Bangkok Gets First Starbucks Community Store Outside U S

[belg]

maybe they can start by giving free WIFI in their shops instead of paid ones

[Beaneater]

And, of course, there is the issue of charging western prices but paying the staff Thai wages. I'm sure that boosts their profit margin considerably over what it is in the U. S.

David

I understand that Starbucks, like most large international companies, is an easy target to rag on.

However, I must enquire, do you actually know what the salary (including tips) and benefits of the average Starbucks worker is in Thailand? Do you know how it compares to other workers in this industry? I'm not saying that I do either, but I least try to make comments using facts.

[Genericnic]

And, of course, there is the issue of charging western prices but paying the staff Thai wages. I'm sure that boosts their profit margin considerably over what it is in the U. S.

David

I understand that Starbucks, like most large international companies, is an easy target to rag on.

However, I must enquire, do you actually know what the salary (including tips) and benefits of the average Starbucks worker is in Thailand? Do you know how it compares to other workers in this industry? I'm not saying that I do either, but I least try to make comments using facts.

According to this SB job posting (http://www.jobthai.com/job/1,505938.html), it looks like monthly employees get 12,500 baht/mo and hourly get 55 baht/hour. No indication of tips. The benefits look like health, life and accident ins., free coffee, uniforms. All this information is based on Google Translate's interpretation. While it may be a better package than usual in Thailand, the costs of those items would hardly come close to the price of a comparable package in a western country. That being the case, the profit margin per cup sold is significantly higher than that sold in the stores in more developed countries.

David

[me313]

Regardless of the high cost of Starbucks coffee, the fact that Thai coffee might be introduced into the world market is a definite bonus for coffee drinkers cause Thai coffee is outstanding and wonderful, and what a nice change from the usual brands you can buy in the US and in Europe. I love Thai coffee and I hope it becomes available in other countries such as the US, if this fair trade situation enables some kind of international trade. Of course, I would go into a Starbucks and NOT buy a cup of coffee there but only to get a bag of Thai coffee if I could not get it anyplace else.

[snooky]

I am supposed to drink DeCaf by the doctor's orders, however, have not been able to find any DeCaf Starbucks except Espresso which to me,tastes like Thai coffee which is great for dissolving your spoon before you dissolve the sugar. If you can find Starbucks Decaf, please advise us or PM me.

FYI I am told by reliable sources that there is a 100% import tax on coffee from outside of Thailand, that's why Starbucks is so expensive. But, IMHO they are the only ones who can produce a DeCaf that tastes like real coffee..

Edited May 14, 2013 by snooky

[hellodolly]

"For every purchase of a Starbucks handcrafted beverage, Bt10 will be directed to farming communities in the North"

So that's how much they pay for Chang Mai Coffee, given their markups you'd think it was triple.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

That along with the money for the rice farmers the government is giving them will make the northern farmers very happy. That of course depends if it gets by the headman as it will be given to the community.

Is he a red shirt I see he is ignoring the southern farming communities.

[hellodolly]

And, of course, there is the issue of charging western prices but paying the staff Thai wages. I'm sure that boosts their profit margin considerably over what it is in the U. S.

David

I understand that Starbucks, like most large international companies, is an easy target to rag on.

However, I must enquire, do you actually know what the salary (including tips) and benefits of the average Starbucks worker is in Thailand? Do you know how it compares to other workers in this industry? I'm not saying that I do either, but I least try to make comments using facts.

According to this SB job posting (http://www.jobthai.com/job/1,505938.html), it looks like monthly employees get 12,500 baht/mo and hourly get 55 baht/hour. No indication of tips. The benefits look like health, life and accident ins., free coffee, uniforms. All this information is based on Google Translate's interpretation. While it may be a better package than usual in Thailand, the costs of those items would hardly come close to the price of a comparable package in a western country. That being the case, the profit margin per cup sold is significantly higher than that sold in the stores in more developed countries.

David

Well they certainly have a good pay package for Thailand hats of to them for that

But not good enough to justify western prices,

[itchybum]

And, of course, there is the issue of charging western prices but paying the staff Thai wages. I'm sure that boosts their profit margin considerably over what it is in the U. S.

David

I understand that Starbucks, like most large international companies, is an easy target to rag on.

However, I must enquire, do you actually know what the salary (including tips) and benefits of the average Starbucks worker is in Thailand? Do you know how it compares to other workers in this industry? I'm not saying that I do either, but I least try to make comments using facts.

According to this SB job posting (http://www.jobthai.com/job/1,505938.html), it looks like monthly employees get 12,500 baht/mo and hourly get 55 baht/hour. No indication of tips. The benefits look like health, life and accident ins., free coffee, uniforms. All this information is based on Google Translate's interpretation. While it may be a better package than usual in Thailand, the costs of those items would hardly come close to the price of a comparable package in a western country. That being the case, the profit margin per cup sold is significantly higher than that sold in the stores in more developed countries.

David

Well they certainly have a good pay package for Thailand hats of to them for that

But not good enough to justify western prices,

Combine that with all the other lower costs in this country and they must be making a killing per cuppa joe.

I bet their liability insurance is nowhere near the cost here as in USA for example.

When you consider other places can sell it and make a profit on a 40b cup....welllllll

Edited May 14, 2013 by itchybum

[winstonc]

not paying bugger all tax helps thier profits me think,,did someone say they get a free uniformm my my thats mighty magnanamous of them,,another parasitic western company,,,,,,oh but look at all those jobs weve created,,,,be grateful,,,,, thats tea im drinking by the way,,,

[ChoakMyDee]

I don't get all the hatred. I love Starbucks coffee. I've been drinking it for many years. Now that I live in northern Thailand, and there aren't any Starbucks near me, I buy Thai coffee from the hill tribes. It is quite good and I get it in the post. But whenever I travel, the very first thing I do is go to Starbucks and get a "red eye"(coffee of the day, add 2 shots of espresso). I can always count on Starbucks to have the same strong quality taste of coffee wherever I go in the world.

I think maybe all the haters are people who don't even like coffee. If you think Nescafe is good then you have no idea what is a good cup of coffee.

[Hecate]

It costs 985B now for a pound of decaf at Starbucks. Oddly, Starbucks Bali charges about 33 per cent less. You can buy Doi Chang decaf for $14 in Vancouver or $36 in Chiang Mai. No processing facilities in Thailand. The real stuff keeps me up til 5 am. Sigh..........

[Hecate]

Black Canyon in CM has decent decaf for 60B per cup. Black Canyon Hua Hin has never heard of the stuff.

[Hecate]

David says 55B per hour for employees. That's less than one cup of coffee here. In Canada they would have to pay $10 per hour, more than five times the cost of a cup of coffee there. The coffee's more expensive here and the employees are cheaper. No wonder they like Thailand so much.

Dairy Queen pays 29B per hour, and they get fewer tips.

[bumpkin]

I am supposed to drink DeCaf by the doctor's orders, however, have not been able to find any DeCaf Starbucks except Espresso which to me,tastes like Thai coffee which is great for dissolving your spoon before you dissolve the sugar. If you can find Starbucks Decaf, please advise us or PM me.

FYI I am told by reliable sources that there is a 100% import tax on coffee from outside of Thailand, that's why Starbucks is so expensive. But, IMHO they are the only ones who can produce a DeCaf that tastes like real coffee..

The price of a cup of coffee is not closely related to the cost of the coffee bean. In Starbucks, you pay for the "experience", not the coffee. The first is "opportunity pricing", based on how much the punters are prepared to pay ( there will always be people who believe the advertising slogans, and have money to invest in the "experience" ). The second is the cost of importing a world commodity. World coffee bean prices are half what they were 2 years ago. (import tariff about 40% ,subject to confirmation ) .

Edited May 14, 2013 by bumpkin

[atyclb]

Regardless of the high cost of Starbucks coffee, the fact that Thai coffee might be introduced into the world market is a definite bonus for coffee drinkers cause Thai coffee is outstanding and wonderful, and what a nice change from the usual brands you can buy in the US and in Europe. I love Thai coffee and I hope it becomes available in other countries such as the US, if this fair trade situation enables some kind of international trade. Of course, I would go into a Starbucks and NOT buy a cup of coffee there but only to get a bag of Thai coffee if I could not get it anyplace else.

The vast majority of thai coffee is NOT outstanding or wonderful. Thai coffee is typically bitter with an aftertaste. The unroasted green beans are generally smaller and quite pale in color if compared with green beans from many other countries; eg indonesia, south america, central americs, ethiopia. Tailored roasting curves have been developed to try to reduce the bitterness. Some very limited estates coffee bean are less bitter and better tasting.

It has to do with the soil in addition to growing conditions. If you drink coffee with milk and flavors and sugar you will not realize the above. The above is clear when "cupping" or pulling espresso shots, not while drinking a caramel chocolate latte with whipping creme.

For example you can sip a correctly pulled shot of ethiopian sidamo and not even need sugar as the chocolaty, fruity non bitter taste is outstanding with no bitterness. Try this with thai coffee!

[utalkin2me]

even if the coffee was good, I still would not get it, or be caught in one.

[Amras]

I am supposed to drink DeCaf by the doctor's orders, however, have not been able to find any DeCaf Starbucks except Espresso which to me,tastes like Thai coffee which is great for dissolving your spoon before you dissolve the sugar. If you can find Starbucks Decaf, please advise us or PM me.

FYI I am told by reliable sources that there is a 100% import tax on coffee from outside of Thailand, that's why Starbucks is so expensive. But, IMHO they are the only ones who can produce a DeCaf that tastes like real coffee..

Pretty much all Starbucks I have been to have decaf, you just ask them if they have decaf. I think the tea and coffee bean (or something like that) in Bangkok also has decaf, but they seem to run out often when I have asked. Always, 'mot laew'.

[ChokDeeMak]

Not to forget the Southern Coffee brand here in Thailand That was some Stout Espresso (which I love) Wanwee is a northern brand which is great too. They even introduce the Coffee drip Style. It is like a tea bag but with Coffee (genius). Since I have been living in Thailand I never ever get starbucks because PENG MAK and There is coffee stalls everywhere. Whether it is Gaffe Boran or Espresso. The only reason I used to drink Starbucks back in the US was because I knew how to get free drinks. I would order a Venti Americano is a Tall cup. Which is 4 shots of Espresso with a Dash of Hot water. I would always get coffee grinds in the bottom which is a Free re-make. Works everytime. But now that I have had INDO Java and Thai Arabica. Starbucks is a stamp on the Hard workers from around the world. Not to mention Nescafe/Folgers. Even Nescafe special blends leave much to be wanted. Moccona Espresso Instant is the Best so far. I do not like 3n1 or cream and sugar in my coffee. Only if I am roughing it do I drink 3n1.
Starbucks is over-rated but everyone knows Starbucks. So I can see why it is a comfort thing in a new country.

[Eesat]

Now if they would just learn to make good coffee. In the U.S., even McD makes better coffee. And up here in CM, there are dozens, if not hundreds of small coffee shops that make lattes and cappuccinos that put them to shame.

David

Doi Chang,Doi Tung,S & P Blue Cup,the list is endless and those are the bigger companies!

[Eesat]

I don't get all the hatred. I love Starbucks coffee. I've been drinking it for many years. Now that I live in northern Thailand, and there aren't any Starbucks near me, I buy Thai coffee from the hill tribes. It is quite good and I get it in the post. But whenever I travel, the very first thing I do is go to Starbucks and get a "red eye"(coffee of the day, add 2 shots of espresso). I can always count on Starbucks to have the same strong quality taste of coffee wherever I go in the world.

I think maybe all the haters are people who don't even like coffee. If you think Nescafe is good then you have no idea what is a good cup of coffee.

If you think Starbucks is the same all over the world then you don't have a clue.I've tried it in the UK and it's like dishwater!

[theajarn]

Now if they would just learn to make good coffee. In the U.S., even McD makes better coffee. And up here in CM, there are dozens, if not hundreds of small coffee shops that make lattes and cappuccinos that put them to shame.

David

Funny that, coz in Bangkok McD's and DD had HORRIBLE coffee compared to Starbucks'. Maybe I should check it out DD here in the US -- I've heard a lot of positive remarks about their coffee (which I am still scratching my head about... the one I had in Bangkok at the British Council was horribly watered-down)!