Starbucks to open this year
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- K440 Old Cunts Club
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Hey, whats the difference between Starbucks and a brothel?
You never ask for a large black in the knocking shop.
You never ask for a large black in the knocking shop.
My posts are just jokes, maybe they're rude, offensive, and politically incorrect. They're not my opinion, viewpoint, idea, or judgement, but they're just fucking jokes so lighten up.
Well, I wasn't referring to them anyway in the current context... although they were indeed underdogs when they first started. They were up against Café Fresco (among first to be established and for some time the only option for a café style establishment and now defunct?) and Gloria Jean's Coffee (which had the backing of the Australian parent company and experience). The "Café culture" was just emerging and their first branch near Pencil was unassuming.scobienz wrote:And that's your choice. No problem with that. My point is that many people who complain about incomers are depriving those who have never been to BurgerKing or Dominos or Starbucks or whatever are unilaterally saying the local population shouldn't be offered that choice also.Joon wrote:Personally, I like the underdogs, when they have heart and are providing top notch products, services and/or experience.scobienz wrote:I never understand why expats complain bitterly when a new international chain opens here. People are free to not go to it and there is an irrational arrogance in expats unilaterally taking a view that Cambodians shouldn't have access to products and services that we have in the west. Who made us the arbiters of what is good for Cambodians?
Plus, I'd hardly call the Brown brothers 'underdogs' in a Cambodian context.
My personal issue with "big international brands" coming to Cambodia is that there's a risk of a race to the bottom (cheap offers, low quality, poor customer service, complacency, etc.), which could lead smaller establishments to close purely because of their pricing. Very much similar to a crap publication, financially backed by an investment group, that can afford dumping rates and make advertisers demand the same of other publications that actually need advertising revenues to fund skilled staff and a quality product.
Also, note that I'm emphasizing the operative word "RISK." I do enjoy patronizing international chains when they provide good (enough) food and excellent customer services and experience. In my opinion, KFC has failed this in Cambodia, while Burger King is still attractive. I went to Domino's once and it wasn't to my taste.
Gotta agree with that. The few times I had hot coffee drinks at Starbucks they were overly sweet.PJC wrote:Starbucks don't make coffee, they make candy in a cup.
- Petrol Head
- Grand Poobah
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Usually the franchise rights to major international brands are given to major international trading houses. Mao Dens example is apt - Jardine Matheson is one of them and its' history stretches back to the days of British India.Joon wrote:Aren't they giving the license to operate to Hong Kong Maxim's group?Petrol Head wrote:How do you know they wont patch over Browns ? That's what i'd do.
Or does that mean something else?Hong Kong Maxim’s Group will be the official licensee for Starbucks in Cambodia.
Look at the auto traders - you've got LSH with Porsche, CFAO with Audi, RMA with Jaguar-Land Rover, Ford.
Maxims have the rights to the market and would have made a pretty amazing business case and presentation to see off the other major trading companies; probably half a dozen multinationals would have submitted serious proposals.
Maxims would probably have been concerned about Browns because id say Browns is outperforming Costa, which is the second largest coffee chain in the world I believe.
This situation is quite remarkable and probably one of the few markets on earth where a local upstart could bloody such a major multinational coffee chain.
The other concerning thing, is there appears to be no rational logic why this is so. Unprecedented patriotism among Khmers perhaps ? Not sure. Certainly wherever Costa and Starbucks go elsewhere in Asia, they tend to monopolize the middle class coffee drinker set pretty rapidly.
Talking to the development director of Starbucks corporate in Saigon a few years ago, he suggested a minimum of 8 outlets would be required to open over a fairly limited timeframe, including in Siem Reap and possibly Battambang.
If you patch over Browns, and add the Starbucks CI you would almost have a turn key operation. Especially useful because securing prime real estate in and trained staff in Cambodia is a bitch. Of course, you would also eliminate a major competitor overnight, freeing you up to squarely target Costa and Gloria Jeans etc which are much better understood franchises behaviorally.
If you were even more clever, you'd buy out Brown, immediately begin CI renovations of two outlets to keep Starbucks corporate happy and then incrementally shut down the other Brown outlets over 3 years or so to keep the cash flow ticking over.
A flock of birds with one stone.
Haha - my money’s on Playboy
One of the beauties of coming to Cambodia for me was the fact that there weren't any major chains at all, and the same when I went to live in Vietnam, it was refreshing and great.scobienz wrote:I never understand why expats complain bitterly when a new international chain opens here. People are free to not go to it and there is an irrational arrogance in expats unilaterally taking a view that Cambodians shouldn't have access to products and services that we have in the west. Who made us the arbiters of what is good for Cambodians?
Of course I am talking about my own personal preferences which is probably pretty selfish, the Cambodians and the Viets have every right to do business with whom they please.
But it's not just in Cambodia the onset of global chains has changed things and I also hate to see happening, it's all over the world. My hometown in England has changed so much since bigger companies came along and took over every thing. The corner shop is no longer there for example, the town centre has become far, far quieter with people all going to big supermarkets out of town or shopping complexes all stocked with brand name stores resulting in countless stores closing down in the city centre.
I think a lot of people feel despair because as westerners we know what will happen next (already is) and that is that more and more global companies will come and take over every single business in town, just look at the LOS brought to you almost in its entirely by the 7-11 corporation and Tesco. A lot of the unique charm of a place, wherever it is, disappears when this happens.
So I think the people who bemoan the arrival of Starbucks in Cambodia are probably the same people who bemoan the spread of globilisation everywhere, not just specifically in the Kingdom of Wonderment.
Me personally, I detest Starbucks. It's the kind of place where stuck up ponces and wannabes gather to jack off in unison with their ifuckingwhateverpodtabphone whilst drinking shitty arse overpriced sugar laden minging coffee based ice cream floaty shakes and thinking they have reached the pinnacle of existence, it's the kind of place where if you bring cash you looked down upon like some unconnected dirtbag who has just about managed to scrape together some paper money to buy a cup of slimy mud and try to look cool with the iTool crowd knowing full well that every cup of coffee is costing him way more than a decent hard working pint. Well, I've got news for you Starbucks, you can keep your coffee, you can keep your frappe latte latte diets or WeverTF it is you sell nowadays, I'm going the pub, or if not, if it too early, I'll have a mug of tea.
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- I need professional help
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I've had coffee and stuff from at least 100 Starbucks in North America and Asia and I don't get the "sweet" reference. The Frappacinos are, but nothing hot has sugar added. They're above average is all. Their main appeal to me was to be able to get half decent Joe when in East Bumfuck Nebraska or say Bangkok. I like Brown, but I crave having a big cup of coffee rather than an Americano.
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- MerkinMaker
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Let me stop you there, just a couple of things....Mr Starbucks wrote:“Cambodia is a vibrant country with a rich cultural heritage, and we are proud to bring the unparalleled Starbucks Experience to this market,”
- ali baba
- "Suit up!"
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Driving along St51 in BKK1 you pass a series of fast food and coffee chains, which makes it feel like any high street in Europe and N America, which I think is lamentable. I'm not a fan of the proliferation of local chains either and get burnt out after seeing browns, the pumpkin or the pizza co. on every other street corner.scobienz wrote:I never understand why expats complain bitterly when a new international chain opens here. People are free to not go to it and there is an irrational arrogance in expats unilaterally taking a view that Cambodians shouldn't have access to products and services that we have in the west. Who made us the arbiters of what is good for Cambodians?
If you're familiar with economic history you might have encountered the term "infant industries" or "import substitution"and heard various thinkers speak of the need to nurture them and restrict foreign competitors. I'd imagine that Starbucks wouldn't exist today if the British had been able to maintain their monopolies on various commodities.
If you're interested I 'd recommend Bad Samaritans by Ha Joon Chang. It is an informative and accessible work on economic history.
C'mere c'meye
- MONEYBACKGUARANTEE
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If that's what you want, that's what you'll get. If you don't want a sugary drink, don't order one.PJC wrote:Starbucks don't make coffee, they make candy in a cup.
There's no risk of a race to the bottom with Starbucks. They provide a premium product - their coffee will probably be the most expensive in the country.Joon wrote:My personal issue with "big international brands" coming to Cambodia is that there's a risk of a race to the bottom (cheap offers, low quality, poor customer service, complacency, etc.), which could lead smaller establishments to close purely because of their pricing. Very much similar to a crap publication, financially backed by an investment group, that can afford dumping rates and make advertisers demand the same of other publications that actually need advertising revenues to fund skilled staff and a quality product.
It's only as sweet as you want it to be.Joon wrote:Gotta agree with that. The few times I had hot coffee drinks at Starbucks they were overly sweet.
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- Bark plop plop bark woof woof
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Because developing economies deserve a tiny bit of breathing space for local entrepreneurs. Cambodians can make coffee just fine, it's not like high tech industry that no one is qualified enough to do here. I'd rather they'd fuck off in the West, too, but the small business owners in the West at least have good sources of credit and a mature market with lots of disposable income.scobienz wrote:I never understand why expats complain bitterly when a new international chain opens here. People are free to not go to it and there is an irrational arrogance in expats unilaterally taking a view that Cambodians shouldn't have access to products and services that we have in the west. Who made us the arbiters of what is good for Cambodians?
Those coffee buyers are now going to take their patronage away from various local outlets who have only one location to give to Starbucks' 50 millionth location. The only real money that stays in the country is the franchise owner (probably a foreigner, anyway) and the landlord. Starbucks will even redirect any taxes out of the country via Singapore and Luxembourg so even fewer Khmers benefit.
- MONEYBACKGUARANTEE
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Can they? I forget, how many tonnes of toxic fake coffee were seized in Phnom Penh at the beginning of the year? Something like 30 tonnes?penisjokeforaname wrote:Cambodians can make coffee just fine
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All this nonsense about overly sugary, expensive drinks ect is just silly. I'm a big coffee drinker and don't care about the shit frappawhatever drinks anyhow. A regular cup of dark roast coffee costs a $1.87 or so anywhere in North America and Asia. And whilst not being the best coffee on earth, it is almost always consistent, never expensive and usually above average anywhere you go (for regular coffee). I generally dislike major corporations ect and do understand peoples sentiments on them popping up in Cambodia but sometimes a consistent but decent cup of coffee will help me overlook that . Its not like its going to take a huge hit out of the local roadside coffee joints anyhow. Additionally with all the recent news of fake, chemical coffee concoctions around Cambodia I don't think it hurts to have Starbucks as an option. I know its been a badge of honor for some countries to 'not' have McDonald's, Starbucks, which I personally prefer.... but times are a changing. Now that I know where to go for good coffee in PP after a long time of trial and error I probably wouldn't go out of my way for Starbucks... but there is a whole lot of absolute shit coffee in Cambodia mixed in with some fantastic coffee.
The US may be my least favorite place to have a dark roast at Starbucks. They usually don't have proper cream, only half and half ect. Some places in Canada have gotten rid of the 18% cream such as in the US though.
I may, or may not have done a Dutch Rudder there before...does that count? I don't own an Iphone though.Jock Jock wrote:
Me personally, I detest Starbucks. It's the kind of place where stuck up ponces and wannabes gather to jack off in unison with their ifuckingwhateverpodtabphone whilst drinking shitty arse overpriced sugar laden minging coffee based ice cream floaty shakes and thinking they have reached the pinnacle of existence, it's the kind of place where if you bring cash you looked down upon like some unconnected dirtbag who has just about managed to scrape together some paper money to buy a cup of slimy mud and try to look cool with the iTool crowd knowing full well that every cup of coffee is costing him way more than a decent hard working pint. Well, I've got news for you Starbucks, you can keep your coffee, you can keep your frappe latte latte diets or WeverTF it is you sell nowadays, I'm going the pub, or if not, if it too early, I'll have a mug of tea.
The US may be my least favorite place to have a dark roast at Starbucks. They usually don't have proper cream, only half and half ect. Some places in Canada have gotten rid of the 18% cream such as in the US though.
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- MerkinMaker
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Haven't Costa already proved that Cambodians don't like drinking their coffee out of a bucket?
The stealth guerrilla t-shirt campaign of yore by "Brad" the brilliant marketer has (finally) produced results. All them t-shirts & now da 'bodge" is "Brand-Primed":
https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbuc ... r-cambodia
Great timing! Right when there's a glaring dearth of cafes in the center of the city! What wonderful news!!
https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbuc ... r-cambodia
Great timing! Right when there's a glaring dearth of cafes in the center of the city! What wonderful news!!
I love fish and chips with vinegar in newspaper!!!
- Jacked Camry
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Oh my gawd, you're right.Dagenham wrote:The stealth guerrilla t-shirt campaign of yore by "Brad" the brilliant marketer has (finally) produced results. All them t-shirts & now da 'bodge" is "Brand-Primed":
https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbuc ... r-cambodia
Great timing! Right when there's a glaring dearth of cafes in the center of the city! What wonderful news!!
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