Folgers vs. Starbucks: which brand is easier to brew?

Picking a good blend that can lead to a high-quality cup of coffee is challenging for most people. I can relate since I have been drinking coffee for years now. Rather than buying ready-made coffee from stores, I always prefer making my own at home and have been trying coffee beans from different companies. I created this post to inform you of the differences between Folgers and Starbucks. By the end of it, you will also learn which brand is easier to brew. Enjoy!

What are the differences between Folgers Vs. Starbucks?

Features	Folgers	Starbucks
Ambience	This is not applicable since it does not have specific Folgers stores where you can go to buy coffee. However, you can get Folgers coffee from an online store or from a grocery store.	Starbucks stores have a welcoming ambience since they feature warm lighting, wall art, and earthly colors.
Location	This mainly operates in North America. It also sells coffee in a few other regions like Asia, Canada, and Mexico.	Starbucks operates internationally. It has over 38,000 stores located in more than 80 countries.
Menu	The company has two types of roasts namely medium and dark. It sells classic roast, breakfast blend, black silk, french roast, and colombian medium roast	It has three types of roasts, namely medium, dark and blonde. It sells Pike Place, Sumatra, Komodo Dragon Blend, and Veranda Blend.
Price Range	Has affordable coffee	It is more expensive
Beverage sizes	More size options to pick from	Fewer sizes available
Environmental consciousness	It does not take any steps to prove this.	It enacts different green initiatives.

Folgers Vs. Starbucks – How they compare

Ambience

Since Folgers is more of a coffee provider than a coffee shop, we cannot talk about its ambience. You can buy Folgers coffee from retail stores like drug stores and grocery stores or through online marketplaces like Amazon or Walmart.

On the other hand, Starbucks has numerous stores that provide a nice ambiance. If, for instance, you wish to buy ground coffee from a Starbucks store, you will be welcomed by baristas wearing green aprons. You can also enjoy the cool music they play in the background, earthy colors on the walls, and colorful art. Starbucks aims to make its stores feel like home.

Starbucks, therefore, wins in this category since it offers a nice ambience.

Location

Folgers is part of the beverage and food division of the J. M Smucker Company. Its main market is North America, but it also sells ground coffee to Mexico, Canada, and Asia. On the other hand, Starbucks has over 38,000 stores located in 80 countries. It is therefore easy to access.

Therefore, Starbucks wins in this category since the company covers a wider area than Folgers.

Menu

Starbucks sells numerous coffee beans that you can pick from. The company’s coffee beans are divided into three types of roasts: dark roast, medium roast, and blonde roast. Some popular Starbucks coffee beans you can buy include Pike Place, Breakfast blend, Komodo Dragon blend, Guatemala Antigua, and Sumatra dark roast.

On the other hand, Folgers offers its coffee beans in only two roasts, namely dark and medium roast. Some of the coffee beans that you can buy from this company include classic roast ground coffee, black silk, breakfast blend, Colombian medium roast, and fresh roast. Both companies also offer decaf options.

Starbucks wins in this category since its menu includes coffee beans in more types of roasts compared to Folgers.

Price Range

This is one of the reasons why some people choose Folgers over Starbucks. While Starbucks is known for its expensive coffee, Folgers is more budget-friendly. If, for instance, you choose Starbucks coffees, a bag will cost you $8.29. A bag of this coffee is 12 ounces, and it can help you make up to 38 cups of coffee. Starbucks coffee is expensive because this company uses 100% Arabica, which is of high quality.

On the other hand, Folgers can cost you around $4.99 for a can of coffee beans. This is almost half of the Starbucks price. The can is around 11.3 oz, and it can help you make up to 64 cups of coffee. The reason why Folgers is more affordable is that it utilizes a blend of Arabica and Robusta coffee.

Folgers, therefore, wins in this category since it offers cheaper ground coffee compared to Starbucks.

Beverage Sizes

Folgers often sell its coffee in cans. If, for instance, you choose Folgers classic roast, you can choose it from the different sizes available. For instance, you can either choose the 19.2 oz can, 33.7 oz can, 9.6 oz can, 25.9 oz can, or 43.5 oz can. If, for instance, you choose Folgers Colombian coffee, you can choose from sizes like a 10.3 oz can and 24.2 oz can.

On the other hand, Starbucks sells its ground coffee in either bags or cans. If you want to buy a Starbucks breakfast blend, a can of this contains 1.3 oz of coffee. This can produce up to 6 cups of coffee. A bag of Starbucks house blend contains 200 grams of ground coffee.

Folgers wins in this category since it offers ground coffee in more sizes compared to Starbucks.

Environmental Consciousness

Starbucks is famous for its commitment to making the company environmentally friendly. It has achieved this by enacting different green initiatives. This company works hard to minimize the use of straws and offers reusable cups. Though Folgers claims that it is concerned about environmental sustainability, it does not take any major steps to prove this. It also rejects certifications to ensure this.

Starbucks, therefore, wins in this category since it is more environmentally conscious.

Folgers Vs Starbucks – A Comparison Overview

Folgers Overview

Folgers was established by James Folgers in 1850 in San Francisco. This company was established to bring roasted ground beans to coffee drinkers. James Folger was a coffee tycoon who tested the coffee rosters by brewing coffee before packing and selling them.

Today The J.M. Smucker company owns Folgers. Folgers is dedicated to offering quality beans that result in good-tasting coffee. It has been selling ground coffee in the US since the early 1990s. It sells its ground coffee in K cup pods, canisters, or bags.

This company offers numerous brewing options and different roasts, including dark, medium-dark, mild, and medium. You can buy ground coffee such as Black Silk, Country Roast, Breakfast Blend, Colombian blend, House Blend, and Special roast from Folgers.

You can also try the decaf options that this company offers. Feel free to buy instant coffee crystals from Folgers. Folgers main market is North America. It also sells coffee in Mexico, Canada, and Asia. This company is often associated with a certain jingle that is featured in ads.

Starbucks Overview

Starbucks has been in existence since 1971. The first Starbucks was established in Seattle by three friends, Gordon Bowker, Zev Siegl, and Jerry Baldwin. This company has managed to rise from humble beginnings to become one of the most successful coffeehouse chains in the world. It now has over 33,000 stores in over 80 countries.

This company is famous for its iconic cups and its culture of writing the names of customers on them. It has both ready-made beverages and a wide range of roasts. Starbucks also uses different brewing techniques to prepare its coffee. You can purchase ground coffee from Starbucks to brew at home.

Some of the Starbucks roasts that you can pick from include dark roasts, medium roasts, and blonde roasts. Like Folgers, Starbucks also offers some of its roasts in decaf. Its roasted coffee also comes in different flavors that you can pick from.Feel free to choose Starbucks coffee in K-Cup pods or instant options. Starbucks is also among the best companies to work in since it offers its employees health benefits, good pay, and also parental leave.

Final Verdict: So, Which is Better? – Folgers Vs. Starbucks

Starbucks is better than Folgers. This is because it offers coffee in more roast options, has numerous stores that make it easy to access ground coffee, and uses 100% Arabica coffee beans. Though Folgers has more affordable ground coffee, the lack of offering blonde roast and not taking initiatives to be more environmentally friendly makes it a bit disappointing. Starbucks also maintains its popularity since its stores offer a nice ambiance. If you don’t mind paying more to get high-quality coffee that you can brew at home, you should consider this company. We, therefore, choose Starbucks as the clear winner.

FAQ section

Is there a big difference between Folgers and Starbucks?

Yes. Though they both offer high-quality coffee and have a long history, their prices differ.

Is Starbucks stronger than Folgers?

No. Folgers is stronger than Starbucks by a very narrow margin.

Is Folgers more popular than Starbucks?

No. Starbucks is more popular than Folgers since it operates globally, while Folgers covers a smaller region.