Chestnut Praline Latte, first new holiday flavor in 5 years.

As fall gives way to winter, are you afraid your daily pumpkin spice latte will still feel too autumnal? Maybe it's just a little too ... basic? For those suffering the PSL blues, Starbucks says its newest creation — a chestnut praline latte — will land in stores on November 12. As you might glean from the name, it's a latte with chestnut praline syrup, whipped cream, and praline crumbles, and "the first new holiday handcrafted beverage in five years" to boot, so the company's surely going to be peddling it hard all season, meaning you probably aren't in danger of missing out. 

The drink went head-to-head in a trial phasewith the cherries jubilee mocha last year, and has now emerged victorious — people who've had one of the test versions note a distinctGraham cracker taste, for what that's worth. 

Here's what those praline pieces look like on top:

Starbucks is a little less evil today

Starbucks -

It pays to be an educated employee at Starbucks, literally.

The company announced a new program to help its baristas earn an online college degree.

"Thank you so much Howard, it's a pleasure."

Starbucks employee Tammie Lopez personally thanked CEO Howard Shultz for the opportunity to attend college for free.

Howard Schultz/Starbucks CEO says, "This is not about PR. This is about the future of the company, what's doing right for our people."

Schultz was in New York to announce  that starting this fall, Starbucks will help employees get an online bachelor's degree at a steep discount.

And they don't have to stay with the company after they finish.

Starbucks is  partnering with Arizona State University.

Eligible workers can choose from more than 40 undergraduate online programs.

Freshman and sophomores could receive partial scholarships and full tuition reimbursement as juniors and seniors.

How important is a college degree these days, to you? Tammie: To me, very important.

Lopez has been working part–time a Starbucks while going to school for more than a year.

She plans to apply for the new program to study business.

Tammie Lopez/Starbucks Employee says, "I never thought I would be getting assistance and help that Starbucks has provided. It just never crossed my mind. And I think that's why it so mind blowing."

Dozens of corporations with hourly employees offer some kind of tuition assistance or discount – but the  Starbucks plan is one of the most generous.

Howard Schultz/Starbucks CEO says, "We can't build a great company and we can't build a great enduring country if we constantly leave people behind."

Schultz says if Starbucks were a 20 chapter book —  the company would only be at chapter 4 or 5. Only workers at Starbucks 8,200 company–operated stores are eligible and they have to work an average 20 hours per week.

VIA KEYC.com

Now You Can Get A Crappy Cocktail With Your Over Roasted Half Cap Mocha Chino Frap Venti Mess

Starbucks will expand its evening alcohol and light bites menu, which includes bacon-wrapped dates and Malbec wine, to thousands of stores, Chief Operating Officer Troy Alstead said in a phone interview.

The rollout, which can help boost sales, will take several years, he said.

"We've tested it long enough in enough markets -- this is a program that works," he said. "As we bring the evening program to stores, there's a meaningful increase in sales during that time of the day."

Starbucks has been focused on selling more non-coffee items, such as alcohol, juice, Teavana tea and food, to stoke U.S. growth. The company, which announced a long-term plan to almost double its market value to $100 billion yesterday, also is expanding and improving its rewards program and mobile applications. Earlier this month, Starbucks said it would soon test a way for customers to order items ahead of time with their smartphones.

The shares fell 0.4 percent to $75.60 at 7:41 a.m. in New York. The Seattle-based company closed yesterday with a market capitalization of about $57.4 billion.

The company first sold alcohol in October 2010 at a Seattle store. In January 2012, Starbucks said it was expanding the test to as many as 25 locations in Chicago, Atlanta and Southern California. In Chicago, the after-4 p.m. menu includes fare such as truffle macaroni and cheese, chicken skewers, Chardonnay and chocolate fondue.


The evening food and drinks, which are in about 40 stores now, won’t work in all Starbucks cafes, Alstead said. He said they’ve seen success in some urban areas, near other restaurants and theaters, where people are out at night.

Last month, Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz handed over the company’s day-to-day operations to Alstead, so Schultz could focus more on digital, mobile, loyalty and electronic- commerce initiatives. The company said yesterday in a statement that its mobile-payment application has been gaining traction.

Mobile payment now accounts for 14 percent of in-store transactions in the U.S., up from a 10 percent rate disclosed in July. Starbucks also said it will open at least 20 additional Teavana stores in the current fiscal year.

"Mobile is very important," Peter Saleh, a New York-based analyst at Telsey Advisory Group, said in a phone interview. "The companies that are taking share are the companies that have some mobile, digital platform -- Papa John’s, Domino’s, Starbucks, Dunkin'."

Loyalty Program

Starbucks's loyalty program entices diners by offering free beverages, food and refills in return for points they’ve accumulated from purchases. Customers can pay with mobile phones or Starbucks cards that are linked to their account.

As part of its effort to sell more tea, the company will begin offering Oprah Winfrey-branded chai tea on April 29 at stores in the U.S. and Canada, Schultz said at the company’s annual meeting yesterday. Winfrey, the television personality and entrepreneur, tasted different tea varieties and helped Starbucks create the blend, which includes black and rooibos teas.
 

Via Sun sentinel

Nendo designs Starbucks mugs with coffee graphics printed on back

After creating a pop-up shop for the coffee giant back in 2012, design firm nendo has embarked on their 2nd collaboration with Starbucks, creating a series of mugs that will be sold at stores throughout Japan. A very simple trick creates a cool effect: the bottom of the mugs are realistically printed with graphics to create the illusion that they are brimming with hot coffee.

For 1,200 yen you can get either a latte, caramel macchiato or Americano that, even when drying or sitting upside down on a shelf, can remind you that your mug is always half full.

VIA Spoon Tamago