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As industry king Starbucks teeters ever so slightly on its throne, other retailers, big and small, are moving in to offer coffee options of their own, even in brew-eschewing Utah.

Menus at McDonald's restaurants in the state now feature what the world's largest fast-food chain has been selling nationally for more than a year - 24-ounce iced coffee drinks, for $1.79.

McDonald's Utah effort comes as competition in the coffee business splashes over a state where more than half the population does not drink the beverage, mostly on religious grounds.

"Utah wasn't a natural market for iced coffee," said McDonald's public-relations spokeswoman Barbara Schmiett, of Salt Lake City. "That's why we tested it here in a handful of restaurants first, and we found that people loved it."

Nationwide, the chain saw a 40 percent increase in coffee sales last year - with half the increase coming from iced coffee drinks.

The push by local brewers, supermarkets and others to offer more coffee options comes as Starbucks, the world's largest coffeehouse chain, is attempting to shore up a loss of market share. After expanding to more than 15,000 stores in dozens of countries worldwide, Starbucks' sales have sagged and its stock has lost 40 percent of its value, prompting it to announce it will close 100 underperforming U.S. stores.

Not to be outdone, though, Starbucks on Tuesday was giving out free samples of its new Pike Place Roast brew as part of an initiative aimed at getting back to its roots. The Pike Place blend, named after Starbucks' original 1971 Seattle-store location, is brewed in small batches and held no longer than 30 minutes before another batch is brewed.

"It's fresh, but so is coffee at 7-Eleven," said Kyle Power, who had to wait for his freebie Tuesday as Starbucks baristas served paying customers first at The Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City.

Elsewhere along the Wasatch Front, Utah-based Beans & Brews Coffee House, has entered the fray by offering its hot regular blend in a 12-ounce size for $1 alongside its more popular speciality drinks at 17 franchise and company-owned sites.

"The hot, regular brew makes up only 5 percent of our business," said CEO Jeff Laramie. "Convenience stores and fast-foods have started serving better cups of coffee - so we're going after what for us is an untapped market."

The Harmon's grocery chain also recently introduced locally roasted gourmet coffee at its 12 stores. The label supplied by Park City Coffee Roaster includes 14 varieties of flavored, organic and fair-trade coffees from around the world - roasted in small batches in Park City.

Harmon's Mountain Roast Coffee is packaged and delivered to its stores within a narrow window of 72 hours. Shoppers also get freshly brewed gourmet coffee by the cup at the chain's in-store delicatessens.

This high-caliber coffee "until now has been available only in the Park City area and in exclusive local mountain ski resorts," said Harmon's Vice President Bob Harmon.

Caribou Coffee is taking a different tact. The world's second-largest coffeehouse operator is offering Odwalla juices and smoothies at its 400 stores nationwide.

Even amid Starbucks' troubles, the coffee industry brings in $9.2 billion dollars in the retail sector and $8.7 billion dollars in the food-service sector every year, according to the National Coffee Association.

Market studies show that 54 percent of the U.S. adult population drinks coffee daily, while another 25 percent of Americans drink it occasionally. The 2000 survey also showed that among coffee drinkers, the average consumption is 3.1 cups of coffee per day.

Freebies

* On Thursday and Friday, McDonald's will offer samples of its premium roast iced coffee at restaurants throughout the state at various times.

* Through April 19, Harmon's is inviting grocery customers to drop business cards into boxes to win several coffee varieties and fresh bakery goods. There will a winner in each of the chain's 12 stores.

Bean bits

* It takes three to four years for a coffee seed to grow into a tree that produces beans.

* Seeds are first planted in nurseries, then seedlings are transplanted to open fields.

* Trees produce a coffee cherry, with each containing two green coffee beans.

* 4,000 beans produce one pound of roasted coffee.

* The leading coffee- producing countries are Brazil and Colombia.

* U.S. imports more coffee than any other country.

Source: National Coffee Association

McDonald's

Offering 24-ounce iced coffee drinks for $1.79

Harmon's

Partnering with Park City Coffee Roaster to offer roasted gourmet coffee at its 12 stores

Beans & Brews Coffee House

Offering hot regular blend in a 12-ounce size for $1