Starbucks to Open First Shop in Coffee Rich Colombia

The World

In the land where coffee is king, leave it to Starbucks to find a slice of the market.

Yes, Starbucks has announced it’s taking up shop in Bogota, Colombia. It says it wants to celebrate Colombian coffee.

Before a barista has even poured a short, no foam, double caramel macchiato–the news of Starbucks arrival is already causing a buzz.

So what does it all mean for Colombia’s coffee farmers and the price of a cup o’ joe?

Reporter (and heavy coffee drinker) John Otis in Bogota says Starbucks’ plans to roast local Colombian coffee beans will be good for local farmers, and that new Starbucks competition could prompt Colombia’s own cafes and restaurants to step up to try to meet the demand for better, stronger, genuine Colombian coffee.

In short, the arrival of Starbucks is going to shake up things a bit in Colombia.

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