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The holiday season is almost here, and Starbucks is bringing back one of its most delightful traditions: the Starbucks® Christmas Blend! This festive coffee has been a favorite among coffee lovers worldwide since 1984. It’s a perfect blend of Latin American and Indonesian beans, with a special twist of rare, spicy Sumatran beans that have been aged for three to five years. The result is a full-bodied, rich, and spicy cup of coffee that’ll warm your soul.

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For those who prefer a lighter roast, Starbucks also offers a Blonde Roast version of the Christmas Blend. This lighter version combines beans from Indonesia for herbal, maple-like sweetness and adds washed and sun-dried coffees from East Africa for a burst of spiced citrus and fig. The coffee is lightly roasted to bring out woodsy aromas and a smooth flavor with just the right amount of seasonal spice.&nbsp;

This year’s holiday lineup also includes the Christmas Blend Espresso Roast, inspired by the original flavor notes of our Espresso Blend that is at the heart of every espresso beverage. This&nbsp;blend features Sumatran coffee,&nbsp;aged to perfection, with sun-dried East African beans and coffee from Costa Rica. Rich and bold, each sip features flavors of mulling spices, smoked vanilla, and sugar plum sweetness.&nbsp;

In addition to the whole bean coffee, customers can enjoy Starbucks® Christmas Joyful Medley Flavored Tea Blend,&nbsp;Starbucks Origami® Christmas Blend, Starbucks VIA® Christmas Blend, and Starbucks VIA® Peppermint Mocha Latte.

As Starbucks celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Christmas Blend, grab a cup of coffee and let the holiday magic begin!

<a href="https://about.starbucks.com/stories/2024/the-origin-story-of-starbucks-christmas-blend/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more about the origin story of Starbucks® Christmas Blend.</a>

Experience the holiday magic with Starbucks' 40th-anniversary Christmas Blend, a rich coffee made from Latin American and Indonesian beans.

Celebrating 40 Years of Starbucks Christmas Blend: A Holiday Tradition : Starbucks Stories Asia

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Starbucks Stories Asia

Celebrating 40 Years of Starbucks Christmas Blend: A Holiday Tradition

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https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2024/celebrating-40-years-of-starbucks-christmas-blend-a-holiday-tradition/

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Understanding the captivating story of coffee, from the humble coffee bean to the rich aroma of a perfectly brewed cup, was a reality for 100 partners from Asia Pacific and Japan who had the opportunity to participate in the Sumatra Origin Experience, spread across two waves.

Since the inception of the Origin Experience program in 2010, more than 4,000 partners from across the world have embarked on the transformative bean-to-cup coffee journey. Destinations like <a href="https://coffeeexperiences.starbucks.com/">Costa Rica</a>, Indonesia, and <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/people-in-coffee/2023/photo-essay-partners-visit-rwanda-for-the-2023-origin-experience/">Rwanda </a>have been explored by these partners, who have had the privilege of delving into the remarkable journey of Starbucks coffee. This season, 100 partners from Asia Pacific and Japan immersed themselves in the Sumatra Origin Experience.

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During the Origin Experience, partners actively engage in the coffee production process. They visit smallholder coffee farms, meet the families who tend and grow the coffee trees, and spend time in the fields, harvesting ripe coffee cherries and planting trees. Ita Daud, the general manager of the Sumatra Farmer Support Centre, highlighted how this hands-on work connects partners to the reality of coffee production. "Our partners realize that we need to harvest coffee cherry by cherry," she explained. "One shot of espresso is 20 hand-picked cherries, to hold that in your hand and understand that every cup started like that is very humbling."

Another significant moment during the Origin Experience is the planting of a tree. Each partner has the opportunity to plant a tree and leave a message for future generations. This tree planting allows partners to directly contribute to a more sustainable future for coffee. By planting these trees, partners gain a deeper appreciation for the dedicated work of the Sumatran coffee farmers who tend to the coffee trees day-in and day-out. As Liana, a store manager from the New Zealand market shared, "Planting that tree was a deeply meaningful experience. It's a tangible way for Starbucks to invest in the future of coffee and for us as partners to better understand the realities faced by the coffee farming communities we work with."

Continuing the journey into the heart of Berastagi, partners were welcomed by the local community and had the opportunity to hear from women and girls who are participants in a Mercy Corps project supported by The Starbucks Foundation. ST, a senior manager from the Malaysia Market Support Centre, shared, "Understanding the challenges that face our coffee farming communities and seeing the impact Starbucks has, is incredibly powerful. I met women and girls whose lives have been improved through our partnership with local organizations. Simple things like access to clean water and educational opportunities are making such a difference."

The final day of the trip see partner visit the<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-farmer-support-centers/"> Starbucks Farmer Support Center</a> to witness firsthand the efforts made by Starbucks to create a sustainable future for coffee. Captain, a store manager from Starbucks Korea, found the Origin Experience to be an opportunity to deepen his understanding of Starbucks' commitment. "It's amazing to see the investment and care that Starbucks puts into every aspect of the coffee journey, from growing and giving away new coffee tree varietals to working one-on-one with farmers in the field. This trip has deepened my appreciation for the work Starbucks does to ensure a sustainable future for coffee."

The Sumatra Origin Experience continues to be a transformative journey for Starbucks partners from Asia Pacific and around the world. Through this immersive experience, partners gain a deeper understanding of the coffee supply chain and the dedication required to produce high-quality coffee sustainably. By connecting with the farmers, experiencing the land, and understanding the challenges faced by the coffee industry and Starbucks commitment to the future of coffee, partners return home with a renewed sense of purpose and a promise to sharing their knowledge and passion with customers.

Coffee and Connections at the Starbucks Origin Experience 2024 in Sumatra : Starbucks Stories Asia

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Coffee and Connections at the Starbucks Origin Experience 2024 in Sumatra

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<strong>From Bean to Cup: Celebrating International Women’s Day with 5 Women Shaping the Coffee World in Asia Pacific</strong>. Today, we meet Ita from Starbucks Farmer Support Center Indonesia.

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International Women’s Day is dedicated to celebrating women’s amazing achievements across the globe – and there are certainly plenty to celebrate in the coffee industry!

From coffee farmers to Starbucks partners (employees), both in-store and behind-the-scenes, we are bringing you the stories of five inspirational women in Asia Pacific who are making an impact in the coffee world. Join us as we share the stories behind their coffee experiences – and discover the vital parts they play in crafting your perfect coffee, from bean to cup.

“Success for me is being able to overcome challenges, go beyond our limits, be continuously motivated to develop and gain knowledge, and be beneficial to other people,” says Ita, Country Manager at Starbucks Farmer Support Center Indonesia in North Sumatra.

Having worked in the coffee industry for over 30 years, achieving these successes is what drives Ita’s passion in her role at Starbucks – where her tasks include sharing knowledge in crop and farm management with the local coffee farming community; identifying coffee growers who meet Starbucks’ standards for quality and sustainable production; and conducting training on ethical practices and quality standards with farmers, millers, exporters and internal partners.

In 2023 alone, that resulted in over 11,000 farmers receiving training on Best Agricultural Practices and Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices. “Most importantly, success is when we have contributed to the quality of a farmer’s livelihood and their ability to earn a decent income from their coffee farm,” Ita says.

Aside from working directly with farmers, Ita’s team also provides support for Starbucks store partners to enhance their understanding of the coffee story and deliver positive social impact projects for coffee farming communities. Overall, her goal is to ensure that “we give more than we take from the environment” and through the collaboration of everyone in the supply chain, “continue to ensure the future of coffee for all”.

“Starbucks innovations are made possible through the limitless possibilities of human connection,” Ita says. “Be it farmer communities or the Starbucks family, I’m grateful to have the chance to excel in all aspects – and being a woman in the coffee industry is something I’m deeply proud of.”

Ita, Starbucks Farmer Support Center Indonesia : Starbucks Stories Asia

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Ita, Starbucks Farmer Support Center Indonesia

From Bean to Cup: Celebrating International Women’s Day with 5 Women Shaping the Coffee World in Asia Pacific. Today, we meet Ita from Starbucks Farmer Support Center Indonesia. International Women’s Day is dedicated to celebrating women’s amazing achievements across the globe – and there are certainly plenty to celebrate in the coffee industry! From coffee […]

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https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2024/ita-daud-starbucks-farmer-support-centre-indonesia/