Seattle’s Best Coffee is on the lookout for undiscovered talents in the coffee industry. The Starbucks‘ owned company has teamed up with celebrity chef Jeff Mauro to launched a cost-to-coast search for the most extravagant and imaginative coffee drink. The Red Cup Showdown competition has become part of the state fears, which will be travelling across the US this summer—the new contest, fronted by the chief himself, will stop at five locations. Finally, the grand winner will be determined, who will be handed$10,000 and get the chance to have their coffee drink sold Seattle’s Best Coffee cafés across the country.

Starbucks is raising awareness of its initiative, the Create Jobs for USA Fund, launched in fall 2011, by introducing a line of products, the Indivisible collection, aimed to help generate more money for the battle against unemployment in the USA. The project focuses on providing financial support to Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), which helps create and retain jobs across the country. With every purchase of a product from the new collection, which includes a mug, a tumbler, a blend and a brewed coffee,—the company will donate some money to OFN (the amount will depend on the product).

Brands try their best to help big moments live longer, at least in our memory. This summer, virtually any British or international brand launched either limited edition packaging or a themed memorabilia dedicated to the London 2012 Summer Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and Starbucks is no exception here. The international coffee retailer has teamed up with pottery company Emma Bridgewater to create a mug that focuses on British craftsmanship and celebrates the British spirit this great summer and beyond. Starbucks sure that enjoying a cup of coffee in such a mug in, let’s say, 2022 or even 2062, will help evoke nice memories of this summer.

Starbucks is asking its consumers to decide, which U.S. non-profits will receive grants from the coffee retailer in the USA. The brand, which has launched numerous projects to help improve the social life in the country, is asking its loyal fans, who also understand the importance of providing financial support to non-governmental initiatives and institutions, to choose the organization within their communitym which will be awarded money.

Starbucks is determined to compete with energy drinks market leaders such as Red Bull and burn. The company takes on the energy beverage giants with the global release of Starbucks Refreshers, all-natural revitalizing sparkling product based on real fruit juice and green coffee extract. The delicious, low calorie and energetic offering has been tested in select markets in the U.S. starting 2010 in a glass and later in a can, and now Starbucks is ready to introduce it on the national level, according to the press release.

Global coffee chain Starbucks added two new elements to its rich business picture on Monday, March 19, both of which refer to the company’s affiliates. Yesterday, Seattle’s Best Coffee opened its first drive-thru concept café to offer a range of items including coffee beverages, sandwiches freshly-baked food and snacks to commuters in Northlake, Ill, the suburban Chicago neighborhood, almost round the clock 24/7. The city became the first location where the new concept venue with an easy-to-navigate menu board design and straightforward pricing was opened, and it will serve as “a learning lab for the brand as it evolves its retail presence to meet the growing demand for premium coffee on-the-go,” writes the press release.