Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. revolutionize
    • ex. The internet revolutionized access to information around the world.
  2. a chain
    • ex. She works for a fast-food chain with branches in many cities.
  3. market share
    • ex. The company increased its market share after launching a new product.
  4. cash in on (something)
    • ex. Many businesses try to cash in on popular trends.
  5. undaunted
    • ex. She was undaunted by the difficult task and kept working.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Americans are drinking more coffee than they have in many years, but fewer of them are buying it from Starbucks. The company that revolutionized U.S. coffee culture is still the country’s largest coffee chain, with nearly 17,000 U.S. stores. However, strong competition is making it harder for Starbucks to keep customers.

Starbucks’ market share of U.S. coffee shop spending fell to 48% in 2025, down from 52% in 2023, according to industry researchers. Competitors like Dunkin’ and fast-growing drive-thru chains such as 7 Brew and Scooter’s Coffee are expanding quickly. Other brands, including Blue Bottle and even McDonald’s, are trying to cash in on rising coffee demand.

Coffee consumption remains high, with about 66% of Americans drinking coffee daily. But analysts say there is now too much supply in the market. Despite this, Starbucks remains undaunted. The company plans to open 575 new US stores over the next three years. The company also aims to add more seating and introduce new food items to stay competitive.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Coffee Drinking Habits and Coffee Culture

  • Do you frequently drink coffee? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, how popular is coffee in your country? Discuss.
  • How often do you buy from Starbucks? Discuss.

Competition in an Industry

  • Do you think competition is good for businesses? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you like trying new brands/businesses, or do you prefer buying from the same brand/business every time? Discuss.
  • Imagine that you’re creating a new coffee business to compete with Starbucks. What would you do to make it stand out among all other coffee businesses? Discuss.