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Storytelling is key to supporting the Starbucks brand, especially the brand differentiator Coffee Passion. In order to write stories for seasonal, limited-time coffees, I immersed myself in details about blending and roasting, as well as the terroir and farming traditions. One of the benefits of working in-house is that the master blenders, roasters, cuppers, and coffee buyers are right down the hall and happy to talk about coffee.

Over the years, I became one of these experts. As a certified coffee master I went on to train others to gain expertise in brewing, pairings, and understanding of all things coffee. In addition, I was a member of Starbucks Coffee Sensory Panel, which met weekly to evaluate the flavor and consistency of Starbucks coffees roasted at every Starbucks roasting house. In order to join this group, I learned to identify the roast, body, acidity, and other characteristics of each coffee, calibrating my palate with other coffee experts over the course of two years. This work culminated in a test, which I was pleased to pass.

Below are examples of seasonal coffee stories I wrote.