It’s ok to stand in a Starbucks line waiting for your same-o same-o latte from their sea of coffee created with exacting perfection from a diagram everyday till eternity comes, or grab the Dunkin beans at Costco and get swept away in the never ending taste of sameness in a quality sealed bag that will last until the expiration date plus three months in a freezer.
AND, if you want to taste exceptional coffee and experience the individual attention of a barista and independent coffee entrepreneur who wants to see you happy after sipping their personalized creation, then break from the lines of conformity and be served at a local independent coffee shop whose beans are roasted locally and grown around the world. Please say thanks for their good work and adding to our economy and let them know how your coffee was, they are always listening for ways to create something superb. Redemption.
Tom Lobaugh
Inspiration Consultant
For more on local roasters and the 27 billion dollar coffee market in the US:
http://boisecoffee.org and http://www.bostonglobe.com and www.freshcup.com