Popular Culture in the Global Context

Popular Culture in the Global Context

Gourmet coffee has made a clear impact in an international environment. Starbucks coffee has become the latest trend here in the U.S.A. (United States of America), as well as in China. The impact in the U.S.A. has been slightly different than Starbucks in China. The writer will explore some positive and negative outcomes of Starbucks coffee in the U.S.A. as well as in China.

Starbucks Popularity

Starbucks coffee is very popular in the U.S.A. There is a Starbucks chain on almost every corner of every major city. The stores, most times, have a line that stretches from one end of the store to the other. Starbucks sells everything from coffee, to pastry and candies, to reusable decorative cups.

Starbucks is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world with more than 9,000 retail locations in North America (Daily Breeze, Allison Lim, the Associated Press, Nov. 18, 2005, pg.c.3). Starbucks is making a lot of money in the United States.

Starbucks chains are on the rise in China. The chairman of the company, Howard Schultz said, the company continues to benefit from its increasing international presence. He said the company sees especially strong potential in the Chinese market, where it expects to eventually have thousands of outlets (Daily Breeze, Allison Lim, the Associated Press, Nov. 18, 2005, pg.c.3). Starbucks is becoming very popular in China as well.

Chinas Conversion

Chinese are historically tea-drinking people. China is the homeland of tea. (www.chinavista.com , Du Feibao). The tea leaf contains an alkaloid (5%, mainly caffeine) which is a stimulant (www.chinavista.com , Du Feibao). Caffeine is very addictive, when used in high quantities. This may suggest that the caffeine in Starbucks coffee is the reason why Starbucks may have a really good chance at converting China into a people who consume coffee just as much if not more than they drink tea.

Positive Outcome of Starbucks coffee

Stock in Starbucks is a hot commodity. Starbucks shares have climbed 16% over the past year and will now cost forty-five times trailing earnings (Schoenberger, Chana R., Forbes, Sept.5, 2005, vol.176, issue 4, pg81-81,1p,1c). People who have invested in Starbucks are making lots of money. Starbucks investors are also doing well because of the fast growth of the company in China.

British review of 21 different studies on caffeine found that the popular pick-me-up cut exercisers ratings of perceived exertion by 5.6%. As a result, these exercisers were able to run, bike, and swim 11% faster and longer (Yeager, Selene, Prevention, Sept. 2005, vol.57, issue 9, p.49). Caffeine, when used in moderation, can have a positive outcome.

Negative Outcomes of Starbucks coffee

There have not really been any negative outcomes financially for Starbucks Corporation and its investors. They are making an obscene amount of money, however consumers often spend too much money on the Starbucks coffee products. A cup of coffee at Starbucks cost, on average, five dollars.