JEDDAH, 17 October 2006 -- Starbucks, the company that claims to have revolutionized the cup of coffee, has introduced its latest coffee flavors.

"These flavors are part of Starbucks' philosophy of creating blends with its reliance on buying the world's finest coffees and combining them to achieve an intriguing interplay of flavor and aroma," Ghani Obeid, Jeddah area manger of Starbucks told reporters during a demonstration at its Tahlia Street outlet on Saturday night.

Among the flavors introduced were Arabian Mocha Java and Arabian Mocha Sanani.

"Arabian Mocha Java is a complex coffee. The combination of coffee from Java (Indonesia) and Yemen results in a flavor profile that washes over your tongue in soft waves of spice and berry flavors," Khaled Hemidi, a supervisor at the outlet said.

The team who gave the demonstration to groups of media representatives also included M. Ghassan Sulaiman, Fareez Abu Ammar, assistant stores manager, Muhammad Bakr and Supervisor Saud Al-Sharif.

Arabian Morcha Java has complementary flavors like cranberry, orange, chocolate and blueberry. Arabian Morcha Sanani is one of the world's exotic treasures. It features a dazzling array of spice, cocoa and berry flavors.

The coffees produced in the Arab-Africa region have flavors ranging from berries, exotic spices and citrus fruits that combine with subtle lemon, floral and chocolate aromas to make the region home to some of the world's most unusual and sought after coffees.

Other blends include Gold Coast blend and Caffee Verona. The Gold Coast blend has complementary flavors including maple, chocolate and caramel. This bold blend features our finest Latin American and Indonesian coffees, accented with a touch of Italian Roast for added sweetness," Suliaman said. Caffee Verona has flavors including milk and dark chocolates. "This is a full bodied blend of Latin American and Asia-Pacific coffees, with 20 percent Italian roast for added depth and sweetness, Al-Sharif said. "Besides, there are dark roast blends that are bold expressions of our blending and roasting expertise, which reflect an elegantly complex fusion of flavor and intensity," Bakr said.

By K.S. Ramkumar

© Arab News 2006