Starbucks Coffee Co., Seattle, announced plans to bring wine, beer and premium food offerings to a select number of locations in Atlanta and southern California by the end of this year.

Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co. is encouraging consumers to discover new espresso favorites. From March 8 to 14, Starbucks will feature a limited-time beverage offer that allows consumers to buy any espresso beverage before 11 a.m., bring back their receipt after 2 p.m. the same day and purchase any hot or iced espresso beverage for half price.

Starbucks Corp., Seattle, introduced two new retail concepts for its Seattle’s Best Coffee and Evolution Fresh Inc. subsidiaries. In addition, the company also shared plans to launch its own single-cup coffee system.

Starbucks Coffee Co. launched Starbucks Refreshers sparkling ready-to-drink beverages made with real fruit juice and green coffee extract, which comes from 100 percent Arabica coffee beans.

SymphonyIRI Group, Chicago, named Dr Pepper Ten, Kraft’s Mio beverage mixes, Sparkling Ice from TalkingRain Beverage Co., Starbucks K-cups and TruMoo from Dean Foods among the 2011 Food & Beverage “Rising Stars” in its 2011 New Product Pacesetters report, which is an analysis of exceptional first-year CPG sales success for newly launched products.

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) will host its annual meeting and food expo June 25-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. 

 Americans love their cups of coffee.