In China, Starbucks Market Is Piping Hot

Copyright © 2009 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

OK. So, China's economy is cooling, but it's still one of the fastest growing markets for Starbucks. Our last word in business today is all the coffee in China. The big Chinese New Year's holiday is this Monday. So, Starbucks is trying to tap in to patriotic palates by rolling out a new blend that includes beans grown in China. The company says it's been working with growers in southwestern China, an area that's known for coffee production. It's not to save money, Starbucks says. It wants local beans on the menu, of course, in hopes of bringing in more customers. A spokeswoman describes the new blend as having gentle acidity, a soft herbal flavor and a cocoa taste. That's the business news on Morning Edition from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

Copyright © 2009 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.