"lattes" news and stories

Try though you might, Starbucks is making sure that you just can't escape their brand, regardless of where you go. In a joint venture with PepsiCo, Starbucks plans to expand their hot coffee offerings to the world by the use of vending machines. Apparently they will be located in places where full-sized stores just aren't feasible, such as universities and train stations.

Since the company is already selling chilled bottles of their various Starbucks beverages in gas stations, convenience, and grocery stores, the new vending machines will focus on their hot beverage line-up including roasted coffee, various lattes, and hot cocoa. They plan to test the machines this summer, and will reach broad distribution by wintertime.

So, this means that on any given day consumers can brew their own Starbucks beans at home, pick up a latte at a Starbucks store, crack open a bottled iced Frappucino, or pop some coins into a machine and wait a few moments for their hot drink to brew. Is this too much, or are the Starbucks lovers out there glad you can access your favorite beverages wherever you go?

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There seems to be a lot of changes in the works at McDonald's lately - switching to trans-fat-free oil, introducing Eco-friendly coffee in the U.K., and even the possibility of selling prepackaged convenience beverages to consumers who would otherwise have to make a pit stop elsewhere to pick up their favorite bottled or canned drink.

Now, in an effort to attract visitors throughout the day rather than just at regular meal times, McDonald's is planning the introduction of "destination beverages" such as smoothies, lattes, iced coffee and other specialty drinks. And that's not all -- if you are the sort of person who likes something sweet to go along with your latte, they'll soon be offering a "cinnamon melt" -- described by the company as "a warm, pull-apart sweet roll with cinnamon glaze."

Does this all sound strangely familiar? I can't help but visualize Starbucks when I read the above. What is next? Big comfy chairs and couches in your local McDonald's restaurant? Dimmed lights and jazz music in the background? No word yet on when the specialty drinks will be available, but they do plan to have the cinnamon melt in select stores by the summer.

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