"I’ll Take a Xingbake Double Espresso to Go"

Interesting story coming out of China about the dispute between Starbucks and Xinbake, which is a major Chinese competitor. “Xin” means star and “bake” is pronounced “bah kuh.” So Starbucks sued and a Chinese court ordered Xinbake to change its name because it was engaging in “illegitimate competition.” (Hat tip: How Appealing)

I love this tidbit at the end of the story: “Starbucks opened its first cafe in China in 1999 and has since spread nationwide, with 50 stores in the capital Beijing alone. At up to $6 a cup, the company’s coffee costs more than the average Chinese worker makes in a day.” Coffee wars for that huge segment of the Chinese market that will spend a day’s wage on a cup of coffee. Forget about breakfast, lunch, dinner, and rent. Just give me a vanilla latte.