Starbucks Turns Red Only Once A Year; The Red Cup, Festive Flavors and Meaningful Gifts Signal the Start of the Holiday Season

Business Wire, Nov 10, 2005

SEATTLE -- Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX) turns red today and the traditions we're celebrating are nothing to blush about.

"The holidays at Starbucks are all about enjoying traditions and connecting with friends and family," said Jim Alling, president of Starbucks North America. "For our customers, that means gathering at their local Starbucks coffeehouse to connect over a hot cup of Starbucks(R) Christmas Blend coffee in our signature red cups to savor the warmth, magic and reprieve that are found there during the holidays."

Holiday Flavors, In Red

For many, the red cup and the handcrafted holiday beverages found inside them symbolize the start of the holiday season. A cornerstone of the season is our once-a-year, limited-time offered Starbucks(R) Christmas Blend coffee (also available as Holiday Blend). This unique and beloved holiday tradition is a blend of lively Latin American beans and full-bodied Indonesian coffees with our special ingredient--aged Indonesian bean that give it a holiday sparkle. It's a perfect finishing touch for a rich meal of turkey and stuffing and sweet and spicy desserts like gingerbread and pumpkin pie. Starbucks(R) Christmas Blend coffee is available now while supplies last, in one-pound bags (regular $11.95 U.S./$15.75 CAN; decaffeinated $12.45 U.S./$16.95 CAN), and half-pound bags (regular $6.30 U.S./ $8.65 CAN; decaffeinated $6.55 U.S./$8.90 CAN) at Starbucks coffeehouses throughout North America and online at www.starbucksstore.com.

In addition to Starbucks(R) Christmas Blend coffee, another popular hallmark of the holiday season at Starbucks is our variety of traditional seasonal beverages including the Gingerbread Latte, Eggnog Latte, Tazo(R) Chai Eggnog Latte and the popular Peppermint Mocha.

Completing this selection of "once a year" flavors is an array of indulgent seasonal treats, including the Cranberry Bliss(R) Bar and Holiday Gingerbread. These sumptuous, trans-fat free desserts are available by the slice or by the loaf for holiday parties or work gatherings and pair perfectly with Starbucks(R) Christmas Blend or other holiday beverages.

Meeting Every Holiday Gift-Giving Need

Starbucks is a convenient one-stop shop for every holiday gift-giving need.

For the gift that keeps on brewing, Starbucks offers brewing equipment of the highest quality such as the Starbucks Barista Aroma Grande(TM) (12-cup). This easy-to-operate thermal coffeemaker is also available in an 8-cup capacity and features a special shower-head delivery drip system, 24-hour programmability and automatic shut-off at a fantastic holiday sale price of $109.90 U.S./$149.90 CAN.

Our creative selection of holiday merchandise makes perfect gifts for friends and family, stocking stuffers, party favors or host/hostess gifts. Available in different shapes and sizes, these customized gift sets include the Starbucks(R) Coffee, Cookies & Cocoa gift pack, a silver gift tin filled with 8 oz. ground Christmas Blend coffee, 5 oz. hot cocoa mix, Peppermint Crunch cookies, and Walkers Shortbread cookies in festive holiday shapes ($16.95 US/$22.95 CAN); Tazo(R) Trio Gift Box, a delightful keepsake red velvet box filled with a variety of six filter bags each of Tazo(R) Joy(TM), Calm(TM), and Zen(TM) teas ($19.95 US/$24.95 CAN); and a wide selection of cheerful holiday mugs, bottles and tumblers.

To satisfy holiday music wishes, Starbucks Hear Music offers three new seasonal musical treats: Elton John's Christmas Party, Baby, It's Cold Outside and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Elton John's Christmas Party features a hand-picked collection of Sir Elton's favorite holiday songs and a never-before released original duet with Joss Stone written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin just for this collection. Starbucks and Universal Music Group will donate $2 for every CD sold to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Baby, It's Cold Outside is a 15-song compilation packed with cherished holiday chestnuts performed by the likes of Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald as well as contributions from contemporary artists like Norah Jones and Diana Krall. Finally, A Charlie Brown Christmas offers Vince Guaraldi's jazz score to the beloved Charles Schultz's animated Christmas Special which celebrates its 40-year anniversary. This version of the seasonal classic comes in an exclusive Starbucks-designed CD case complete with an exclusive illustration by Charles M. Schultz. All three seasonal CDs will be available exclusively at Starbucks Company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada.

Also available at Starbucks Company operated-locations through the holiday season are exciting new releases from Herbie Hancock and Sheryl Crow. The genesis of Herbie Hancock's newest CD, Possibilities, was Hancock's vision of collaborating in studio to create music with some of the artists he most admires. The final list of collaborators is a diverse group of world renowned musicians who represent genres of music well beyond the world of jazz, including: John Mayer, Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan, Sting, Annie Lennox, Joss Stone and Jonny Lang, Paul Simon, Carlos Santana and Angelique Kidjo, Christina Aguilera, Trey Anastasio and Raul Midon. Herbie Hancock's Possibilities is a co-release by Hancock Music, Vector Recordings and Starbucks Hear Music and first became available at Starbucks Company-operated locations and traditional music retail throughout the U.S. and Canada on August 30. Additionally, and through a distribution agreement with Warner Music International, Hancock's Possibilities was released globally the week of August 29 at traditional music retail and select Starbucks locations. The release of Possibilities marks the first time Starbucks has made a CD available simultaneously at Company-operated locations in the U.S. and select international markets, including Australia, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. Possibilities is a top seller in Starbucks locations worldwide. Sheryl Crow's Wildflower is a national new release by A&M Records and is available at both traditional retail and Starbucks Company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada. Wildflower became available at Starbucks Company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada on October 5.