Comments on: Clover – Starbucks’ Secret Weapon http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/ Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:56:36 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: BeClover http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/comment-page-1/#comment-69 BeClover Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:09:59 +0000 http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/#comment-69 I am trying to compile a comprehensive list of locations that have Clover machine in place and collect as many recipes as possible. All the data is for public use, just to keep the Clover community going. I started with locations and have quite a few now. Would be great if someone could share recipes as well at http://www.beclover.com I am trying to compile a comprehensive list of locations that have Clover machine in place and collect as many recipes as possible. All the data is for public use, just to keep the Clover community going. I started with locations and have quite a few now. Would be great if someone could share recipes as well at http://www.beclover.com

]]> By: Eric Perkunder http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Eric Perkunder Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:00:37 +0000 http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/#comment-28 Hi Neil - I am not suggesting that Clover is or was a "shell" company. My sources tell me that Starbucks was merely the buyer of the company and its technology. What must come to light eventually is who the investors are behind Clover --- there was over $1 million spent to develop this machine, and some are saying that over $20 million was spent to acquire Clover --- and what their relationship is to Starbucks. It is here that I am picking up a lot of chatter suggesting some surprising connections. Of course the truth will only be known once the facts are officially revealed--including the "investor" group and the sales price. What's great is that publicly traded companies like Starbucks must eventually share this information with its shareholders--essentially making it a matter of public record. EP Hi Neil –
I am not suggesting that Clover is or was a “shell” company. My sources tell me that Starbucks was merely the buyer of the company and its technology. What must come to light eventually is who the investors are behind Clover — there was over $1 million spent to develop this machine, and some are saying that over $20 million was spent to acquire Clover — and what their relationship is to Starbucks. It is here that I am picking up a lot of chatter suggesting some surprising connections. Of course the truth will only be known once the facts are officially revealed–including the “investor” group and the sales price. What’s great is that publicly traded companies like Starbucks must eventually share this information with its shareholders–essentially making it a matter of public record.
EP

]]> By: Neil http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Neil Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:27:27 +0000 http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/#comment-27 So if Clover was basically invented for Starbucks, but without Starbucks having to foot any losses, in essence a shell company, I have to ask why? If Clover was backed by SB's money, why let the machine get out to other coffee houses and then yank it back just as it was starting to grow? So if Clover was basically invented for Starbucks, but without Starbucks having to foot any losses, in essence a shell company, I have to ask why? If Clover was backed by SB’s money, why let the machine get out to other coffee houses and then yank it back just as it was starting to grow?

]]> By: Eric Perkunder http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/comment-page-1/#comment-26 Eric Perkunder Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:16:45 +0000 http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/#comment-26 Neil - Thanks for your comments. There are two companies in the world. One of the these is Bremer. This is a German company that was bought out by Franke a few years ago. If you want to see their brewers in action, go to Ikea in Canada. The other company is WMF. Again, this is a German company out of Stuttgart. WMF not only makes several machines that brew, ala Clover, but Clover "borrowed" much of its technology from these WMF devices. The use of a microscreen to brew without a filter paper, the use of pressure (in the case of Clover through suction) to enhance brewing speed, the ability to program different coffee parameters to taste. It is almost as if Clover was designed by a patent attorney to avoid infringement on WMF's previous work to which the company went to great pains to file US and international patents. What WMF offers in addition is automatic clean-up and the ability to dose coffee to the chamber automatically. In light of the "investment group" behind Clover, it is not a surprise that Starbucks would not want to risk taking on this liability. As many people in the industry have already keyed into, the Clover + Starbucks connection was not coincidental---which will become clear when the Clover investors are revealed (which Starbucks has not done to this point, but will be obligated to by the end of this fiscal year). Eric Neil – Thanks for your comments. There are two companies in the world. One of the these is Bremer. This is a German company that was bought out by Franke a few years ago. If you want to see their brewers in action, go to Ikea in Canada.
The other company is WMF. Again, this is a German company out of Stuttgart. WMF not only makes several machines that brew, ala Clover, but Clover “borrowed” much of its technology from these WMF devices. The use of a microscreen to brew without a filter paper, the use of pressure (in the case of Clover through suction) to enhance brewing speed, the ability to program different coffee parameters to taste. It is almost as if Clover was designed by a patent attorney to avoid infringement on WMF’s previous work to which the company went to great pains to file US and international patents.
What WMF offers in addition is automatic clean-up and the ability to dose coffee to the chamber automatically.
In light of the “investment group” behind Clover, it is not a surprise that Starbucks would not want to risk taking on this liability. As many people in the industry have already keyed into, the Clover + Starbucks connection was not coincidental—which will become clear when the Clover investors are revealed (which Starbucks has not done to this point, but will be obligated to by the end of this fiscal year).
Eric

]]> By: Neil http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Neil Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:09:43 +0000 http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/#comment-25 "Second, there are really only two other companies in the world today that can even approach Clover’s technology for single-cup brewing, but they would have considerable development work before they could present a ready-for-prime-time offering on par with Clover." Who are these two other companies? I keep seeing this statement around but nobody will back it up! Plus, Clover is not built to meet Starbucks' needs right now. If you roast poorly, then Clover will only accent this. Instead leave it in the hands of coffee house's which make great coffee and don't embarrass yourself Starbucks. (Closing 600 stores and slowing down growth is probably telling you something?) “Second, there are really only two other companies in the world today that can even approach Clover’s technology for single-cup brewing, but they would have considerable development work before they could present a ready-for-prime-time offering on par with Clover.”

Who are these two other companies? I keep seeing this statement around but nobody will back it up!

Plus, Clover is not built to meet Starbucks’ needs right now. If you roast poorly, then Clover will only accent this. Instead leave it in the hands of coffee house’s which make great coffee and don’t embarrass yourself Starbucks. (Closing 600 stores and slowing down growth is probably telling you something?)

]]> By: » Clover - Starbucks’ Secret Weapon http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/comment-page-1/#comment-8 » Clover - Starbucks’ Secret Weapon Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:37:09 +0000 http://www.slayerespresso.com/2008/03/20/clover-starbucks-secret-weapon/#comment-8 [...] Yowazzup? Coffee: Coffee Loverâ??s Journey to Coffee Haven wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThe announcement at Starbucks’ annual shareholders meeting that the company is taking over the Ballard-based Coffee Equipment Company, popularly known as Clover, is a big deal for our our industry.  From Starbucks perspective it is a brilliant, but logical move.     Refocus  First, the acquisition focuses the attention of the world on the fact that Starbucks is at its […] [...] [...] Yowazzup? Coffee: Coffee Loverâ??s Journey to Coffee Haven wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThe announcement at Starbucks’ annual shareholders meeting that the company is taking over the Ballard-based Coffee Equipment Company, popularly known as Clover, is a big deal for our our industry.  From Starbucks perspective it is a brilliant, but logical move.     Refocus  First, the acquisition focuses the attention of the world on the fact that Starbucks is at its […] [...]

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