Starbucks selected stores offer complimentary coffee grounds for your garden

"Coffee grounds can be a valuable source of nutrition for the garden," said Antoun Abou Jaoude, Marketing Manager for Starbucks - Middle East. "At Starbucks, we strive to find innovative and creative ways to positively contribute to a healthier environment. Reusing coffee grounds in the garden is a great way to nourish your plants and recycle this rich resource from Starbucks stores."

"Customers who enjoy the Starbucks Experience can now take it home for their plants to enjoy with our 'Flowers Love Coffee....too' programme," added Abou Jaoude.

In 1997, the grounds for your garden initiative began at a grass roots level by Starbucks store partners in North America. The partners saw a need in their communities and identified an innovative solution that leverages Starbucks core business, which is coffee. This programme, which is still in use today, involves packaging coffee grounds i.e. brewed beans in reused whole bean coffee bags, sealing them with a Starbucks coffee grounds sticker and distributing them to customers and communities for use in gardens and compost piles.

"Flowers Love Coffee...too programme provides a nearly endless supply of coffee grounds, which is exciting news for home gardeners in the Middle East. Coffee grounds can be applied directly to a garden's acid loving plants such as azaleas, roses or hydrangeas. The acidity of the grounds can be countered with leaves and dried grass. Providing this material for Starbucks customers can improve their experience, reduce waste, and contribute to a healthier environment," added Abou Jaoude.

When added to compost, coffee grounds will help accelerate the composting process. In addition, coffee grounds can be applied as light mulch to fast growing vegetables and if mixed with brown leaves and grass clippings or lime it will help balance the pH of soil.

Used coffee grounds are complimentary upon request at selected Starbucks retail locations and are available year-round as they are generated. So come and pick up your free coffee grounds today from the nearest Starbucks store to use in your garden throughout the year. As much as you love coffee, your flowers will too.