In the United Kingdom, Starbucks offers a “Tanzania” coffee. This wonderful offering is a seasonal coffee that comes back regularly to the UK Starbucks market. I actually had a bag of it about one year ago too. It is washed-processed with a big juicy flavor, and a light lemony acidity. I owe a big thank you to Dave Green who just recently sent me the bag of it shown in these photos. I took the Tanzania to a Starbucks close to work and we had a very impromptu coffee tasting with the store manager of Starbucks store #101, and with a couple of partners working that afternoon. I went to the bakery next door (Specialty’s) and bought their “orange cranberry breakfast bread” to pair with it.
We made a French press of the Tanzania. Everyone loved it. The aroma was indeed very sweet. The pairing with the “orange cranberry breakfast bread” was totally fabulous. The citrus flavors in the coffee came to life and popped out more.
I thought the timing of this mini coffee tasting was perfect because it gives me a chance to also talk about “Starbucks origin trips.” Right now, several partners are all on a trip to Tanzania for an “Origin Trip.” Every year, Starbucks sends numerous partners on trips to growing regions to have the experience of working on a coffee farm, and the origin country. Just as the Tanzania-coffee-gift arrived in Seattle, I saw tweets from Jason Simpson, Dave Green and Jill Chatten that they were leaving for Tanzania. What a cool thing for partners to do!
Jill Chatten started writing a tumbler blog about the trip. You can find that here. I saw a number of really great tweets today that I wanted to highlight here:
From Jill, “Drying table at the Burkaa estate, I can’t stop smiling this much! 😀 #tanzania #originsexperience yfrog.com/h7vh2mjj” And the photo is this link here.
Another one of Jill’s tweets, “Beans, complete with parchment ready to go to the dry mill!#tanzania #originsexperience yfrog.com/nzig0kj.” And click here for the photo of the coffee beans.
Jason tweeted, “Nursery at Burka Estate. Shade trees. Tanzania #originexperience2011.” Click here for the photo of the shade trees.
Dave tweeted, “Today was amazing, can’t believe I got to pick coffee and roast it! Talking best we could with farmers, we have it so easy. #humbled.”
So I almost can’t think of anything more fun to talk about than a Starbucks origins trip. If there are any partners reading this who know how you get selected to go on an origins trip, I’d love to hear more. It seems as though the UK has a sophisticated coffee ambassador program, and that a trip to coffee farming regions are awarded to regional and district coffee masters. I’ve wondered if there will ever be some sort of coffee ambassador program in the United States? Please weigh in! Jason Simpson is a US partner on this origin trip, and it looks like the rest are from the UK.
On the topic of UK partners, I recommend you follow StarbucksDave, who produces StarbucksDave.com, and also be sure to follow StarbucksUKCA, who is the coffee ambassador for the UK.
Enjoy a few pics from the coffee tasting.
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Mel – you need to plan a trip to the UK.
Nice to see SBUX taking care of it’s partners with trips like these.
@CD – LOL – I totally agree. I’ve been thinking that the UK will eventually get a Clover store. Maybe in the next year? And then I will have to go visit that store for a store review! Do you want to come with me?
We can make it a tour! My Mom is from England and it’s been 9 years since I’ve been there (N wasn’t walking). BTW, I’m a big fan of the black currant flavor. I drank a lot of Kenya when I was in law school for that reason.
@CD – Heck I am serious! We could go on a trip next year. 🙂 Back on the topic of coffee, we tried some Kenya too when we did this coffee tasting. The Tanzania was SO much more flavorful that suddenly Kenya seemed really dull and boring when side by side with Tanzania. So I didn’t write about the Kenya part of this. I didn’t know if it was because the Kenya was from the Clover, and we did a press of the Tanzania? If they both had been the same brew method, it would have been a fair comparison.
If you’re serious, let’s talk about it. I’ve been thinking about it recently so the timing is right.
The trips (by the partners…) sound really really wonderful. What an experience that would be!
and Melody, our description of this coffee makes it sound really delicious, for sure. (I’m not usually much of a fan of much ‘citrusy’ coming thru.. but this sounds really good! and what a pairing)
I love the UK. I was just writing elsewhere yesterday about my favorite book, “Wuthering Hts” by Emily Bronte and my trip up to that site (trek, actually!) back in the early ’80’s…that had been a dream for yrs. and did not disappoint. love the Yorkshire moors. sorry, way off topic….except the UK part….
@Denise – Last time I took a trip to the UK was over a decade ago. It was before law school, so I think it was like 98 or 99. I would totally love to go back. There are partners from twitter who I’d like to meet there. I remember last time thinking one could spend a whole week just in the British Museum. Of course, I really want to tour around some Starbucks in the UK! They have like 4 Reserve stores now I think. And I still want to see the Conduit Street store, which is supposedly extra beautiful. Since it is mostly UK partners on the trip to Tanzania right now, I’m counting UK conversation as “on topic” ! 🙂
@Melody: re: UK topics, good!!!! because when I went to London in ’71, my soph yr in college, to study for a term (Brit lit.), I did spend probably a week at least in the British Museum. We stayed in that area (bloomsbery?) I LOVE that place, along with the Tate Gallery….which happened to have a Wm Blake exhinit on…..another LOVE of mine.
I do remember, wayyyy back then and even in my later trips in the early ’80’s, I would’ve DIED for a good cup of coffee….the best one could get was espresso. They were way ahead of us on many things but coffee wasn’t one of them. not back then.
How neat never heard of these origin trips for partners! Would love to know if you have to have seniority to get into one of these. I also liked what you paired the coffee with. And I think it is so neat that the partners were willing to do the tasting without much notice. Yea to Seattle partners.
Hey Mel! Great to see this article and thanks again for the shout out! On the topic of you coming to the uk: OMG YES. We’ll roll out the green carpet for your arrival! We’re up to 10 reserve stores in the UK now too! The one I visited in Glasgow was magical, I hope it’s a sign of what a clover store looks like! 🙂
You are the coffee goddess!
i’ve always wanted to see how fellow partners (yes, even though i’m an ex-barista, i still call myself a partner sometimes!) operate across the pond. thanks for this – i’ll have to follow those partners you mentioned.
an origin trip would be amazing!
has the tanzania ever been for sale here in the united states? it sounds familiar…
I’m always so jealous when I see these posts! lol
WOW for as much as I thought I knew about Starbucks (and loved) I h ad no idea they were doing these trips, thats really awesome. And what a chance for partners to really see where it comes from.
And I love reading about all your different Starbucks stores so a UK visit would be cool to read about!
I wonder if it would work well iced? I bet it would!
That sounds like a great pairing! I still have a love for the African coffees, even after Tribute! The only one I wasn’t super crazy about was the (Red) for some reason, I don’t know why though exactly. Love the siren sign in the pics too 🙂
i love some of these photos, which reminds me, i have another to send once i get my phone back on track again…
It’s fantastic that you are able to bring coffee raosts for tastings that may not otherwise be available here locally. It’s kinda like being a coffe ambassador I suppose. 🙂 I feel like sampling and pairing coffees now lol. Its cool to get word from starbucks peeps that are in the sme place of origin as the beans you just received…I can’t wait I must now go find some coffee!
Hey Mel, I’m so glad to read this about the apparently exclusive-to-the-UK Tanzania Blend! I just so happen to be planning a trip including a stop in London late this fall, so hopefully I’ll be able to find a bit of it! There really isn’t much in the way of Starbucks coffee blends that I haven’t tried yet, but this is one. And from your description of it, it sounds like just the kind of drip coffee (especially as relates to flavoring) that I enjoy and prefer. So thanks for the article! I’ll be sure to let you know if and when I get my hands on any of the Tanzanian Blend, myself!
I really want to try Tanzania Blend as African coffees are my very very favorite because of their juicy citrusy flavors. Now to go track down a UK connect and get some!
Are some coffees only offered in the UK or other countries purely based on demand and the feeling that here in the USA they would not sell?
@Purple1 – Great question. I’ve heard it said from several people that in the UK and Europe all of the African origin coffees do incredibly well. Some how, the European palate is more accustomed to drinking an African coffee and its unique flavors. In the US, we’re huge drinkers of Latin American coffees, but I have heard stories of Americans trying African coffees and thinking it ‘tastes funny’ and I’ve even seen this at tastings! The American palate loves Latin American coffees – Pike Place Roast. Consequently, these kind of African offerings sell better in the UK and Europe, and since they’re hard to source and smaller batches the a Mexico or Brazil coffee, it is easier for Starbucks to sell them abroad, because there probably are not enough of these Tanzania beans for 12k American stores. I would love to see it pop up as a Reserve offering though.
Melody, now that you are the Master of the Coffee Blog World it appears from some of the comments above (including your own) that you need to become an International Coffee Tour Planner. 😉 Seriously.
I agree Melody that you would bring another interesting review of the international scene that would add to those people that already live in Europe and Asia and it would be so nice to read about your adventures. Your comments in response to my question bring even more questions as to why we here in the USA don’t vary our tastes as to coffee selections.
That whole Origin Experience sounds really neat! My SM just ordered my coffee master journey book, so I’m pretty excited to start learning all this stuff myself.
I have some Tanzania as well that I got in a trade (for 3 Region). I’m looking forward to trying it – although now I’m tempted to find something Cranberry Orange to try it with!
Ever since I went to Seattle, I love recognizing store’s I’ve visited! I bet Tanzania is delicious. I think I remember having this one time, but I don’t know if I really did. Cool tweets from Starbucks partners!!!
I love the African coffees and wish that we carried more in our stores. Now that RED is gone we’re down to only Kenya! When Howard was in Toronto someone asked him about this, and he said that he really hoped we’d be able to get more back into the line up. I think he said it was political issues that were holding things up.
The tasting sounds like it must’ve been delicious.
This is really one of my favorite coffees. I did not know it was seasonal in the US, simply because so many other places sell it on a regular basis.
Origin trips are fantastic… I went on a similar trip while traveling Bali… Speaking of which, I need to get back there and grab some coffee!
The coffee tasting and pairing does sound amazing! My favorite part of traveling is being able to see what other delicious coffees are out there waiting to be tasted and adored! I must confess a bit of jealousy that I don’t work at Store #101!!!
Oooh sounds yummy, now just another reason to go to London. as if I need a reason
love london and UK in general, such an anglophile. would love to try this
coffee.
Hi Sherry! I love a good pairing too. And I’m often jealous of the international market coffees.
Store 101 is NOT the historic Pike Place Store. The store at 1912 Pike Place (note, in Seattle it is NEVER “Pike’s”) is store number 301.
There’s a blog post on the unique history of 101 –
http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2010/01/08/featured-starbucks-columbia-center-store-101/
That store has the number 101 because basically it was Howard’s first store that HE opened as a cafe as part of the Il Giornale concept that later merged into Starbucks. That really old 1984 to 1992 history is in Pour Your Heart into It.
Thanks for dropping by the blog!
~Melody
First of all, I think this coffee was a summer promotional coffee, since I can find it on almost all international Starbucks website. (Well, Japan got THREE promotional summer coffees!) LOL. I tried it twice, first with a Summer Stack (a cake full of fruits & berries in it), then I tried it with Lemon Cheesecake. The first one tasted quite sour (too many berries in the cake I guess) but the second one tasted perfectly!
The trip is great to know how the origin of the coffee and its processing, but I’ve only seen trips to Tanzania so far. Maybe Starbucks UK had gone to other regions as well? Anyway, Tanzania is a great coffee!… =)
The Origin Trip sounds fascinating! I’m jumping to the tumbler blog after this…being in Tanzania must be an amazing experience. We only had the Tanzania coffee for a couple of months here, in a slightly different package, and although it wasn’t my absolute favorite, I liked it 🙂
would just like to make mention that the Susan G Komen org first started a ‘Race for the Cure’ here (in Tanzania) in 2008 …(breast cancer) and has been growing in participants every yr since! (I’m a big Komen Race for the Cure fan and supporter).
@Kaori – I am flat out jealous that your market got Tanzania. But African coffees are not for all!
I am one of the very lucky partners who was privileged enough to go on one of last years Origin Experience trips! There were 3 last year, one to each growing region. The first group went to Costa Rica, the second group (MY GROUP) went to Sumatra and the third trip was to Tanzania. I have been a Starbucks partner for 12 years and this was, without a doubt, my most special and cherished moment with the company! As for the partners chosen to go on the trips, we were chosen for many different reasons, but mainly our passion and ability to share the knowledge and passion we have for coffee with our fellow partners and customers. There was a very broad range of partners who attended too, from baristas to the president of Starbucks international and everyone in between! We were able to take part in planting, picking and processing. We visited local communities where Starbucks has given back to communities with schools and clinics… It was an AMAZING experience and one I wish that every partner could experience!
Hi Steph T! What an amazing trip! How did you get picked to go to Sumatra? (Meaning did you interview? Submit an essay? Had to be recommended by your DM?) I know that one year recently at the Shareholder’s meeting, Cliff talked about going on an Origin Experience trip with a small group of partners (one being a SM from Oregon??) and you could hear the passion in his voice as he talked about. From my perspective, it appears that an Origin Experience trip is for every one from store level to execs, and everyone comes back saying what an amazing experience it was! Thank you for stopping by. If you haven’t already, please “like” the blog’s facebook page. (And congrats on being picked and 12 years with Starbucks!)
I actually think it would be neat if there were some way for customers to join these trips. Certainly, Melody I would nominate you to join them. I truly can see the advantage of a customer going on these trips and I could see perhaps SB providing some travel assistance to make it happen. Perhaps conducting a contest or promotion to allow a customer to join the trip?
@Purple1 – I don’t know. If I were offered a chance to go to Tanzania with Starbucks, I might turn it down. I would feel bad. Space is SO precious for this kind of trip, and one customer means one less partner, which seems like a big deal to me. However, and in all seriousness, should Starbucks want to send me to the UK to write about Starbucks there, you can count me in. Hopefully with a first class ticket too. 😉
Melody I totally understand your response and agree to some extent. I do believe, however, that perhaps through a promotion of some sort and to get customers more attached to the brand that SB could offer a one time trip for one customer. I do understand the purpose of the trip though and can understand what a partner would learn from being a part of it and hopefully when they come back they would share their knowledge with customers. I don’t see too many partners these days sharing their passion with customers and it is sort of sad.
@Purple1 – We’re sort of wildly off topic now, but I wanted to respond to you one more time. First off, I want to make sure that you know that I am NOT being dismissive about your idea to send customers on trips. One thing that I never realized before blogging, that I now do know, is that large companies are very very very interested in what bloggers & energized customers say about them. They are interested to the level that they are trying to gently encourage good things from them. They see it as graet word of mouth, or brand advocate advertising. Of course, the number of customers who fit the brand advocate model is small. I really really do not want to sound dismissive of your thoughts of trips by companies for customers:
Microsoft has a formal MVP program. I have no clue how you get to be one of Microsofts best 4000 or so customers but I have heard it said that they have like a $10 million dollar budget for those MVPs. I heard from someone that they have done things like trips for small numbers of those customers to Microsoft-related events. Apparently there was a trip to Dallas within the past year? (Dallas would not be a tourist destination in my book – How about NYC? Boston? or London?)
This morning, I was walking to work with my next door neighbor (coincidentally, she is also an attorney, and also walks down Pike into work every morning – We head down the hill often) and she was telling me this story about how Anthropolgie did a big event where they sent important fashion bloggers to a special store opening in Philadelphia. I didn’t realize that clothing stores do that kind of thing too! I tried to google and figure out what she was talking about and I found one fashion wedding blog who talks about going on a trip to Philadelphia (I didn’t realize that Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie have the same parent company??) – http://greenweddingshoes.com/my-trip-to-see-the-bhldn-wedding-brand-part-1/
And about one year ago, Seattle’s Best (owned by Starbucks!) did a contest for bloggers where the prize was a trip to Seattle:
http://mommymandy.com/seattle%E2%80%99s-best-coffee-%E2%80%93-coffee-camp/
So these exotic trips for bloggers are, amazingly, becoming part of the industry standard!
Alrighty, sorry for the hugely off topic conversation.
Quick response – Thank you .
That’s Awesome! I went on a trip to Guatemala last weekend. The second store in Guatemala City (and the entire country for that matter) opened last Friday had Tanzania coffee! I picked up two bags and can’t wait to try it… My DC store has a Clover. I also picked up 4 pounds of Guatemala Finca El Faro – A Single Farm Coffee only sold at the Guatemala stores. I haven’t tried it yet either. Has anyone else tried it?
Tanzania Coffee awesome, the taste, the quality is very good. Good job Tanzanian for such a great job!
@David – Welcome! All I can say is that I hope that Starbucks launches a Tanzania coffee as a Reserve offering here in the US. 🙂
I will be returning to Guatemala this coming week. I purchased Tanzania there (250g / 8.8OZ) , I think it has been discontinued (per the Starbucks UK product site). If someone wants to work out a trade for a markout or other, I am open to picking up more if they have it still.
@ Melody… I would love to see a Tanzania bean as a Reserve choice.