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Starbucks Makes Smooth Move

Tribune photo by JAY CONNER

Assistant manager Shanna Wong pours samples of the new smoothie at the Howard Avenue Starbucks.

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By JEROME R. STOCKFISCH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 15, 2008

TAMPA - The smoothie world welcomes a new player today. And it's a big one.

Starbucks, the venerable coffee shop chain that parlayed humble Seattle beginnings into more than 12,000 outlets in 37 countries, fires up its blenders today to introduce the Vivanno "nourishing blend." It's a health-oriented option that a local manager said was created in response to patrons' demand.

"Starbucks started to pay attention to what customers were asking for," said Vickie Curtis, manager of the outlet at 711 S. Howard Ave. "They were asking for something more nutritious. They were asking for an alternative, a pick-me-up, something that might hold them over between lunch and dinner."

Creation of a smoothie might seem contrary to Starbucks' recent retrenchment. The chain announced it is closing 600 underperforming stores and would open fewer than 200 stores in 2009. It is posting the stores affected on its Web site, www.starbucks.com. None in Florida has appeared on the list.

In February, the company shuttered its 7,100 company-owned U.S. stores for three hours and called in 135,000 employees for a refresher course on the basics of making and serving espresso and maintaining the "Starbucks experience."

"We are going back to our roots," Curtis said of the Vivanno debut. "It's listening to your customers and what your customers are asking for."

Selling for $3.75, the smoothie initially will come in two flavors: orange mango banana and banana chocolate. It has no artificial sweeteners, and a 16-ounce serving contains 270 calories or less, 5 grams of fat or less, and 32 grams of sugar or less. Competitors' offerings can have as many as 70 grams of sugar.

The drinks offer at least 16 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and the fruit of a whole banana.

At a tasting session on Monday at the South Howard shop, Palm Harbor nutritionist Sheila Dean, who is advising Starbucks on the beverage, was all praise.

"Usually, if you're interested in a smoothie product, you get one and you get this sugar crash-and-burn," Dean said. "Smoothies have a lot of sugar in them. This product, one of the nice things about it is that rather than pump you with so much sugar, it's got a very healthy quantity of protein and fiber."

Of course, in an organization that boasts of 87,000 ways to order, the beverage can be customized. Starbucks suggests adding Matcha Green Tea powder to the orange mango banana or a shot of espresso to the banana chocolate.

The coffee giant is attempting to expand beyond the morning-jolt crowd and is heavily touting the nutritional angle. A promotion running Tuesdays from July 29 to Aug. 12 offers free Vivannos to those presenting gym membership cards between 2 and 4 p.m.

Reporter Jerome R. Stockfisch can be reached at (813) 259-8402 or jstockfisch@tampatrib.com.

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