Best Coffees of the Year Brewing at Starbucks.

Lifestyle Editors/Food Editors

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 2003

Starbucks(R) Special Reserve Coffees Showcase Extraordinary Flavors

from Exotic Places;

$50,000 Awarded Among Selected Coffee Farms

The finest flavors from Sumatra, Kenya and Guatemala are available today, as Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq:SBUX) introduces the winning coffees from its third annual Special Reserve competition.

"More than any other coffee, Starbucks(R) Special Reserve coffees represent who we are and what we do," said Dub Hay, senior vice president of Coffee for Starbucks. "The search for Special Reserve coffees begins with our passion for exceptional coffee, continues with our commitment to preserving sustainable coffee farming practices, and ends with today's presentation of our Special Reserve Estate and Special Reserve Blend coffees -- without a doubt, the finest coffees of 2003."

Coffee tasters at Starbucks Coffee Trading Company in Lausanne, Switzerland tasted hundreds of arabica coffee samples sent from around the world's coffee belt, roasting and evaluating each sample on the four essential characteristics of aroma, body, acidity and flavor. Finally, after months of cupping, Starbucks selected coffee from three growing regions to carry the Special Reserve name: a single coffee made available as an Estate offering, and coffee from two regions combined into an unforgettable blend.

"Each of these selections is a wonderful, unique coffee," continued Hay. "Because certain characteristics of every coffee change slightly from year to year, we will never be able to experience these particular coffees again. But that just makes me eager for the 2004 Starbucks(R) Special Reserve competition."

Starbucks(R) Special Reserve Sumatra Lintong Lake Tawar is available starting this week, while supplies last, at select company-operated stores in North America. The coffee starts with fascinating herbal and spice notes and finishes with subtle, earthy notes. With its smooth, syrupy mouth feel, the coffee's flavor lingers on the tongue, creating one of the most intense cups of Sumatra we have ever experienced. Starbucks Special Reserve Sumatra Lintong Lake Tawar coffee will be sold in one pound FlavorLock(TM) bags for $16.95 ($22.95 CAN).

Starbucks(R) Special Reserve Blend coffee is available starting this week, while supplies last, at Starbucks company-operated coffeehouses throughout North America. The blend is made up of coffees from Guatemala and Kenya. The Guatemalan coffees are specifically from the regions of Antigua and San Marcos, while the Kenyan beans come from Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Ruiru and Thika. While each coffee has its own impressive character, the union of the two creates a sensational brew that is intensely complex, yet balanced by citrus, floral and winy notes. Starbucks Special Reserve Blend coffee will be sold in one pound FlavorLock(TM) bags for $15.95 ($21.95 CAN).

All three coffee-growing regions will benefit from the sale of Starbucks Special Reserve. In addition to paying a fair price for the premium coffees, Starbucks has awarded $50,000 to be split among the three winning regions. Starbucks will work directly with the growers in Sumatra, Kenya and Guatemala to identify areas of need, then fund special projects that focus on improving health conditions and education within those communities.

Improvements completed as a result of past Special Reserve programs include more advanced dental equipment in farm health care facilities; enhancements to coffee processing facilities that help participating cooperatives improve the quality of coffee processed there, reduce environmental impacts, increase yields and boost profitability; and transportation upgrades.

Starbucks Special Reserve coffees are part of the Company's Commitment to Origins(TM) line-up, which highlights ongoing efforts in coffee origin countries. Starbucks(R) whole bean coffee assortment includes more than 20 single-origin offerings and blends from around the world, including many worldwide exclusive coffees: Bella Vista F.W. Tres Rios(TM) Costa Rica, Brazil Ipanema Bourbon(TM), Colombia Narino (Supremo), and Panama La Florentina. Three coffee families help customers select favorites: "Mild," "Smooth," and "Bold."

Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 7,000 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. The Company is committed to offering the highest quality coffee and the Starbucks Experience while conducting its business in ways that produce social, environmental and economic benefits for communities in which it does business. In addition to its retail operations, the Company produces and sells bottled Frappuccino(R) coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot(TM) coffee drink, and a line of superpremium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships. The Company's brand portfolio provides a wide variety of consumer products. Tazo Tea's line of innovative premium teas and Hear Music's exceptional compact discs enhance the Starbucks Experience through best-of-class products. The Seattle's Best Coffee(R) and Torrefazione Italia(R) Coffee brands enable Starbucks to appeal to a broader consumer base by offering an alternative variety of coffee flavor profiles.