The Commodity Producer's Dilemma

Prime Future 227: the newsletter for innovators in livestock, meat, and dairy

What do a marbling steer, a lactating cow, and a Starbucks customer have in common? 

Well, if you've recently traveled through the Denver airport and are also a Starbucks frequent flier, you’ve likely made the excruciating calculation of whether the pull of caffeine outweighs the inevitable chaos of the endless line. 

Before my last flight out of DEN, I ordered my grande drip coffee with whole milk via the app, and joined a gaggle of 40+ people crowded around the counter, listening for some semblance of their name with varying degrees of hurry written across their faces. 

The Starbucks app, supposedly streamlining my experience, promised my order in ~7 minutes. Twenty-four minutes later, a barista yelled, "Janet!"

Even Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks, has been vocal about the operational issues with mobile ordering. “The mobile app is a runaway train that dilutes the customer experience for everyone," he recently admitted.

So while, no, cattle on feed aren’t ordering Cold Brew, how Starbucks aims to solve their logistical brew blockade is surprisingly relevant to the business of livestock, meat, & dairy production.