Starbucks purchased the entire harvest of Nicaragua Laurina beans from a farmer which amounted to only 750 pounds after roasting. The rare bean yields small harvests as the bean grows on small shrubs, which yields small quantities. As a result of the small harvests, the beans are considered a “micro lot” and are extremely hard to come by. Therefore, Starbucks only released the Nicaragua Laurina reserve at a select 20 locations and priced the beans at $16 per half pound.
Starbucks Melody , an expert on all things Starbucks, notes that the beans were sent almost exclusively to stores in the Seattle area, but also a few stores that specialize in Starbucks “reserve” items. According to Melody, the beans were shipped to the following locations.
- Williamsburg Reserve (Brooklyn, New York)
- Harvard Yard (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
- Oak and Rush (Chicago, Illinois)
- Pacific Place (Seattle)
- 6th and Union (Seattle)
- SODO 8 Starbucks (Seattle)
- University Village 3 (Seattle)
- University Village 1 (Seattle)
- First and Pike (Seattle)
- 7th and Pike (Seattle)
- Queen Anne (Seattle)
- Madison Park (Seattle)
- East Olive Way (Seattle)
- Columbia Center (Seattle)
- Ballard (Seattle)
- Fremont (Seattle)
- Roy Street Coffee and Tea (Seattle)
- 1912 Pike Place (Seattle)
- Terry and Republican (Seattle)
- Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room
It seems the pricey beans were a hit with at least one store, Harvard Yard, says the Nicaragua Laurina was sold out in less than 24 hours. Other coffee lovers seemed to be scrambling for a taste of the rare coffee treat. Check out some of the Twitter postings about the limited edition, rare reserve below.
I have a critical need for this @Starbucks blend, but it’s very limited supply & isn’t being sold in my city! GASP http://t.co/nc0WCpAcxZ
— C (@rippleonthesea) March 18, 2015
Sold out of Nicaragua Laurina, it didn’t last a day! #tobeapartner #sbuxyard @Sbuxbos @SBUXRoastery @starbucksprtnrs pic.twitter.com/bKLTtdfw5a — Ronnie Varela (@ronnie_varela) March 18, 2015
#Starbucks The new micro lot Nicaragua Laurina which launches in just 12 Starbucks stores tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/zio2mjcek2
— Starbucks Melody (@SbuxMelodyBlog) March 16, 2015
The Daily Mail reports that though the Nicaragua Laurina was priced at almost double a standard bag of Starbucks coffee, it is not even close to being the most expensive roast ever sold by the company. In fact, Starbucks sold a limited offering of Costa Rica Finca Palmilera beans in 2012 that was priced at an astonishing $40 per half pound.
Did you know that Starbucks had stores dedicated to limited edition reserve coffee beans? Have you ever tasted a Starbucks reserve roast?
