2009年10月4日 星期日

沉淪的星巴克

He Said, 楊本禮

最近星巴克(Starbucks)宣佈，從十月開始，星巴克在美國和加拿大的連鎖店，推出即溶咖啡，每杯售價只有美金一元，這個消息真讓我大吃一驚。
大約從上個世紀八十年代開始，星巴克異軍突起，其擴張之快，讓人難以想像。坐在印有美人魚雨篷(Mermaid Awning)下喝咖啡，不只是時尚，也是一種享受。因為星巴克澈底改變了美國人對優質咖啡的定義。星巴克對提升美國人欣賞咖啡的層次，功不可沒。(可參閱由台灣印書館出版，本人所著的世界美食風華錄一書。)
星巴克連瑣店不僅在北美如雨後春筍般出現，同時也快速擴展到世界其它各地。九十年代我住在新加坡，也曾是星巴克的常客。如果用「星巴克帝國」來形容它的盛世和版圖，並不為過。
可是星巴克的領導層次，也和其它所謂偉大事業的領導人一樣，犯了同樣投資上的錯誤，星巴克領導層用賣咖啡賺來的錢，投資在不屬本行的事業上。
其實在世界金融風暴尚未成形之前，星巴克的經營已出現警兆，雖然董事會立刻改組，撤換了首席執行長，並改變錯誤的經營策略，回歸到原本的咖啡事業上來，但是它還是擋不住金融海嘯的沖擊，最後淪落到要出售一美元即溶咖啡的地步。
台灣不是也有很多事業像星巴克一樣嗎? 事業如日中天的時候，不加思索姿意向其它事業擴張，到頭來只能向下沉淪，而不是向上提升。沉淪的星巴克應可引以為戒!
張貼者： 於

2 則留言:

  1. Unknown2009年10月5日 晚上7:25

    I was shocked when I first heard that Starbucks was planning to launch it's own instant coffee. I have been an extremely loyal Starbucks customer for the last 14 years. I remember clearly my first experience with Starbucks back in 1995 when I stumbled upon it in Washington DC during a late afternoon walk in the city. I was a day early on a business trip and had decided to explore the city. I fell in love with Starbucks right there, I was drawn to not just the coffee but the whole experience.

    This love affair with Starbucks burned brightly for many years but recently, the last few years, I have been disappointed. When they changed from manually making their espresso shots to just pressing a button on the new machine, I was convinced the coffee will nolonger taste the same. I did not want to give up on them so I got used to the new idea and continued going. When they stopped switching the daily brew on a weekly basis, that was another blow, especially the fact that they nolonger offer the Breakfast blend which is my favourite. And now, the instant coffee!

    I was ready again to give them the benefit of the doubt and decided to test their new VIA coffee, their new name for the product which as far as I am concerned, just a glorified name for instant coffee. The claim is that it tastes like fresh brew, not instant. For me, having a cup of coffee is not just about having a cup of coffee. The smell of the coffee beans being ground is heavenly which is the warm up to having the coffee. The instant coffee takes that experience away completely. And as soon as the coffee is made, I can smell the distinct smell that instant coffee makes. As a friend pointed out, it smells like her grandma's house and it smells burnt. Yes, not only did I test the coffee myself, I asked a few friends to try it too. I'll concede that the taste is better than other instant coffee but so what? If I want instant coffee, which I don't, I can get it at the supermarket. Why would I want to buy instant coffee at Starbucks where coffee is suppose to be good and freshly brewed?

    I still go to Starbucks but even my favourite drink which is made to order -- grande non-fat wet cappucino is starting to taste a little different. I'm not sure if it actually is different or perhaps my disappointment with Starbucks is cloudying my judgement.

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  2. 楊本禮.周嘉川punley.jenny2009年10月5日 晚上11:29

    楊本禮說：
    即溶咖啡是美國「大量生產」下的產物，它把美國人喝好咖啡的味蕾摧毀迨盡。星巴克好不容易建立起來的「欣賞好咖啡，非星巴克莫屬。」的好口碑和好形象，現在又親手把它撕毀，誠屬可惜!
    想起它的興起和衰落，正應驗了古諺所說：「眼看它起高樓!眼看它宴賓客!眼看它樓塌了!」

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