Starbucks Keeps It Brewing in Asia"

1043 Words5 Pages
Assignment 1: Case 2-1 “Starbucks Keeps It Brewing in Asia" Marketing 510 Dr. Adina Scruggs October 21, 2012 Barriers Facing Starbucks with Product Integration The history and culture of drinking tea in China is not only important, it is embedded in the culture if the Chinese, which in turn alters their decision making process rather different from Americans. Respect of ones cultures and the older traditions and beliefs is highly regarded in Asian cultures, especially China. In Chinese history there is reference to tea as far back as 5000 years. While the origin of tea drinking is not really known, by most accounts the beginnings of the tea culture in China began around 2737 B.C. According to folklore the second Emperor of China, Shen Nung who studied plants and herbs was in the court yard when the leaf of the Camellia Senensis blossom dropped into his boiling pot of water. (China, 2012) Tea was originally consumed for its medicinal properties. Used as an herbal medicine the Chinese added the leaves to their food to provide nutrients or as an antidote for poison. It is also known for its benefits of aiding digestion, which is why Chinese prefer to drink tea after their meals and also aids in nervous disorders. Another benefit of drinking tea is it helps to expunge nicotine from the bodies of smokers faster. Later during the Tang Dynasty 618 907 A.D tea drinking evolved into an art form. (China, 2012) As tea picked up around the country of China, even throughout the rural areas, while at the same time China was becoming more self-sufficient as a country and only allowing one country the opportunity to export the product, the tea culture was becoming a highly wanted commodity abroad, especially in Europe. As the fad grew tea became a part of the Chinese culture. As a result tea is highly regarded in China, and the people of China see coffee as an
Open Document