Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/491371
STiR tea & coffee industry international 61 Americans drink an average 9.25 pounds (4.2 kilos) of coffee per person. It is largest coffee mar- ket in the world. Industry representatives say that Tara-Browne successfully established a strong team at the ideal time to enter the market. Last year Dean Torren- ga, a senior executive with Starbucks Coffee Co., joined the firm with a mandate to build 500 stores in five years. Traveler's coffee shops now operate in China, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan. "This is quite an interesting project," said Ramaz Chanturia, head of the Russian Union of Manufacturers of Tea and Coffee. "At the time when it was created, it was difficult to predict the success due to its far location. For a long time it developed in one city only, but in the end, the growth of the company followed the rise of the country's economy. This factor has determined Traveler's success. This was the only company in the segment that began as a regional chain and has turned into an all-Russian chain." Traveler's Coffee roast master Vitaliy Alemaskin was named Russian coffee roast champion in 2012. Traveler's operates 96 modern, spacious coffee shops in five countries including China. Selections are influenced by European and American favorites with food offerings selected according to local preference. All photos courtesy of Traveler's Coffee