Starbucks mania hits Saipan
Riding on the global success of fresh coffee that has evolved in the 1990s, a local company is bringing in the aroma of brew to the Northern Marianas via a bottled chilled coffee that is undoubtedly Starbucks.
Starbucks, an internationally renowned coffee maker, hits Saipan with its premium low-fat coffee drink—the Frappuccino—that has been selling like hot cakes throughout the island.
Pacific Trading Co., Ltd. is making Starbucks’ Frappuccino available to Saipan’s coffee lovers.
Since its introduction to the CNMI a couple of months back, the Frappuccino—a low-fat chilled coffee drink with—immediately cornered about 50 percent of the market share of ready-to-drink coffee at various retail outlets on Saipan.
Pacific Trading General Manager Charles V. Cepeda said the company has started its sole distributorship of Starbucks’ Frappuccino in February 2002, after almost two years of absence in the market.
“We started distributing the Frappuccino about two to three years ago, but an internal problem at that time at the Starbucks’ Seattle office prompted us to stop importing the products. But due to popular demand, we are bringing the product back to Saipan,” said Cepeda.
Pacific Trading noted the immediate success of Starbucks’ Frappuccino capturing the 16-30-year-old segment and a diversified ethnic market.
“This is something different. Starbucks coffee has been an instant success in the U.S. and in other Asian countries. We immediately got the attention of residents who lived in the U.S. or know Starbucks,” Cepeda added.
Cepeda said the company is importing the product from Seattle, Washington through the help of the North American Coffee Partnership.
The 9.5 oz chilled coffee drink is sold in different flavors: Mocha, Lite Mocha, Coffee, Hazelnut, Vanilla, and Caramel. Retail stores throughout Saipan are now carrying Frappuccino, sold at $1.50-$2.
Cepeda said Pacific Trading has started distributing the products to Joeten Supermarket branches, XO Market, Happy Market, 99cents, San Jose Mart and Payless Store.
“People who like to drink coffee will still get the same Starbucks quality coffee beans used in freshly brewed coffee sold in Starbucks coffee shops around the world,” Cepeda stressed.
Starbucks, which started operations in the 1970s, produces and sells bottled Frappuccino coffee drink and a line of premium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships and offers a line of innovative premium teas produced by its wholly owned subsidiary, Tazo Tea Company.
The company’s objective is to establish Starbucks as the most recognized and respected brand in the world. To achieve this goal, the company plans to continue to rapidly expand its retail operations, grow its specialty sales and other operations, and selectively pursue opportunities to leverage the Starbucks brand through the introduction of new products and the development. To date, Starbucks has over 4,700 locations around the world.
