Starbucks, Coinstar brew up self-service espresso bars

The Puget Sound (Seattle, Wash.) Business Journal: Starbucks Corp. is experimenting with selling espresso drinks from a machine, sans barista. The company, through its Seattle's Best Coffee label, has teamed up with Coinstar Inc. and a small Bellevue company, Concordia Coffee Co. Inc., on automated, self-serve espresso kiosks in grocery stores in eight states. The machines grind their own beans and crank out lattes, mochas, chai teas, hot chocolates and drip coffees. There are 86 machines installed in Albertson's stores and other groceries in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland and Tennessee.

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