Match made in heaven? Or "sell out" to Goliath?
On March 19, 2008, Starbucks announced it will acquire Coffee Equipment Company and its Clover technology. It is part of CEO Howard Schultz's strategy to bring Starbucks back to its roots: delivering the best coffee experience to customers.
Now, is this a match made in heaven? Will Starbucks soon be offering "individual brewed cups of the rarest and most exotic Starbucks coffee using the Clover brewing system" at affordable prices?
Or has the giant Goliath coffee corporation just taken another step towards quashing the spirits of independent coffee cafes? Now that the technology is owned by Starbucks, current Clover users will need to rely on Starbucks for its CloverNet and all subsequent machine maintenance. And Starbucks will probably refuse to sell any Clover brewing systems to any non-Starbucks.
What is YOUR verdict?
What is the Clover?
$11,000 Single Cup, Commercial Grade Coffee Brewer
The Clover is the first single-cup coffee brewer that gives the barista complete independent control over grind size, dose, water temperature, and steep time. Each of these brew parameters contribute in bringing out the ultimate flavors of each type of bean or roast. This machine was developed by 3 geeky Stanford graduates who wanted to solve the engineering problem of the perfect cup of coffee.For cafes, the Clover promises to eliminate the need to throw out coffeepots of coffee that have been sitting out too long. Instead, the Clover delivers one fresh-brewed cup at a time. And they believe coffee drinking customers will be willing to pay a higher per-cup price once they taste the difference.
Check out Clover's headquarters for more machine specifications.
Watch the Clover in Action
Locations with the Clover
- There are now 30 Boston locations though only the original 3 are listed here.
- 36 JFK St, Cambridge, MA. This is the Garage in Harvard Square.
- 1 Charles Street, Boston, MA. Corner of Charles and Beacon, right along the Common.
- 75-101 Federal Street, Boston, MA.
- 6th and Union Street, Seattle, WA.
- 4000 East Madison Ave, Seattle, WA. This is Madison Park.
- 2100 Queen Anne Ave, Seattle, WA.
- 5th and Columbia, Seattle, WA.
- 7100 E Green Lake Drive N, Seattle, WA.
- 7th and Pine, Seattle, WA.
- 505 5th Ave. South, Seattle, WA.
- 10214 NE 8th St., Bellevue, WA. This is on the north side of Bellevue Square.
- 601 S. Grady Way, Renton, WA.
- 21920 Highway 99, Edmonds, WA.
If your city is not Boston or Seattle, you may still be able to find a Clover machine near you, just not a Clover in a Starbucks.
The Business of Starbucks
Pour Your Heart into It : How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time
Is the Clover acquisition staying true to the core business? Rent this book from Booksfree.com (What's Booksfree.com?)
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 10/12/2008)
Clover-brewed Coffee
Starbucks and Clover on the Web
Find the latest Starbucks and Clover news
- Starbucks tries brew with a more premium price
- 30 Clovers will be in Boston by September 9, 2008. August 26, 2008
- Starbucks Introduces Customers to Exquisite Flavors of a New Coffee Collection
- Press Release. The Clover has now been installed in 10 Seattle locations. August 26, 2008
- Starbucks Introduces Customers to Exquisite Flavors of a New Coffee Collection
- Press Release. The Clover has now been installed in 10 Seattle locations. August 26, 2008
- Aussies miss out on Starbucks super-machine
- Looks like Schultz will not be bringing the Clover to Australia. July 30, 2008
- Aussies miss out on Starbucks super-machine
- Looks like Schultz will not be bringing the Clover to Australia. July 30, 2008
- The Coffee Fix: Can the $11,000 Clover Machine Save Starbucks?
- Wired Magazine discusses the wonder of the Clover but questions whether Starbucks will be able to bring out the high quality beans. July 21, 2008
- The Coffee Fix: Can the $11,000 Clover Machine Save Starbucks?
- Wired Magazine discusses the wonder of the Clover but questions whether Starbucks will be able to bring out the high quality beans. July 21, 2008
- Foolish Test Drive: Looking Over Starbucks' Clover
- The Motley Fool checks in on Starbucks and the Clover. July 14, 2008
- Foolish Test Drive: Looking Over Starbucks' Clover
- The Motley Fool checks in on Starbucks and the Clover. July 14, 2008
- Grounds Zero
- The Economist discusses how Starbucks is finally feeling the struggling economy. July 3, 2008
- Grounds Zero
- The Economist discusses how Starbucks is finally feeling the struggling economy. July 3, 2008
- Schultz's Second Act Jolts Starbucks
- The Wall Street Journal discusses how Shultz's retaking the CEO position has jolted Starbucks into a change in strategy. The Clover is mentioned in the late middle. May 19, 2008
- Schultz's Second Act Jolts Starbucks
- The Wall Street Journal discusses how Shultz's retaking the CEO position has jolted Starbucks into a change in strategy. The Clover is mentioned in the late middle. May 19, 2008
- Clover coffee machines catch Starbucks' fancy
- Seattle Times article with anecdotes about Zander Nosler, one of the founders of Coffee Equipment Company. April 3, 2008
- Clover coffee machines catch Starbucks' fancy
- Seattle Times article with anecdotes about Zander Nosler, one of the founders of Coffee Equipment Company. April 3, 2008
- Cloverbucks
- New York Times blog that describes CloverNet and why Starbucks buying C.E.C makes a lot of sense. March 27, 2008
- Cloverbucks
- New York Times blog that describes CloverNet and why Starbucks buying C.E.C makes a lot of sense. March 27, 2008
- Tasting the Future of Starbucks Coffee From a New Machine
- New York Times article describes Starbucks' new "pressed coffee," which is available in a few select Starbucks in Boston and Seattle. March 26, 2008
- Tasting the Future of Starbucks Coffee From a New Machine
- New York Times article describes Starbucks' new "pressed coffee," which is available in a few select Starbucks in Boston and Seattle. March 26, 2008
- Starbucks Coffee Company to Acquire the Coffee Equipment Company and its Revolutionary Clover® Brewing System
- Starbucks' press release announcing its acquisition of Coffee Equipment Company. March 19, 2008
- Starbucks Coffee Company to Acquire the Coffee Equipment Company and its Revolutionary Clover® Brewing System
- Starbucks' press release announcing its acquisition of Coffee Equipment Company. March 19, 2008
- How the Clover could change the way we think about coffee. - By Paul Adams - Slate Magazine
- Could a Coffee Maker Be Worth $11,000? How the Clover is changing the way we think about coffee. March 5, 2008
- How the Clover could change the way we think about coffee. - By Paul Adams - Slate Magazine
- Could a Coffee Maker Be Worth $11,000? How the Clover is changing the way we think about coffee. March 5, 2008
- Fool Video: Starbucks' Lucky Clover?
- Video on the Motley Fool discusses the future of Starbucks. February 26, 2008
- Fool Video: Starbucks' Lucky Clover?
- Video on the Motley Fool discusses the future of Starbucks. February 26, 2008
- Starbucks Tests $2.50 Premium Coffee to Boost Sales
- Bloomberg article about Starbuck's Clover coffee test. February 14, 2008
- Starbucks Tests $2.50 Premium Coffee to Boost Sales
- Bloomberg article about Starbuck's Clover coffee test. February 14, 2008
- Coffee | Move over, espresso | Economist.com
- The Economists discusses how the Clover may reshape the specialty coffee business. November 15, 2007
- Coffee | Move over, espresso | Economist.com
- The Economists discusses how the Clover may reshape the specialty coffee business. November 15, 2007
Blog Posts on Starbucks and the Clover
- Starbucks Clover
- niallkennedy posted a photo:. Starbucks Clover. Starbucks Clover 1s with glass sneeze guard.
- Starbucks Clover
- niallkennedy posted a photo:. Starbucks Clover. A bit blurry. Limited micro-lot offering on the left and 5 small batch choices on the right.
- Starbucks Clover
- niallkennedy posted a photo:. Starbucks Clover.
- Don’t Judge a Bucks Buying Clover (Part 1)
- The claim that the Clover is not an ideal machine for Starbucks because the Clover takes skilled baristas to operate is somewhat dubious to me. Starbucks certainly has the potential to centralize the trial and error process that ...
What do YOU think?
Love/Hate Starbucks? Love/Hate Clover coffee?
Starbucks + Clover. Love it or hate it?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byGreat merger for all.
BeClover says:
I am trying to compile a comprehensive list of locations that have Clover machine in place and collect as many recipes as possible. All the data is for public use, just to keep the Clover community going. I started with locations and have quite a few now. Would be great if someone could share recipes as well at http://www.beclover.com
Posted September 09, 2008
majoko says:
Love it! No question. Revolutionary technology.
Posted August 11, 2008
mosaic says:
Quality coffee at Starbucks is great. And with so much quality Clover coffee available at lots of Starbucks in the future, the cost will be better for consumers. Clover coffee at indie cafes can be quite expensive. As for Clover, it's dream come true. They probably got a huge sum. Not only that, a bigger company like Starbucks can help them defend their patents. I guess life gets a little tougher for indie cafes but I feel that many people go to independent coffeehouses for the atmosphere. Having the Clover at Starbucks isn't going to change that. But it is true that they're gonna feel like they will have to call up Starbucks for maintenance. And maybe for the CloverNet, too.
Posted May 12, 2008
The ultimate betrayal.
nothingness says:
Prior to Schultz return, he wrote a letter to CEO where he warned of the commoditization of the Starbucks experience. He argued that to facilitate significant growth, the company sacrificed the romance of the Starbucks experience (?The loss of aroma -- perhaps the most powerful non-verbal signal we had in our stores; the loss of our people scooping fresh coffee from the bins and grinding it fresh in front of the customer, and once again stripping the store of tradition and our heritage?) for consistency, speed and efficiency. Fact of the matter is, Starbucks is now an international coffee chain subject to consistency, standardization, and most importantly shareholder accountability. Do shareholders care whether customers are getting the highest quality coffee? Only to the extent that the masses perceive they are having the highest quality coffee, or only to the extent the masses even care that they are getting the highest quality coffee. And frankly, I think we can all agree that the average Starbucks customer isn't there for the romantic experience or the highest quality cup of coffee. He/she is there expecting the taste and quality that his/her last cup of Starbucks coffee delivered. What Starbucks is doing is depriving the coffee enthusiasts the opportunity to experience different types of coffee, brewed at different temperatures, with different steep times (yes, the precise genius of the machine!). Starbucks undoubtedly will specify a handful of combinations that will be replicated at every location. What the independent coffee shop delivers, albeit for a premium price (although not all independent coffee shops charge a premium price), is variety, experimentation, and customization by the barista?in short, the ?Clover experience?. Schultz recently announced that Starbucks was planning to ?bring the Clover experience to customers in more than 80 of our U.S. company-operated stores in Seattle, Boston and San Francisco by the end of the calendar year." What Starbucks is doing isn't bringing the ?Clover experience? to the masses, it is only furthering the very commoditization of the Starbucks experience that Schultz wanted to prevent.
Posted May 12, 2008
Fan of Starbucks? Fan of the Clover?
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bwcabound
Very Good Lens! I have nevered tried "Clover Coffee" Posted October 08, 2008 |
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Evelyn_Saenz
Love this flavor of coffee lens too! 5 stars and favored! Posted May 17, 2008 |
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hotbrain
Thanks for telling me about the Clover machine. It sounds really intriguing. It seems like a good addition to Starbucks and may improve Starbuck's business. Sounds like a tasty treat to feed my Starbucks addiction, too! Posted May 09, 2008 |
