At Starbucks, coffee is at the core of everything we do. From the very beginning, we set out to build a new kind of company, offering our customers the highest-quality arabica coffee. You are beginning an exciting journey, and this course will introduce you to the essentials: where and how coffee grows, the importance of ethical sourcing, geography, roasting and blending. You will also explore what goes into tasting and ways to talk about coffee’s unique flavors. Finally, you will learn to brew the finest coffee and craft exceptional espresso beverages. This knowledge is just a beginning. When a particular corner in the world of coffee captivates you, explore it as fully as you can.
Learners who complete this course will earn a digital certificate of completion.
Michelle Burns is Senior Vice President of Global Coffee and Tea for Starbucks. Michelle is responsible for leading all things coffee and tea–including strategy for growing, sourcing, buying, quality, sustainment, education, Farmer Support Centers, and Starbucks’ Hacienda Alsacia farm and Visitor Center in Costa Rica.
The Global Coffee team is responsible for leading all things coffee—agronomy, ethical sourcing, buying, quality, roasting, strategy and education.
Our coffee education team worked with our agronomists located in 9 Farmer Support Centers in key coffee growing countries, our buying team in Lausanne, Switzerland, master roasters, blenders and quality experts in Seattle, Washington and our Reserve Roasteries. Collectively this team has deep subject matter expertise and many years working in the coffee industry. They all share a relentless commitment to quality, a passion for coffee and positively contributing to farming communities where our coffee is grown and the communities around the globe where our coffee is served.