Starbucks Coffee Company Introduces Exclusive Espresso Experience for the Holidays

This holiday season, Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) introduces an exclusive espresso experience, the Starbucks ® Sirena™ Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine and Espresso Regalo™ coffee. In development for more than two years, Sirena™ was born from an innovative collaboration between Starbucks, BMW Group DesignworksUSA and Saeco Italy. With a name that means "gift” in Italian, Espresso Regalo™ is nothing short of a gift for the senses. The discovery of the rare, organic and exclusive beans of the special Regalo blend inspired Starbucks to add a new espresso blend to its collection for the first time in nearly 30 years. Through the pairing of the hand-crafted machinery and the hand-roasted flavor of the beans, design enthusiasts and coffee lovers are able to take the Starbucks Experience home for the holidays. "We’re excited to bring world class espresso home for our customer, in a way that is both simple and beautiful,” said Maria Kaplan, Starbucks Director of Coffee at Home. "The Sirena™ not only lives up to the high standards of Starbucks espresso-making, but it is also a breakthrough blend of both beauty and function. Through our collaboration we were able to work side by side with so many talented designers, coffee experts and innovators to create a machine that helps deliver the 'behind the bar' espresso taste and Starbucks Experience at home.” "We refined this machine to represent the factors that are intrinsic to the vision of each company,” said Laurenz Schaffer, Director of Design, BMW Group DesignworksUSA. "The design process was inspired by the very factors we share – distinct quality and exceptional experience. The collaboration resulted in a final product we’re truly proud of.” The styling and functionality of Sirena™ fulfills the high standards set by Starbucks for its outstanding coffee products and reflects its distinctive brand identity.” Sirena’s Features will Rev-Up Your Engines The Sirena™ machine offers simple elegance by combining thoughtful easy to use functions with exceptional features and benefits to deliver a perfect shot. Perfect for any espresso novice or expert, the Sirena™ adjusts to the preference of the user, by automatically adjusting to the grind to make a foolproof shot. The special Rapid Steam™ feature enables the user to effortlessly pull shots and steam milk quicker than ever before by using two boilers, a feature not offered by any other machine currently on the market for the same retail price. It extends the classic artisan approach with professional-grade parts, including a stainless steel pannarello and steam wand. With 'dashboard' style controls and LED lights sitting on the black and silver body, the Sirena™ makes an unmatched mark in any stylish kitchen while streamlining the espresso experience from freshly ground espresso beans to single-use pods. The Sirena™ will be available in select Starbucks Coffee company-operated stores in North America or online at www.Starbucks.com/Sirena for $599.00 ($699.00 CAN). An Epicurean Adventure for Espresso Lovers Starbucks first new espresso blend in nearly 30 years, Espresso Regalo™ is made from expertly roasted Ethiopia Yirgacheffe® and Costa Rica central valley, 100 percent certified organic arabica beans. It is a delicate coffee featuring an elegant and medium body with nuanced flavors of floral notes, peppery spice and tropical citrus fruit while finishing with soft hints of dark chocolate. It is a wonderful complement to the popular, bolder Latin American and Asia Pacific espresso that is sold in whole bean bags and served in store in all Starbucks® espresso beverages. "We spend countless hours tasting and identifying some of the most special coffees around the world and occasionally we taste something that’s truly unique in flavor and quality,” said Anthony Carroll, manager, Green Coffee Quality at Starbucks, who was involved in the development of Espresso Regalo™. "This blend is one of those momentous creations that offer a flavor unlike any other espresso we’ve ever tasted, and we’re excited to share that with our customers.” Starbucks Espresso Regalo™ is available in 1/2 pound bags and retails for $8.95 in the U.S. ($11.95 CAN). About Starbucks Starbucks Coffee Company provides an uplifting experience that enriches people’s lives one moment, one human being, one extraordinary cup of coffee at a time. To share in the experience, visit www.starbucks.com. About BMW Group DesignworksUSA BMW Group DesignworksUSA is a global design consultancy that translates the brand values of the world’s premium organizations into successful products. Unique to DesignworksUSA, they have both an automotive and industrial design studio, enabling the transfer of collective knowledge and inspiration from automotive design to product design and vice versa. Clients turn to DesignworksUSA for brand communications, strategy, research, design development, engineering, modeling, and color, materials, and finish. DesignworksUSA was founded in 1972 and acquired by the BMW Group in 1995. Verena C. Kloos oversees the strategic vision and daily operations of DesignworksUSA, based in Los Angeles, CA, with studios in Munich and Singapore. www.designworksusa.com.