Starbucks (RED)ifined

Announced today at the annual Leadership Conference --this year in New Orleans-- is Starbucks' partnership with Product (RED), an organization co-founded by U2's Bono. Product (RED) encourages chairty through the power of consumerism. From red Apple iPods, Converse shoes, and Gap clothing, proceeds from the purchase prices of such items go towards particular programs aiming to eradicate and prevent HIV/AIDS on th African continent.

With this new partnership, three holiday drinks will be the first initial offerings. Also, it was announced that a special Starbucks (RED) apron will be given out. Now, it remains to be seen if each individual partner gets one, but if so, it would be a welcome addition to our signature green.

Here is the full story from the Seattle-Post Intelligencer:

Bono joins Starbucks to help AIDS victims
Sale of selected drinks benefits fund

Rock singer Bono gave a surprise speech Wednesday at Starbucks' managers conference in New Orleans, bringing star power to the company's announcement of a partnership with (RED), a private organization that benefits AIDS programs in Africa.

Walking on stage, Bono joked, "I was going to jump out of a cranberry scone, but maybe not." His appearance was even kept secret from the rest of his U2 band members, he said.

Seattle-based Starbucks will donate 5 cents to the Global Fund for each holiday beverage it sells from Nov. 27 through Jan. 2. After that, Starbucks will designate certain products as (RED), which will benefit the Global Fund.

"Here we are, talking about the economy tanking. People are saying, 'Maybe the world doesn't need more coffehouses.' And what do you do? What does Starbucks do? You decide to give your money away," Bono said to thunderous applause from the thousands of store managers and others gathered at New Orleans Arena.

"This is not charity. This is commerce."

The Global Fund, created in 2002, provides money to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Bono and Bobby Shriver founded (RED) in 2006 to benefit the Global Fund. (RED) also joins with American Express in the United Kingdom, Apple, Converse, Gap, Emporio Armani, Hallmark, Dell and Microsoft.

Bono and Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz presented the news to about 10,000 Starbucks employees and store managers. Starbucks' last leadership conference took place in 2005, in Seattle.

Partnership details

Each day in Africa, 4,100 people die because they can't get the medicine they need, said Jenifer Willig, director of partners and marketing at (RED).

"This is an emergency," Willig said. "That's why we're the color red."

Two life-extending anti-retroviral pills per day cost 43 cents.

"If every single Starbucks customer bought one (RED) Holiday Exclusive (beverage) for a week, we would save 15,000 lives for a year in Africa," Starbucks Senior Vice President Michelle Gass said.

All Starbucks company-owned and licensed stores in the U.S. and Canada are participating. The partnership is part of Starbucks "Shared Planet" commitment, started this week. Shared Planet promises that Starbucks will do business in ways that are good to the earth and people.

The Starbucks beverages that help the fund are peppermint mocha twist, gingersnap latte and espresso truffle. (RED) products do not cost extra.

Starbucks and (RED) began talking earlier this year. About six months ago, Gass met up with Don MacKinnon, president of (RED) Content. They talked over lunch at Pike Place Market.

"Don and I have kept in touch. He used to work for Starbucks; he used to run our music business," Gass said. "Over lunch he started telling me about what (RED) was up to. It really struck an emotional chord with me."

Starbucks buys coffee from 10 African countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. And Starbucks plans to open farmer-support centers in Ethiopia and Rwanda next year. (In 2007, Starbucks responded to pressure from Ethiopia and Oxfam America by signing a marketing deal regarding specialty coffee names that would boost coffee prices.)

Because of Starbucks' connection to Africa, a partnership with (RED) seemed like a "natural extension," Gass said.

Starbucks paid an undisclosed licensing fee to (RED) and will donate directly to the Global Fund. The partnership is a multiyear commitment and could help thousands, depending on sales.
Year of change

The New Orleans leadership conference comes toward the end of a tumultuous year at Starbucks. Starbucks decided to hold the elaborate event, despite layoffs and store closures, to energize employees, Schultz has said.

Starbucks has been suffering from declining sales, but Schultz told reporters Wednesday that Starbucks' sales declines have "bottomed out." Sales didn't decrease this month as fast as they had last quarter.

The company plans to release fourth-quarter results Nov. 10. Wall Street analysts are largely expecting profit and revenue to drop from the same period a year ago.

Moving forward amid the economic turmoil, Schultz said, "requires a very disciplined, thoughtful approach."

Schultz told employees at the end of Wednesday's session, "It's hard to sit through all this and not get emotional. We've been through a lot this year."

Some of the changes announced this week in New Orleans will be visible in stores, which are being outfitted with new ordering and labor scheduling systems. Desktops in each store's backroom will be replaced with Hewlett-Packard laptops. (The laptop announcement got a standing ovation.)

Baristas will wear red aprons.

Because Starbucks will give profit away to help Africans, Bono tried to address shareholder concerns by saying that customers will respond to the (RED) campaign.

"You can't measure the true success of a company on a spreadsheet," said Bono, who wore sunglasses on the indoor stage. "I can't believe I just said the word spreadsheet. ... Don't tell the fans."

Starbucks stock was up slightly in after-hours trading Wednesday.

I am very excited about this development. There has been much talk about the Bux's increasing need to improve its corporate social responsibility through expanding environmental-friendly measures in stores, seeking additional fair trade coffee, and acknowleding the need for pursuing issues of social justice in the Global South.

And we lose one more to Oz

Today, R (137****) stepped inside the Bux to say her final goodbyes before traveling abroad. It was bittersweet, yet again. She was so infectiously positive and was truly a sweet girl. She often got compliments on her smile, eyes, etcetera...and let's face it: we are losing one attractive barista! But seriously, I envied her attitude. While there were times when it was difficult or trying, she put on a brave face and smiled through it all. The best part about our work relationship was that we got each other most of the time. Apart from the fact that we came from the same h.s. class, which helped to create an instant connection, we handle situations (like bar, cleanliness, coffee) in similar ways.

Anyway, while I was on bar, I made her last beverage (a venti 2PCl SD), we gave her goodbye hugs, and she was on her way.

All the best, R. "Ow Ow!" :)

Her Last Words

Shift X's farewell message for our staff.

It was a pleasure to serve alongside you

Yesterday was Shift X (159****)'s last day. X started exactly three weeks before me, so she will remain one of the people who helped shape my formative days as a barista. During my first day of training, she actually presented my first coffee tasting (Verona). My initial reaction to her was that she was a prototype of the hardworking --yet prone to perfectionism-- legendary barista and she was just a partner for three weeks.

Since starting work at the Bux, I'd say that I have worked with X the most, as she was the shift who worked the majority of mornings. Her youthful presence and competence was a great addition to the store and many of our customers and co-workers found it to be an asset. Although she sometimes became too focused and ordered us to accomplish a million things in half a day, she tried her best to keep everyone busy, yet not overworked. For what it is worth, that is my perspective.

When there was some open time, we got to know each other better. Before being told to ditch our canvas shoes for sturdier footwear, we proudly wore our Vans. We both have mothers who share the same name. We both love to travel and she's great at finding deals online. But if it wasn't for a six-year age gap, the fact that she's married, and I'm not sexually attracted to her, my search for the love of my life would be over.

From BCs, short soy CMs, to PTs, she gets something different every day. If I had to identify her consistent regular drink, it must be a soy OMBB. Although she had a brief affair with a Venti CF with SFH and SFV.

It was our latest conversations that hinted at an eventual departure from the island. Living here is definitely different from visiting on a vacation.

So it wasn't a complete surprise that just last week, I found out that she is indeed moving from the island and going back to her old job on the mainland. Although I could tell she was happy to finally see her adorable nieces and nephews, she has not counted out a potential return to the Bux or Maui. I told her that she is certainly "good at it". "It" being that she was a positive contributor and direct individual who assisted in keeping our chaotic mornings as sane as possible. I will miss her pulling the reins on me when my mind is spinning in a thousand directions. I will miss our random chats about NorCal and plans for the future. And I will miss her ordering me to do the floors. (I am most definitely kidding about this one. It was a slight annoyance how she managed to ask me to clean the floors four days in a row since she knows I wouldn't say no! ;) But I digress.

At the end of my shift, I quietly went in the back room where she was counting out and I gave her a big goodbye hug and said that I am going to miss her. She reacted with a smile and said, "Even though I drive you crazy?!" Most definitely. There is something to be said about getting too attached to people in the workplace, however I could not help but get close and build bonds with some of my fellow baristas like X.

Aloha oi, X. I'll keep your word and I'll see you on the streets of SF one day.

How Rude!

Okay, so no suprise that every barista encounters several unpleasant (read: annoying/bitchy) customers during their time at Starbucks. Usually, they tend to want their drinks to be remade, claim they've ordered something modified but they have not, or are just plain impatient, since they are "hurrying to catch a flight" and refuse to wait a few minutes blah blah blah....but today, with just one word, one woman managed to be the most unappreciative bitch on Earth.

I was on register, my shift is expediting and asks this one woman if she wanted a small bag for several of her pastries. With this insidious look on her face she sharply told us "NO!!" like it was some freaking inconvenience. Like, how dare we ask her if she wants a bag? Oh hayyelllll NO!

I was utterly shocked at how rude she was. Shift 157**** muttered under his breath that she should go f*ck herself. Nice. But seriously, weren't we in the right with this? She had a good amount of pastries to warrant a bag. Good lord...

Partner Card!

So it's official! After working at the Bux for four months, I finally received my partner card at work today. 157***** said, "Congratulations" and gave me an envelope from corporate and I immediately knew it was the card. Much to my chagrin, however, the card was not the 2008 partner card design, but the original green one.

Anyway, good to know that I am finally official (not that I wasn't before, but now I have the plastic to back it up) and can get my markouts and discounts at other stores without having to spit out my numbers .

Thank you, thank you. Now I can happily quit...but not yet.