Amazonfresh Launchesinboston Starbucks'lattes Underfireincourt
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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2016 The Boston Globe Business C5 Food Starbucks’lattes underfireincourt Recipe gives buyers fewer ounces than promised, suit says The eight-story complex was built by the By Nicole Hernandez military in GLOBE STAFF 1918 as a Will Starbucks bring in a barista as storehouse. In a witness in federal court? World War II, The company last week lost some of about 50,000 its motions to have a class-action law- people worked suit dismissed in California. at nearby Army The suit, filed in March by Califor- and Navy nia customers Siera Strumlauf and facilities. The Benjamin Robles, alleges that Star- city acquired bucks’ standardized recipes for lattes the former give customers fewer ounces of coffee storehouse than advertised. (below is an US District Judge Thelton E. Hen- interior shot) derson found that the plaintiffs had in 1983. sufficient cause to bring allegations on EDIC’S COLLECTION OF ARMY AND NAVY PHOTOS five counts against Starbucks, includ- ing a claim of fraud. Strumlauf and Robles presented “alleged plausible facts that a reason- able consumer would be misled by [the] defendant’s representations,” Henderson wrote in a 14-page order. Henderson did grant Starbucks’ motions to dismiss the three other counts in the lawsuit. In a statement, Starbucks said it is pleased with the order limiting the lawsuit. “We . believe that this lawsuit and the recently-filed similar actions are without merit. All of our handcrafted beverages are made in accordance with our customers’ preferences. If a customer is not satisfied with their beverage preparation, we will gladly remake it. We will be prepared to de- fend our case in court.” The California lawsuit is one of sev- eral around the country against Star- bucks, including one filed earlier this year in Chicago over its cold drinks. Nicole Hernandez can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @NRHSJax. AmazonFresh launchesinBoston Same-day delivery promised for groceries, household goods ERIC ROTH By Megan Woolhouse GLOBE STAFF Online retailing giant Amazon.com, Inc. announced Tuesday that it has launched its on-demand grocery ser- vice in Boston. AmazonFresh costs $299 a year, or $200 for people who already have an Amazon Prime membership. It offers groceries, prepared meals, beauty prod- ucts, and household goods for same- day or next-day delivery. The Seattle-based company, which recently came under intense criticism for excluding three ZIP codes in pre- dominantly black Roxbury from its same-day delivery service for other goods, repeatedly declined to provide a list of the neighborhoods or ZIP codes where its new grocery service will be available. But the company’s public re- lations firm said the service will be available in Roxbury. (Following the earlier controversy, Amazon extended its same-day service to Roxbury.) Entering ZIP codes into Amazon’s website shows the service is available in most Boston neighborhoods, including many sections of Allston, the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Charlestown, Cheung Chen Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, and Matta- worked on pan. The zone also appears to extend to lamp shades at such towns as Acton and Concord. the company The company said more than Blanche P. 95,000 products will be available Field, which through AmazonFresh in Boston. Fruit, makes custom vegetables, meat, pet food — even high- lamps in the ly perishable seafood — qualify for Seaport; a same- and next-day delivery. Amazon rooftip farming said all grocery orders made by 10 a.m. operations is through AmazonFresh can be delivered part of the mix by dinner time; orders made by 10 p.m. at the century- can be delivered by breakfast. old complex Local retailers are also participating, that’s been including Savenor’s Market (a Cam- rechristened as bridge butcher), Chestnut Farm (a live- the Innovation stock farm in Hardwick), and Red’s and Design Best (a Boston fishmonger), as well as Building. merchants at CommonWealth Kitchen Modern office in Dorchester, a nonprofit incubator space (far left) that helps local entrepreneurs start is also part of food-based businesses and careers. the upgrade. Amazon recently built a 1.2 million- square-foot warehouse and fulfillment center in Fall River. It also leased 96,600 square feet of refrigerated space in Everett last year. Dan Adams of the Globe Staff contributed to this report. Megan Woolhouse can be reached at [email protected]. Follow PHOTOS BY DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF her on Twitter @MegWoolhouse. C6 Business The Boston Globe WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2016 THE BOSTON GLOBE Bank links debit card rewards 25 to student loan payment plan Index of publicly traded companies in Massachusetts STUDENT LOANS plan. And DeMello said Gradifi, Meanwhile, Fidelity Invest- Continued from Page C1 Globe 25 index which offers employers the tech- ments on Tuesday launched a new Gradifi participants will have to nology to make the payments, is online tool to help borrowers map open a free checking account with managing $150 million in student out their student loans and repay- Radius and get a debit card. Every loans a week, as new customers ment options. purchase using the debit card sign up. Think of it as the reverse of a re- earns the user 1 percent, which And banks are eager to piggy- tirement savings calculator that Fi- goes directly to paying off student back on these programs. Citizens delity deploys to encourage con- loans. Financial, with $140 billion in as- sumers to put money into their There is no limit on how much sets, offers refinancing options so 401(k) plans and watch it grow. customers can earn. borrowers can consolidate student The student debt calculator helps Still, with the average student loans and reduce interest pay- borrowers understand how much loan debt load at about $30,000, ments. Student loans have been they have borrowed, with interest, that means lots of trips to the gro- among the fastest growing con- how long it will take to pay off the cery store and debit card swipes to sumer loans for Citizens, and the loan, and how their debt load earn enough to chip away at that portfolio has nearly doubled in the would change if they refinanced or balance. last two years, from $2.3 billion in changed their monthly payments. Student loan debt repayment as 2014 to $4.4 billion last year. “It’s a paydown calculator, in- an employee benefit, on par with a stead of a save up calculator,” said 401(k) match, has recently gained Sean Belka, the head of Fidelity traction as the labor market tight- ‘We love the profile of Labs, which is piloting the free ens and companies compete to at- tool. tract and keep younger workers, people who are Many consumers don’t know many of whom are saddled with paying down debt.’ how much they owe in different thousands of dollars in college loans and what they’re really pay- loans. The Department of Educa- MIKE BUTLER ing over several years, Belka said. tion pegs outstanding student loan Chief executive of Radius Bank Fidelity has no plans to enter debt at $1.2 trillion. the student loan lending space, but In the spring of 2015, only 3 if consumers find the calculators percent of companies helped work- Social Finance Inc., or SoFi, a and site helpful, the company ers reduce their student loan debt, Silicon Valley online lender that might consider marketing the tech- according to a survey by the Society specializes in student loan refi- nology in some form, company offi- for Human Resource Management, nancing, has worked with more cials said. a Virginia-based trade group. But than 400 companies that want to Borrowers can plug in informa- several large financial and consult- help their employees restructure tion about their loan amounts, in- ing firms have since rolled out pro- student loan debt. terest rates, and monthly payments grams to help workers reduce their By making student loan repay- and find out what their total repay- student loan debt, including Bos- ments less onerous, banks believe ment will be and how long they’ll ton-based Fidelity Investments, they can make young people more have to carry the loan. The calcula- Natixis Global Asset Management, willing to take on other debt, such tor also offers options, such as a Boston-based unit of the French as a home mortgage. Citizens esti- where a consumer could put an ex- financial firm Natixis, and Pricewa- mates that, on average, refinancing tra $100 per month to save in the terhouseCoopers, the global audit- a student loan can save borrowers long run. ing and consulting firm. $137 per month lowering the inter- John Zurick, the executive vice The companies have structured est rate by 1.5 percent. president of American Student As- their programs to meet their own By working with student loan sistance, a Boston-based nonprofit needs and budgets, but they essen- employee benefits programs, banks that counsels borrowers, said he tially provide a monthly contribu- get access to low-risk, younger cus- welcomes these private efforts, but tion that is paid directly to the stu- tomers because the companies of- said more systemic changes are al- dent loan company. Natixis, for ex- fering the benefits tend to be so needed to ensure that people ample, is contributing a maximum white-collar finance and consulting can afford a college education. of $10,000 toward federal student firms. “It’s not a panacea by any loans for employees who have “We love the profile of people means,” Zurick said. “But it’s a step Markets worked there at least five years. who are paying down debt,” said in the right direction.” The programs are popular with Butler, with Radius Bank.