Savor Shirkina Sun-Dried Sidamo Exclusively at Starbucks; Taking a Risk, Starbucks Helps Create New Coffee, Potential New Revenue Stream for Farmers

"At Starbucks, we search every day to find new high qualityarabica coffees," says Christopher Jordan, director of green coffeequality for Starbucks Coffee Trading Company. "The shirkinas -- thepartnerships -- that we have with producers is a key to our successand a reason we spend so much time in coffee growing regions. Lastyear we traveled twice to Ethiopia and the development of this coffeewas a focus on each trip. Producing this coffee took a lot oftraining, time and commitment, and we are very excited that farmers ofthe Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union are now being recognizedfor this unique and delicious coffee through our Black ApronExclusives(TM) Program."

"The application of the natural process on this coffee has giventhis coffee a distinctive black cherry flavor, with hints of chocolateand a dark rum finish," says coffee education director Scott McMartin."But more importantly, this has created a potential new revenue streamfor farmers in this region. As early as next season, farmers may beable to use either process on their high quality coffees and havetwice the opportunity to earn higher prices for their crop."

Typically, the highest quality coffees from Sidamo are processedusing the wet, or washed, method. Ripe, red coffee cherries are pickedand quickly taken to a washing station, where a pulping machineseparates the seed -- the coffee bean -- from the fruit. This processproduces a bright, crisp Sidamo with a floral aroma and lemony citrusnotes, a coffee that Starbucks has offered for several years.

"With the natural process, coffee cherries are allowed to dry onraised drying beds in the sun. The coffee beans absorb flavorcharacteristics from the fruit as it dries around them," explainsMcMartin. "We asked ourselves, 'what flavors can we entice from thiscoffee by using the natural method?'"

In the Sidamo region, the natural process is usually reserved forinferior, unripe or low quality coffee cherries at the end of thegrowing season. So when McMartin pitched the idea to a group of coffeefarmers, they were skeptical.

"We were nervous that the natural process would ruin our bestcoffees of the year," says Asnake Bekele, General Manager of SidamaCoffee Farmers Cooperative Union, Ltd. "But Starbucks guaranteedpurchase of the coffee, at premium prices, up front. This was a hugerisk for them, but it illustrated their commitment to ourpartnership."

Through a non-profit associate of Starbucks -- EcoLogic Finance --Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union will benefit from a $400,000loan for its working capital needs. Coffee farmers often face ashortage of cash before harvest, which may force them to sell theircrops early to local buyers for prices lower than what they mightotherwise earn, or may cause them to forsake investments in improvedfarming techniques, structures, and equipment. Access to affordablefinancing helps ensure coffee quality and long-term economicsustainability in Ethiopia and throughout the world.

The loan to Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union is part of a$5 million coffee producer financing arrangement Starbucks hasdeveloped with EcoLogic Finance, a Cambridge, Mass.-based non-profitorganization that offers affordable financial services tocommunity-based businesses operating in environmentally sensitiveareas. The loan to Sidama represents the first time a coffeecooperative in Ethiopia has been able to access affordable credit.

Starbucks awards $15,000 for each Black Apron Exclusives(TM)coffee for a project that will improve the lives of the farmers in thecommunity. These projects have made immediate impacts in education,transportation, coffee-processing facilities and the environment. Theaward for the most recent Black Apron Exclusives coffee, La CandelillaEstate coffee from Costa Rica, is being used to improve farminfrastructure and education, including the establishment of aseedling program of 10,000 plants; repairs to the main road access toLa Candelilla Estate; new computers for several family members; andscholarships.

The Black Apron Exclusives(TM) line of coffee is named forStarbucks most knowledgeable buyers, roasters, tasters and CoffeeMasters, who wear black aprons in the tasting rooms and inStarbucks(R) coffeehouses. This is the final Black ApronExclusives(TM) coffee for the year; the next selection will beavailable January 5, 2006.

Starbucks Shirkina Sun-Dried Sidamo coffee is available startingtoday in Company-operated stores throughout North America (1/2 lbprice: US $13, CAN $16) and at www.starbucksstore.com. It will only beavailable while supplies last.

Starbucks(R) whole bean coffee assortment includes more than 20single-origin offerings and blends from around the world, includingmany worldwide exclusive coffees, such as Bella Vista F.W. TresRios(R) Costa Rica, Brazil Ipanema Bourbon(TM), Colombia NarinoSupremo, and Panama la Florentina. The "Coffee of the Week" programlinks coffee in Starbucks stores to whole bean coffee offerings,providing customers with the opportunity to find new favorites to brewat home. Starbucks Coffee Masters are stationed in stores to answercoffee questions and help customers navigate the world of coffee.

Starbucks Corporation is the leading retailer, roaster and brandof specialty coffee in the world, with more than 9,500 retaillocations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East andthe Pacific Rim. The Company is committed to offering the highestquality coffee and the Starbucks Experience while conducting itsbusiness in ways that produce social, environmental and economicbenefits for communities in which it does business. In addition to itsretail operations, the Company produces and sells bottledFrappuccino(R) coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot(R) coffee drink,and a line of superpremium ice creams through its joint venturepartnerships. The Company's brand portfolio provides a wide variety ofconsumer products. Tazo(R) Tea's line of innovative superpremium teasand Hear Music's(TM) exceptional compact discs enhance the StarbucksExperience through best-of-class products.