Where is the Starbucks Coffee Trading Company (SCTC) located?

The Starbucks Coffee Trading Company (SCTC) is located in Lausanne, Switzerland. This is significant because Lausanne serves as a strategic hub for Starbucks, particularly for responsibilities related to sourcing, trading, and assessing the quality of coffee. Switzerland’s location in Europe provides strategic access to global coffee markets, and the emphasis on quality aligns with Starbucks' commitment to ethically sourcing and trading high-quality coffee beans. The placement of SCTC in Lausanne allows for greater engagement with both American and European markets, enhancing the company's operational capabilities in international coffee trading.

The other locations mentioned in the question do not serve as the base for the trading company. Seattle, Washington, while the original location of Starbucks and home to its headquarters, is not where the SCTC is situated. San Jose, Costa Rica, and Kigali, Rwanda, are important in terms of coffee production and sourcing respectively, but they do not house the trading operations and strategic decisions that take place in Lausanne.