Starbucks#1990s

Starbucks originally opened in Seattle, Washington, on March 30, 1971.{{Cite web | url=https://www.starbucks.ph/coffeehouse/store-design/1st-and-pike | title=1st And Pike | work=Starbucks Coffee Company | publisher=Starbucks | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325110527/https://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/store-design/1st-and-pike | archive-date=March 25, 2019}} By selling high-quality coffee beans and equipments related, Starbucks became a local coffee bean retailer for the first ten years in Seattle.{{Cite journal |last=Chuang |first=Hui-Jung |date=December 1, 2019 |title=Starbucks in the World |journal=HOLISTICA – Journal of Business and Public Administration |language=en |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=99–110 |doi=10.2478/hjbpa-2019-0031|s2cid=209379116 |doi-access=free |issn = 2067-9785}} It was founded by business partners Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker who first met as students at the University of San Francisco:{{cite book | title=Time Out Guide San Francisco | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=esY90CkrXbYC | year=2011 | publisher=Time Out | isbn=978-1-84670-220-4}} The trio were inspired to sell high-quality coffee beans and equipment by coffee roasting entrepreneur Alfred Peet.Pendergrast, pp. 252–53 Bowker recalls that a business partner of his, Terry Heckler, thought words beginning with the letters "st" were powerful, leading the founders to create a list of words beginning with "st", hoping to find a brand name. They chose "Starbo", a mining town in the Cascade Range and from there, the group remembered "Starbuck", the name of the chief mate in the book Moby-Dick.{{cite news | url=https://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2012/06/29/how-starbucks-got-its-name/ | title=How Starbucks got its name – Seattle's Big Blog | first=Amy | last=Rolph | work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | date=June 29, 2012 | access-date=April 19, 2021 | archive-date=April 19, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419035116/https://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2012/06/29/how-starbucks-got-its-name/ | url-status=dead }} Bowker said, "Moby-Dick didn't have anything to do with Starbucks directly; it was only coincidental that the sound seemed to make sense."{{cite news | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/starbucks-co-founder-talks-about-early-days-launching-redhook-and-seattle-weekly-too/ | title=Starbucks co-founder talks about early days, launching Redhook and Seattle Weekly, too | last=Allison | first=Melissa | work=The Seattle Times | date=March 9, 2008}}

The first Starbucks store was located in Seattle, at 2000 Western Avenue, from 1971 to 1976. The café was later moved to 1912 Pike Place.{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_h-MvFHAMOIC&pg=PA135 | title=Pacific Northwest. | last1=Brewer | first1=Stephen | last2=Brissenden | first2=Constance | last3=Carmin | first3=Anita | publisher=Dorling Kindersley | year=2012 | isbn=9781405370813 | location=London | pages=135– | oclc=795852938}} During this time, Starbucks stores sold just coffee beans and not drinks.{{cite web | url=https://www.historylink.org/File/20292 | title=Starbucks: The Early Years | first=Sheila | last=Farr | publisher=HistoryLink | date=February 15, 2017}} In its first two years of operation, Starbucks purchased green coffee beans from Peet's Coffee & Tea. In 1973, Alfred Peet stopped supplying Starbucks and helped train their new Roastmaster, Jim Reynolds.{{cite web |title=The History of Peet's Coffee {{!}} Peet's Coffee |url=https://www.peets.com/blogs/peets/the-history-of-peets-coffee |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=www.peets.com |language=en}}

In 1984, the original owners of Starbucks, led by Jerry Baldwin, purchased Peet's Coffee.{{cite news | url=https://www.berkeleyside.com/2012/07/23/peets-founded-in-berkeley-acquired-in-germany | title=Peet's: Founded in Berkeley, acquired in Germany | first=Lance | last=Knobel | work=Berkeleyside | date=July 23, 2012}} By 1986, the company was operating six stores in Seattle and had begun to sell espresso coffee.{{cite news |date=June 7, 1987 |title=Starbucks Coffee Co. Sold |url=https://www.joc.com/maritime-news/starbucks-coffee-co-sold_19870607.html |via=The Journal of Commerce |agency=Associated Press}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/02/garden/americans-wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee.html | title=Americans Wake Up and Smell the Coffee | last=Fabricant | first=Florence | work=The New York Times | date=September 2, 1992 | url-access=subscription | issn=0362-4331}}

In 1987, the original owners sold the Starbucks chain to their former director of marketing Howard Schultz, who rebranded his Il Giornale coffee outlets as Starbucks and began to expand the company.{{cite web | url=https://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/starbucks-company-timeline | title=Starbucks Company Timeline | publisher=Starbucks}}{{Cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/howard-schultz-and-starbucks-25-moments-to-remember/ | title=Howard Schultz and Starbucks: 25 moments to remember | first=Heidi | last=Peiper | work=Starbucks | date=June 25, 2018}} Also in 1987, Starbucks opened its first locations outside of Seattle, in Waterfront Station in Vancouver, British Columbia, and in Chicago, Illinois.

By 1989, there were 46 Starbucks stores located across the Pacific Northwest and Midwest, and the company was roasting more than {{convert|2000000|lb|kg|0}} of coffee annually.

In June 1992, at the time of its initial public offering, Starbucks (ticker symbol: SBUX) had 140 outlets, with revenue of US$73.5 million, up from US$1.3 million in 1987. The company's market value was US$271 million by this time.{{Cite news | first=Jeremy | last=Bowman | title=If You Had Invested $1,000 in Starbucks' IPO, Here's How Much You'd Have Today | url=https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/01/16/if-you-had-invested-1000-in-starbucks-ipo-heres-ho.aspx | work=The Motley Fool | date=January 16, 2020}} The 12% portion of the company that was sold raised around US$25 million for the company, which enabled it to double its number of stores over the next two years.{{cite news | url=https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/7-fun-facts-about-starbucks-honor-its-ipos-25th-anniversary-2017-06-26 | title=7 Fun Facts about Starbucks In Honour of Its IPO's 25th Anniversary | via=Nasdaq | date=June 26, 2017}}

In 1994, Starbucks acquired The Coffee Connection, gaining the rights to use, make, market, and sell the "Frappuccino" beverage.{{cite news | last=Nanos | first=Janelle | title=The Story of the Frappuccino: How a chilly coffee drink became a billion-dollar behemoth | url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2012/12/07/frappuccino-history/ | work=Boston Magazine | date=December 7, 2012}} The beverage was introduced under the Starbucks name in 1995.

In 1999, Starbucks experimented by opening eateries in the San Francisco Bay Area, under the Circadia restaurant brand. At the same time, Starbucks converted its Seattle Circadia restaurant into a Café Starbucks.{{cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1999/10/18/newscolumn3.html | title=Starbucks still seeking a rhythm for Circadia | last=Tice | first=Carol | work=American City Business Journals | date=October 15, 1999}}

In 1999, Starbucks acquired Pasqua Coffee—a San Francisco-based retail coffee chain that had almost 60 locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City.

{{cite book|last = Clark|first = Taylor|title = Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture|url = https://archive.org/details/starbuckeddouble00clar|url-access = registration|publisher = Little, Brown and Company|year = 2007|isbn = 978-0-316026-13-0}}

In April 2003, Starbucks acquired Seattle's Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia from AFC Enterprises for US$72 million. The deal only gained 150 stores for Starbucks, but according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the wholesale business was more significant.{{cite news | url=https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/A-grande-deal-for-Starbucks-1112460.php | title=A grande deal for Starbucks | work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | last=Frey | first=Christine | date=April 16, 2003}}

By June 2003, Starbucks Japan had 466 stores and would add another 70 to 75 in the 2003 financial year. Its president, Yuji Tsunoda said it would install ovens in all stores to improve its food offerings.{{cite news |title=Troubled brew |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20030611-1.2.34.1 |work=Today (Singaporean newspaper) |agency=Bloomberg |date=June 11, 2003}}

From 2005 to 2007, Howard Behar served as the president of Starbucks North America.{{Cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/01/28/story12.html | title=Talking with Howard Behar | first=Jeanne Lang | last=Jones | work=American City Business Journals | date=January 27, 2008}}

In September 2006, rival Diedrich Coffee announced that it would sell most of its company-owned retail stores to Starbucks, including most locations of Oregon-based Coffee People, escalating regional coffee wars. Starbucks converted the Diedrich Coffee and Coffee People locations to Starbucks. The Coffee People locations at Portland International Airport were excluded from the sale.{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-sep-15-fi-diedrich15-story.html | title=Diedrich to Sell Cafes to Rival | last=Hirsch | first=Jerry | work=Los Angeles Times | date=September 15, 2006 | url-access=subscription}}

In early 2008, Starbucks started a community website, My Starbucks Idea, designed to collect suggestions and feedback from customers. Other users could comment and vote on suggestions. Journalist Jack Schofield noted that "My Starbucks seems to be all sweetness and light at the moment, which I don't think is possible without quite a lot of censorship."{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2008/mar/24/netbytes.starbucks | title=Starbucks lets customers have their say |last=Schofield | first=Jack | work=The Guardian | date=March 24, 2008 | location=London}}

In March 2008, Starbucks acquired Coffee Equipment Company, which was the manufacturer of the Clover Brewing System. It began testing the "fresh-pressed" coffee system at several Starbucks locations in Seattle, California, New York, and Boston.{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/dining/26starbucks.html |title=Tasting the Future of Starbucks Coffee From a New Machine | last=Schwaner-Albright | first=Oliver | work=The New York Times | url-access=subscription | date=March 26, 2008 | issn=0362-4331}}

In July 2008, during the Great Recession, Starbucks announced it was closing 600 underperforming company-owned stores and cutting U.S. expansion plans amid growing economic uncertainty.{{cite news | title=Coffee Crisis? Starbucks Closing 600 Stores | url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/Story?id=5288740&page=1 | first= Charles | last=Herman | work=ABC News | date=July 1, 2008}}{{cite news| url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121494400432420449 | title=Starbucks to Shut 500 More Stores, Cut Jobs | first=Janet | last=Adamy | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=July 2, 2008 | url-access=subscription}} On July 29, 2008, Starbucks also cut almost 1,000 non-retail jobs as part of its bid to re-energize the brand and boost its profit. Of the new cuts, 550 of the positions were layoffs and the rest were unfilled jobs.{{cite news | url=https://www.thestar.com/business/2008/07/29/starbucks_to_cut_1000_jobs.html | title=Starbucks cuts 1,000 non-store jobs | agency=Associated Press | via=Toronto Star | last=Shepherd | first=Lauren |date=July 29, 2008}}

Additionally in July 2008, Starbucks announced that it would close 61 of its 84 stores in Australia in the following month.{{cite news | last=Allison | first=Melissa | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/starbucks-closing-73-of-australian-stores/ | title=Starbucks closing 73% of Australian stores | work=The Seattle Times | date=July 29, 2008 | url-access=limited}} Nick Wailes, an expert in strategic management of the University of Sydney, said that "Starbucks failed to truly understand Australia's café culture."{{cite news | url=https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2008/07/31/starbucks-what-went-wrong.html | title=Starbucks: What went wrong? | first=Daniel | last=Palmer | work=Australian Food News | date=July 31, 2008}}

In January 2009, Starbucks announced the closure of an additional 300 underperforming stores and the elimination of 7,000 positions. CEO Howard Schultz also announced that he had received board approval to reduce his salary.{{cite news | title=Starbucks to Close More Stores | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123317714771825681 | first=Janet | last=Adamy | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=January 28, 2009 | url-access=subscription}} Altogether, from February 2008 to January 2009, Starbucks terminated an estimated 18,400 U.S. jobs and began closing 977 stores worldwide.{{Cite news | last=Allison | first=Melissa | date=March 3, 2009 | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/howard-schultz-says-no-more-layoffs-planned-at-starbucks/ | title=No more layoffs at Starbucks, Schultz says | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104212729/http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/coffee/2009/03/03/no_more_layoffs_at_starbucks_s.html | archive-date=January 4, 2016 | url-access=limited}}

In August 2009, Ahold announced closures and rebranding for 43 of its licensed store Starbucks kiosks for their US-based Stop & Shop and Giant supermarkets.{{cite news | url=https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/stop-shop-shifts-course-on-coffee | title=Stop & Shop Shifts Course On Coffee | work=Hartfordbusiness.com | first=Howard | last=French | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412125830/http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news9832.html | archive-date=April 12, 2010 | url-status=live}}{{cite news | last=Chesto | first=Jon | url=https://www.patriotledger.com/article/20090828/NEWS/308289685 | title=Stop & Shop and sister chain closing 43 in-store Starbucks kiosks | work=The Patriot Ledger | date=August 28, 2009 |url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527174325/http://www.patriotledger.com/business/x1080448841/Stop-Shop-and-sister-chain-closing-43-in-store-Starbucks-kiosks | archive-date=May 27, 2011}}

In 2012, Starbucks had annual Frappuccino sales of over US$2 billion.

In August 2012, the largest Starbucks in the US opened at the University of Alabama's Ferguson Centre.{{cite news | last=Burch | first=Adrienne | url=https://cw.ua.edu/12397/news/largest-starbucks-in-u-s-coming-to-the-ferg/ | title=Largest Starbucks in U.S. coming to the Ferg| work=The Crimson White | date=August 28, 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103133625/http://cw.ua.edu/2012/08/28/largest-starbucks-in-u-s-coming-to-the-ferg/ | archive-date=November 3, 2012}}

On June 25, 2013, Starbucks began to post calorie counts on menus for drinks and pastries in all of its U.S. stores.{{cite news |title=Starbucks to post calorie labels in stores nationwide | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-starbucks-calories/starbucks-to-post-calorie-labels-in-stores-nationwide-idUSBRE95H0KD20130618 | first=Atossa Araxia | last=Abrahamian | work=Reuters | date=June 18, 2013}}

In July 2013, more than 10% of in-store purchases were made on customers' mobile devices via the {{vanchor|Starbucks app}}.{{Cite web | url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/07/26/mobile-payment-at-u-s-starbucks-locations-crosses-10-as-more-stores-get-wireless-charging/ | title=Mobile Payment At U.S. Starbucks Locations Crosses 10% As More Stores Get Wireless Charging | last=Etherington | first=Darrell | website=TechCrunch | date=July 26, 2013}}

The company once again utilized the mobile platform when it launched the "Tweet-a-Coffee" promotion in October 2013. On this occasion, the promotion also involved Twitter and customers were able to purchase a US$5 gift card for a friend by entering both "@tweetacoffee" and the friend's handle in a tweet. Research firm Keyhole monitored the progress of the campaign; a December 2013 media article reported that 27,000 people had participated and US$180,000 of purchases had been made to date.{{cite news |title=Starbucks' @Tweetacoffee Campaign Generated $180,000 in Sales, HUGE Long-term Benefits | url=https://keyhole.co/blog/starbucks-twitter-campaign/ | work=Keyhole | last=Ajani | first=Saif | date=December 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215004220/http://blog.keyhole.co/post/69080821142/starbucks-tweetacoffee-campaign-generated-180-000-in | archive-date=December 15, 2013}}{{cite web | url=https://mashable.com/2013/12/05/starbuckss-tweet-a-coffee-180000/ | title=Starbucks 'Tweet-a-Coffee' Campaign Prompted $180,000 in Purchases | last=Wasserman | first=Todd | website=Mashable | date=December 6, 2013}}

In January 2014, as part of a change in compact direction, Starbucks management transitioned from a singular brand worldwide to focusing on locally relevant design for each store.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2014/01/starbucks-big-plan-to-be-your-cozy-neighborhood-coffee-shop/ |title=With Stunning New Stores, Starbucks Has a New Design Strategy: Act Local | last=Stinson | first=Liz | magazine=Wired | date=January 8, 2014 | issn=1059-1028}}

In May 2014, Starbucks announced ongoing losses in the Australian market, which resulted in all remaining stores being sold to the Withers Group.{{cite news | url=https://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/new-owners-for-starbucks-australia/news-story/3520514e86df31651806cd8c0d351921 | title=New owners for Starbucks Australia | work=news.com.au | date=May 28, 2014}}

In July 2017, Starbucks acquired the remaining 50% stake in its Chinese venture from long-term joint venture partners Uni-President Enterprises Corporation (UPEC) and President Chain Store Corporation (PCSC) for US$1.3 billion.{{cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2017/07/27/starbucks-buys-out-its-china-venture-partners.html | title=Starbucks buys out its China venture partners in company's biggest deal ever | first=Greg | last=Lamm | work=American City Business Journals | date=July 27, 2017}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2104409/starbucks-buying-out-chinese-venture-us13-bn | title=Starbucks buying out Chinese venture for US$1.3 bn | agency=Bloomberg News | via=South China Morning Post | date=July 28, 2017}}

On March 21, 2018, Starbucks announced that it was considering the use of blockchain technology to connect coffee drinkers with coffee farmers who could eventually be able to take advantage of new financial opportunities. The pilot program was planned to start with farmers in Costa Rica, Colombia, and Rwanda in order to develop a new way to track the bean-to-cup journey.{{Cite news | url=https://www.geekwire.com/2018/starbucks-explores-potential-use-blockchain-tech-bean-cup-pilot-program/ | title=Starbucks explores potential use of blockchain tech for 'bean to cup' pilot program | work=GeekWire |date=March 22, 2018}} In 2019, at the Microsoft Build conference, the coffee company formally announced its "bean to cup" program using the Microsoft's Azure-based blockchain service.{{cite news |last1=Mearian |first1=Lucas |title=From coffee bean to cup: Starbucks brews a blockchain-based supply chain with Microsoft |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3393211/from-coffee-bean-to-cup-starbucks-brews-a-blockchain-based-supply-chain-with-microsoft.html |work=Computerworld |date=May 7, 2019 |language=en}}

Two men were arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks location after a manager claimed the two were trespassing on April 12, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/15/602703900/protesters-rally-outside-philadelphia-starbucks-after-arrests-of-2-black-men|title=Protesters Rally Outside Philadelphia Starbucks After Arrests Of 2 Black Men|last=Van Sant|first=Shannon|date=April 15, 2018|publisher=NPR|access-date=August 6, 2018}} The arrests led to protests due to their apparently racially-motivated nature. CEO Kevin Johnson later apologized for the incident, and the company declined to press charges.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/19/603917872/they-can-t-be-here-for-us-men-arrested-at-philadelphia-starbucks-speak-out|title=Men Arrested At Philadelphia Starbucks Speak Out; Police Commissioner Apologizes|last=Held|first=Amy|date=April 19, 2018|publisher=NPR|access-date=August 6, 2018}} During the company's second quarter earnings call on April 26, Johnson indicated that the company had not seen a drop in sales as a result of the event and subsequent coverage.{{cite web|url=https://qz.com/1264240/starbucks-earnings-the-company-may-profit-from-the-philadelphia-arrest-scandal/|title=Starbucks didn't lose money after its race scandal—and may even profit from it|last=Staley|first=Oliver|date=April 27, 2018|publisher=Quartz|access-date=August 6, 2018}} The company reiterated its guidance for full year earnings,{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/starbucks-ceo-says-racial-controversy-hasnt-affected-sales/2018/04/26/734f4bfe-49ab-11e8-8082-105a446d19b8_story.html|title=Starbucks CEO says racial controversy hasn't affected sales|last=Olson|first=Alexandra|date=April 26, 2018|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=August 6, 2018}} and beat consensus expectations of 1.8 percent same-store sales growth, with 2 percent growth.

Johnson announced that the company would close some 8000 locations on May 29 for a seminar about racial bias in order to prevent future events similar to those that occurred in Philadelphia.{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-ceo-protests-after-arrests-havent-impacted-sales-2018-4|title=Starbucks CEO says that boycotts following the arrests of two black men haven't hurt sales|last=Taylor|first=Kate|date=April 26, 2018|publisher=Business Insider|access-date=August 6, 2018}}

On June 19, 2018, Starbucks announced the closing of 150 locations in 2019, three times the number the corporation typically closes in a single year. The closings were to happen in urban areas that already have dense clusters of stores.{{cite news | url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/06/19/news/companies/starbucks-store-closures/index.html | title=Starbucks says it will close 150 stores next year | last=Wiener-Bronner | first=Danielle | work=CNN | date=June 19, 2018}}

In July 2019, Starbucks announced that it would no longer be selling newspapers in its cafés. It was also announced that kiosks for grab-and-go snacks and bags of whole-bean coffee would be removed from stores beginning in September 2019.{{Cite news | url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/12/business/starbucks-stop-selling-newspapers/index.html | title=Starbucks will stop selling newspapers | first=Jordan | last=Valinsky | work=CNN | date=July 12, 2019}}

In November 2019, Starbucks opened its largest store ever on Michigan Avenue, Chicago, with 200 employees.{{Cite news | url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/15/business/worlds-largest-starbucks-chicago/index.html | title=Starbucks opens its biggest store ever | first=Jordan | last=Valinsky | work=CNN | date=November 15, 2019}}

On March 20, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Starbucks closed all the café-only stores in the United States for two weeks. During that time, only drive-thru and delivery-only services were to function. According to the company representatives, all workers were to be paid for the next 30 days whether they went to work or stayed home.{{cite news | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-closing-locations-keeping-drive-thru-open-2020-3 | title=Starbucks is closing thousands of cafe-only stores across the US, keeping drive-thrus open and paying workers for 30 days whether they come to work or not | first=Kate | last=Taylor | work=Business Insider | date=March 20, 2020}} COVID-19 lockdowns caused Starbucks to suffer a general 10% sales decrease, and a 50% decrease in China where quarantine measures were especially strict.{{Cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52465337 | last=Sherman | first=Natalie| title=Cars out, snacks in as virus impacts US profits | work=BBC News | date=April 28, 2020}}

In May 2020, the company asked for reduced rent from landlords due to the decrease in sales.{{cite news |url=https://marker.medium.com/the-case-for-shorting-starbucks-388a91e65421 | title=The Uncertain Future of Post-Pandemic Starbucks | last=LeVine |first=Steve | work=Medium | date=July 28, 2020}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/14/starbucks-asks-for-a-break-on-rent-for-the-next-year.html | title=Starbucks asks for a break on rent for the next year | first=Amelia | last=Lucas | work=CNBC | date=May 14, 2020}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/money/starbucks-landlords-astounded-coronavirus-rent-reduction | title=Starbucks landlords 'astounded' by company's coronavirus rent reduction request | first=Cortney | last=Moore | work=FOX Business | date=May 28, 2020}}

In June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the company announced that it would close 400 of its locations in the US/Canada region over the subsequent 18 months as it moves from the coffee house concept to what it calls "convenience-led" formats with drive-through and curbside pickup. Starbucks announced that it planned to open 300 stores that will primarily focus on carryout and pickup orders.{{cite news | url=https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/starbucks-is-closing-400-stores-in-the-next-18-months-061120.html |title=Starbucks is closing 400 stores in the next 18 months | first=Mark | last=Huffman | work=ConsumerAffairs | date=June 11, 2020}}{{cite news | url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/10/business/starbucks-closing-400-stores/index.html | title=Starbucks is closing 400 stores in the next 18 months | work=CNN | date=June 11, 2020}} The new stores will work with the Starbucks mobile app for prepayment by the customer before arrival to pick up the order. The layout of some stores will also be modified with a separate counter for picking up mobile orders.

In December 2020, Starbucks announced that it is planning to increase its store count to about 55,000 by 2030, up from roughly 33,000.{{Cite news | title=Starbucks plans to open about 22,000 stores in the next ten years | url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/09/business/starbucks-store-openings/index.html | first=Danielle | last=Wiener-Bronner | work=CNN | date=December 9, 2020}}

Bloomberg reported in July 2022 that the company was, through investment bank Houlihan Lokey, exploring selling its stores in the United Kingdom.{{cite news |last1=Kehnscherper |first1=Leonard |title=Starbucks Weighs Selling Its UK Operations, Times Reports |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-16/starbucks-weighs-selling-its-uk-operations-times-reports?sref=CIpmV6x8 |access-date=July 16, 2022 |work=Bloomberg.com |date=July 16, 2022 |language=en}}

In August 2022, after months of suspension due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Starbucks sold all its stores in Russia to the Russian rapper Timati. The stores were rebranded as "[https://stars-coffee.ru Stars Coffee]", and are very similar to the former stores. Starbucks said it had no comment on the new owner.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/restaurateur-rapper-duo-reopen-former-starbucks-coffee-shops-russia-2022-08-18/ | title=Russian duo hail Stars Coffee as successor brand to Starbucks | newspaper=Reuters | date=August 19, 2022 | last1=Marrow | first1=Alexander }}{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/stars-coffee-opens-in-russia-starbucks-replacement-rcna43962 | title=Stars Coffee, anyone? Starbucks substitute opening in Russia | website=NBC News | date=August 19, 2022 }}

On October 1, 2022, Howard Schultz stepped down as CEO, with Laxman Narasimhan becoming Starbucks's next CEO.{{Cite web |last=Tyko |first=Herb Scribner, Kelly |date=September 1, 2022 |title=Starbucks announces new CEO amid growing unionization efforts |url=https://www.axios.com/2022/09/01/starbucks-ceo-laxman-narasimhan-howard-schultz |access-date=September 12, 2022 |website=Axios |language=en}}

On March 23, 2023, Narasimhan told employees that he would work a half-day behind a store counter each month, and he trained as a barista to immerse himself in the brand and stay close to customers.{{cite news |last=Lucas |first=Amelia |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/23/new-starbucks-ceo-says-hell-work-a-shift-at-its-cafes-once-a-month.html |title=Starbucks CEO says he'll work a shift at the company's cafes once a month |work=CNBC |date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=March 24, 2023 }}

In June 2023, Starbucks was ordered to pay $25 million in punitive damages and $600,000 compensatory damages to a former regional manager. The court found that Starbucks fired her in 2018 because she was white.{{Cite web |title=Starbucks to pay $25 million to former manager [...] allegedly fired because of race |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/starbucks-ordered-to-pay-white-former-manager-fired-because-of-race-25-million/ |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=CBS |date=June 14, 2023 |language=en}}

In October 2023, the operator of all of the Starbucks locations in Brazil, SouthRock Capital, declared itself bankrupt. SouthRock will continue to operate Starbucks locations normally while closing a few underperforming ones and will restructure through the bankruptcy procedure.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/brazil-court-okays-bankruptcy-protection-for-tgi-fridays-starbucks-operator|title=Brazil court okays bankruptcy protection for TGI Fridays, Starbucks operator|date=December 12, 2023|access-date=December 14, 2023|website=Nasdaq|language=en}}

On August 13, 2024, Starbucks announced it was replacing then CEO Laxman Narasimhan with Brian Niccol. Niccol had served as the CEO of Chipotle since 2018.

In January 2025, Starbucks ended its 'open-door policy', and requires customers to make a purchase in order to use restrooms and the seating area.{{cite web|last=Holpuch|first=Amanda|title=Starbucks Reverses Its Open-Door Policy for Bathroom Use and Lounging|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/business/starbucks-bathroom-purchase-policy.html|website=The New York Times|date=January 14, 2025|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{cite web|last=Nitzberg|first=Alex|title=Starbucks reverses open bathroom policy|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/starbucks-reverses-open-bathroom-policy|website=FOX Business|date=January 14, 2025|access-date=January 15, 2025}}

In February 2025, Starbucks cut 30% of its menu in an effort to simplify its processes and reduce costs. The discontinued offerings were primarily less popular or more complex items, including some Frappuccino blended drinks, Royal English Breakfast Latte, and White Hot Chocolate.{{Cite web |last=Meyersohn |first=Nathaniel |date=2025-02-24 |title=Starbucks is laying off workers and paring back the menu as it tries to turn the business around {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/24/business/starbucks-white-hot-chocolate-layoff-workers/index.html |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=CNN |language=en}}

{{main|Starbucks unions}}

File:Starbucks Workers Rally and March 01.jpg

Three of the company's stores in Buffalo, New York began an attempt to unionize in August 2021.{{cite news |last1=Haddon |first1=Heather |title=Starbucks Faces Rare Union Challenge in Upstate New York |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-faces-rare-union-test-in-upstate-new-york-11632488098 |access-date=October 18, 2021 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=September 24, 2021}} Using Twitter, the workers announced they had formed an organizing committee, Starbucks Workers United, to form a union affiliated with Workers United.{{cite news |last1=Scheiber |first1=Noam |title=Starbucks Faces Rare Union Challenge as Buffalo Workers Seek Vote |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/30/business/starbucks-coffee-buffalo-union.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/30/business/starbucks-coffee-buffalo-union.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |access-date=October 18, 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=August 30, 2021}}{{cbignore}} Two more stores joined the effort in September, however these petitions were later withdrawn to ensure a speedy process for the original three locations.{{cite news |last1=Veronica |first1=Nick |title=Slamming 'union-busting effort,' 2 more Buffalo Starbucks locations join unprecedented push to unionize |url=https://www.wivb.com/news/starbucks-union-buffalo-workers-united-slamming-union-busting-effort-2-more-buffalo-starbucks-locations-join-unprecedented-push-to-unionize/ |access-date=October 18, 2021 |work=News 4 Buffalo |date=September 8, 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Faith |title=Starbucks Workers Are Organizing — and Management Is Worried |url=https://jacobinmag.com/2021/10/starbucks-workers-united-buffalo-union-drive-organizing-coffee-shop-industry-labor |work=jacobinmag.com |date=October 16, 2021}}{{Cite news|last=Gurley|first=Lauren Kaori|date=October 13, 2021|title=Starbucks Temporarily Closes 2 Stores That Are Trying to Unionize|work=Vice|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/starbucks-temporarily-closes-two-stores-that-are-trying-to-unionize/|access-date=December 8, 2021}} During the union drive, the company sent other managers and executives, including its North America retail president, to Buffalo to engage with employees about operational issues and participate in their work. Employees were forced to attend captive audience meetings that contained anti-union messages.{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Sainato |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/nov/23/starbucks-aggressive-anti-union-effort-new-york-stores-organize |title=Starbucks launches aggressive anti-union effort as upstate New York stores organize |website=The Guardian |date=November 23, 2021 |access-date=June 23, 2022 }} Starbucks temporarily closed some area stores for remodeling and added excessive staff to one of the stores preparing to vote. Workers said this reduced union support there, while Starbucks said the support was meant to compensate for increased sick leave during the pandemic as it had done elsewhere in the country.{{Cite news |last1=Scheiber |first1=Noam |date=December 9, 2021 |title=Starbucks workers at a Buffalo store unionize in a big symbolic win for labor |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/business/economy/buffalo-starbucks-union.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210082106/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/business/economy/buffalo-starbucks-union.html |archive-date=December 10, 2021}} On November 9 Workers United filed three more petitions for elections to represent workers at additional Buffalo area stores.{{Cite news|last=Scheiber|first=Noam|date=November 9, 2021|title=Starbucks workers at three more Buffalo-area stores file for union elections.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/business/economy/starbucks-workers-union-elections-buffalo.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/business/economy/starbucks-workers-union-elections-buffalo.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=December 8, 2021}}{{cbignore}} On November 10 the National Labor Relations Board mailed out votes for the elections at the original three locations.{{Cite news|last=Glynn|first=Matt|date=November 11, 2021 |title=Union vote ballots mailed to Starbucks workers |work=The Buffalo News |url=https://buffalonews.com/business/local/union-vote-ballots-mailed-to-starbucks-workers/article_71deaacc-4320-11ec-a3e5-67ac10b7e923.html |access-date=December 8, 2021}} Votes for the original three stores were counted on December 9.{{Cite news |last=Eidelson |first=Josh |date=December 7, 2021|title=Starbucks Bid to Halt Union Vote Count Is Rejected by Labor Board |work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-07/starbucks-bid-to-halt-union-vote-count-rejected-by-labor-board |access-date=December 8, 2021}} Days before the vote count, the NLRB rejected arguments by Starbucks to halt the election.

Inspired by their colleagues in Buffalo, workers at a Starbucks store in Mesa, Arizona, petitioned the NLRB for a union election on November 18, 2021, to be represented by Workers United. The organizing at the Mesa location stemmed from, in part, a well-liked manager being terminated after whistle-blowing on Starbucks' anti-union plan.{{Cite news|last=Eidelson|first=Josh|date=November 18, 2021|title=Starbucks Unionizing Effort Expands to Arizona|work=Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-18/starbucks-workers-union-effort-expands-to-arizona-with-new-bid|access-date=December 8, 2021}}

Starbucks temporarily closed two stores participating in the union drive in October for renovations. The company claimed these closures were unrelated to the unionization efforts.{{cite news |last1=Gurley |first1=Lauren Kaori |title=Starbucks Temporarily Closes 2 Stores That Are Trying to Unionize |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/starbucks-temporarily-closes-two-stores-that-are-trying-to-unionize/ |access-date=October 18, 2021 |work=Vice.com |language=en}} Starbucks began working with Littler Mendelson, a self-described "union-busting firm", in October.{{cite news |title=Littler Labeled as a Union Busting Firm |url=https://www.littler.com/publication-press/press/littler-labeled-union-busting-firm |publisher=Littler |date=April 27, 2007 |access-date=September 9, 2021}}{{cite news |title=Law Firm Cashes In By Aiding Employers |url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Law-Firm-Cashes-In-By-Aiding-Employers-Littler-2979677.php |first=Jonathan |last=Marshall |website=SFGate |date=June 5, 1996 |access-date=September 9, 2021}}{{cite news |title='It's Almost Comical:' Starbucks Is Blatantly Trying to Crush Its Union |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/its-almost-comical-starbucks-is-blatantly-trying-to-crush-its-union/ |first=Lauren |last=Gurley |website=Vice |date=September 8, 2021 |access-date=September 9, 2021}} Starbucks requested that the National Labor Relations Board include all Buffalo Starbucks locations in the union vote, however, the NLRB rejected this argument and declared store by store elections.{{cite news |last1=Duff |first1=Owen |date=October 16, 2021 |title=Starbucks May Be Hiding the Real Reason Behind Store Closures In New York |url=https://www.eatthis.com/news-starbucks-hiding-real-reason-behind-store-closures/ |access-date=October 19, 2021 |work=Eat This Not That |language=en}} Finally, on December 9, 2021, the workers at the Elmwood Avenue store became the first unionized Starbucks workers at a Starbucks owned location in the United States with a 19–8 vote. The Camp Road location voted 12–8 not to be in the union. Starbucks does have unionized locations in other countries.

On December 13, workers at two Boston area locations petitioned the NLRB for union elections to be unionize with Workers United. The workers cited the win in Buffalo as inspiration for organizing. Workers in at least one location had most cards signed within a day.{{Cite news|last=Eidelson|first=Josh|date=December 13, 2021|title=Starbucks Workers Push to Unionize in Boston Area After N.Y. Win|work=Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-14/starbucks-workers-push-to-unionize-in-boston-area-after-n-y-win|access-date=December 13, 2021}}

In February 2022, Starbucks fired seven workers in Memphis who had led the unionization effort and temporarily closed the store.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60312013|title=Starbucks fires organisers as union threat grows|access-date=February 9, 2022|date=February 8, 2022|work=BBC}}

In August 2022, the National Labor Relations Board accused the company of illegally discriminating against unionized workers by refusing them wage and benefit increases and requesting restitution. It also asked that the CEO at the time, Howard Schultz, or a board official read a notice about this purportedly unlawful move.{{Cite news |last=Scheiber |first=Noam |date=August 25, 2022 |title=Starbucks Illegally Denied Raises to Union Members, Labor Board Says |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/25/business/economy/starbucks-union-howard-schultz-nlrb.html |access-date=August 26, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}

As of August 2022, unions were certified at 211 locations in the US.{{Cite news |last=Haddon |first=Heather |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Starbucks Is Rethinking Almost Everything, Including How to Make Frappuccinos |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-howard-schultz-change-frappuccinos-11661888871 |access-date=September 1, 2022 |work=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}}

On November 17, 2022, Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day and one of the busiest days for employees, over 100 locations had employees go on strike. The workers were seeking higher staffing levels, better wages, and consistent schedules.{{cite news |last=Durbin |first=Dee-Ann |url=https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-walkout-red-cup-day-386896c728bc4a66d1aa51aa002fb1ba |title=Starbucks workers strike at more than 100 US stores |work=Associated Press |date=November 17, 2022 |access-date=November 17, 2022 }}

Most unionization efforts are made through SBWU (Starbucks Workers United). There are over 9,000 American locations, but since the first unionized location in New York in 2021, less than 3% have voted to unionize. SBWU and Starbucks have yet to successfully negotiate a contract. Starbucks claims in a letter and on its website that the Workers United has delayed bargaining, has illegally broadcast bargaining sessions, refused to meet in person, and that Starbucks has reported more than 22 unfair labor practice charges to the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board).{{Cite web |title=Starbucks says it wants union bargaining to begin |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/26/starbucks-says-it-wants-union-bargaining-to-begin.html |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=CNBC |date=September 26, 2022 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Starbucks says union broke rules by recording talks in 5 places |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-starbucks-union-20221026-uwnjd62ucjhllevnlftllivfki-story.html |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=Chicago Tribune|date=October 26, 2022 }} By March 2023, the NLRB found no merit in Starbucks's complaints and instead ruled that it was Starbucks who refused to bargain.{{cite news |url=https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/3/28/23659846/starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-senate-union-busting |website=Vox |title=Starbucks won't admit to breaking the law by union busting |date=March 29, 2023 |access-date=March 31, 2023 |last=Molla |first=Rani}}

On June 23, 2023, Starbucks workers at unionized stores went on strike over the company's stance on in-store LGBT pride decorations.{{cite news |last=Saric |first=Ivana |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/06/23/starbucks-union-strike-pride-decorations |title=More than 150 Starbucks stores to strike over Pride decor, union says |work=Axios |date=June 23, 2023 |access-date=June 23, 2023 }}

File:Starbucks stores graph.png

File:Lody marki Starbucks.jpg

In January 2008, Starbucks began a "skinny" line of drinks, offering lower-calorie and sugar-free versions of the company's offered drinks that use skim milk, and can be sweetened by a choice of natural sweeteners (such as raw sugar, agave syrup, or honey), artificial sweeteners (such as Sweet'N Low, Splenda, Equal), or one of the company's sugar-free syrup flavors.{{cite news | url=https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/the-skinny-at-starbucks/ | title=The Skinny at Starbucks | first=TARA | last=PARKER-POPE | work=The New York Times | date=January 15, 2008 | url-access=subscription}}{{cite news | title=Starbucks Latte And Mocha Offerings Get A Skinny Makeover To Help Coffee Lovers Feel Great In 2008 | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2007/starbucks-latte-and-mocha-offerings-get-a-skinny-makeover-to-help-coffee-lo/ | work=Starbucks | date=December 26, 2007}}

In 1997, Starbucks first offered non-dairy milk at its U.S. stores with the introduction of soy milk.{{cite news | first=Rebekah | last=Schouten |url=https://www.bakemag.com/articles/14432-starbucks-adds-oatmilk-and-more-to-spring-menu | title=Starbucks adds oat milk and more to spring menu | work=Bake | date=March 2, 2021}}

In 2007, Starbucks stopped using milk originating from rBGH-treated cows.{{cite news | last=Gillam | first=Carey | title=Starbucks plans switch to growth-hormone-free milk | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/health-starbucks-milk-dc/starbucks-plans-switch-to-growth-hormone-free-milk-idUKN1620624620070116 | work=Reuters | date=January 21, 2007}} The company also adopted a new dairy standard for all espresso-based drinks, switching from whole to 2% reduced fat milk.{{Cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/starbucks-will-switch-to-2-percent-milk/ | title=Starbucks Will Switch To 2 Percent Milk | work=CBS News | date=June 1, 2007}}

In 2015, Starbucks began serving coconut milk.{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/02/04/starbucks-fast-food-restaurants-coconut-milk/22862931/ | title=Starbucks to roll out coconut milk option | first=Bruce | last=Horovitz | work=USA Today | date=February 4, 2015}} In 2016, it began serving almond milk.{{Cite news | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2016/08/15/starbucks-introduction-of-almond-milk-is-an-investment-in-the-future/ | title=Starbucks' Introduction Of Almond Milk Is An Investment In The Future | work=Forbes | date=August 15, 2016}} In January 2020, oat milk became available nationally.{{cite news | url=https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/starbucks-adds-oat-milk-drink-amid-growing-demand-for-vegan-options/Erwi9offIPAYd7CKBwq7rM/ | first=Kiersten | last=Willis | title=Starbucks adds oat milk drink amid growing demand for vegan options | work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution | date=January 28, 2020}}Schouten. The company also offers non-dairy creamers at retail in partnership with Nestle SA.

CEO Kevin Johnson said in a 2020 interview that, milk substitutes will be a big part of reducing carbon emissions.{{Cite news | first=Eric | last=Pfanner | url=https://financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/starbucks-to-push-customers-to-ditch-dairy-for-alternative-milk-as-it-moves-to-cut-carbon-footprint | title=Starbucks to push customers to ditch dairy for alternative milk as it moves to cut carbon footprint| agency=Bloomberg News | newspaper=Financial Post | date=January 21, 2020}} That effort has prompted vegans, environmentalists, people with lactose intolerance and others to urge the company to eliminate the upcharge for drinks made with dairy-free milk. PETA encouraged sit-ins at Starbucks locations and purchased Starbucks stock to draw attention to what they believe is an unfair charge.{{Cite news | first=Dillon | last=Thompson | url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/2020-02-07-vegans-starbucks-protest-dairy-milk-oat-peta-lactose-sitins-23920281.html | title=Vegans protest Starbucks over 'insane' policies: 'Everyone should be intolerant of cruelty | work=Yahoo! | date=February 6, 2020}} A Starbucks Canada spokesperson told ET Canada that customizations such as added flavours, non-dairy beverages or an additional shot of espresso, will incur an additional charge.{{cite news | first=Becca | last=Longmire | url=https://etcanada.com/news/750888/alan-cumming-writes-powerful-letter-to-starbucks-canada-urging-them-to-drop-the-extra-charges-on-vegan-milk/ | title=Alan Cumming Writes Powerful Letter To Starbucks Canada Urging Them To Drop The Extra Charges On Vegan Milk | work=ET Canada | date=February 25, 2021 | access-date=March 14, 2021 | archive-date=March 3, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303222255/https://etcanada.com/news/750888/alan-cumming-writes-powerful-letter-to-starbucks-canada-urging-them-to-drop-the-extra-charges-on-vegan-milk/ | url-status=dead }}

In December 2020, Starbucks announced it will offer Oatly oat milk in all US stores starting in spring 2021.{{cite web |last1=Callahan |first1=Chrissy |title=Your local Starbucks might be out of oat milk — here's why |url=https://www.today.com/food/starbucks-facing-oatly-oat-milk-shortage-today-t214169#:~:text=Back%20in%20December%2C%20the%20coffee,Midwest%20stores%20in%20January%202020. |website=TODAY.com |date=April 7, 2021 |access-date=December 1, 2021 |language=en}}

With the launch of their holiday menu in November 2024, Starbucks ended the upcharge for non-dairy milk additions to drinks.Christianne Hetzner,"[https://fortune.com/2024/10/31/starbucks-brian-niccol-nondairy-plant-based-milk-surcharge-vegan-tax/ Starbucks ends ‘vegan tax’ on nondairy milk as new CEO overhauls menu in face of customer exodus]," Fortune.com, October 31, 2024.

Ethos water, a brand of bottled water acquired by Starbucks in 2003, is sold at locations throughout North America. Ethos bottles feature prominent labeling stating "helping children get clean water", referring to the fact that US$0.05 from each US$1.80 bottle sold (US$0.10 per bottle in Canada) is used to fund clean water projects in underdeveloped areas. Although sales of Ethos water have raised over US$6.2 million for clean water efforts, the brand is not incorporated as a charity. Critics have argued that the claim on the label misleads consumers into thinking that Ethos is primarily a charitable organization when it is actually a for-profit brand and only 5 cents per bottle supports clean-water projects.{{cite news|last=Lenzer|first=Anna|date=April 29, 2015|title=Starbucks Wants You to Feel Good About Drinking Up California's Precious Water|work=Mother Jones|url=https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/04/starbucks-making-bank-californias-disappearing-water/}}{{cite news|last=Moyer|first=Justin Wm.|date=May 1, 2015|title=Starbucks's embarrassment: Ethos water comes from drought-ridden California|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/05/01/starbuckss-embarrassment-ethos-water-comes-from-drought-ridden-calfornia/}}

The founders of Ethos have stated that the brand is intended to raise awareness of third-world clean water issues and provide socially responsible consumers with an opportunity to support the cause by choosing Ethos over other brands.{{Cite news|last=Walker|first=Rob|date=February 26, 2006|title=Big Gulp|work=The New York Times Magazine|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/26/magazine/big-gulp.html}} Starbucks has since redesigned the American version of the Ethos water bottles, stating the amount of money donated per bottle in the description.{{cite web|title=Ethos® Bottled Water|url=https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/873068636/packaged|publisher=Starbucks}}

In March 2009, Starbucks introduced a line of instant coffee packets, called VIA "Ready Brew".{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/business/18sbux.html | title=Starbucks Coffee, Now in Instant | first=Claire Cain | last=Miller | work=The New York Times | date=February 17, 2009 | url-access=subscription}} It was first unveiled in New York City with subsequent testing of the product also in Seattle, Chicago, and London. The first two VIA flavors include Italian Roast and Colombia, which were then rolled out in October 2009, across the U.S. and Canada with Starbucks stores promoting the product with a blind "taste challenge" of the instant versus fresh roast, in which many people could not tell the difference between the instant and freshly brewed coffee. Financial analysts speculated that by introducing instant coffee, Starbucks would devalue its own brand.{{Cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB125418430092348015 | title=Starbucks Takes New Road With Instant Coffee |last=Jargon | first=Julie | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=September 30, 2009 | url-access=subscription | issn=0099-9660}}

In September 2012, Starbucks announced plans to introduce the Verismo, a consumer-grade single-serve coffee machine that uses sealed plastic cups of coffee grounds, and a "milk pod" for lattes.{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/20/business/starbucks-to-introduce-single-serve-coffee-maker.html | title=Starbucks to Introduce Single-Serve Coffee Maker | last=Strom | first=Stephanie | work=The New York Times | date=September 20, 2012 | url-access=subscription |issn=0362-4331}}

In November 2012, Starbucks Verismo became publicly available, consisting of a line of coffee makers that brew espresso and regular chocolate from coffee capsules, a type of pre-apportioned single-use container of ground coffee and flavourings utilizing the K-Fee pod system.{{cite magazine|last=Wakelin |first=Nicole|date=November 18, 2012|title=The New Starbucks Verismo Single-Serve Home Coffee Brewer|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/2012/11/starbucks-verismo/}}

In a brief review of the 580 model, Consumer Reports described the results of a comparative test of the Verismo 580 against two competitive brands: {{Blockquote|text=Because you have to conduct a rinse cycle between each cup, the Verismo wasn't among the most convenient of single-serve machines in our coffeemaker tests. Other machines we've tested have more flexibility in adjusting brew-strength—the Verismo has buttons for coffee, espresso, and latte with no strength variation for any type. And since Starbucks has limited its coffee selection to its own brand, there are only eight varieties so far plus a milk pod for the latte.{{Long quote|date=January 2022}}{{cite web|last=Perratore|first=Ed|date=October 17, 2012|title=Does the Verismo coffeemaker deliver true Starbucks flavor?|url=https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2012/10/does-the-verismo-coffeemaker-deliver-true-starbucks-flavor/index.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430030455/http://news.consumerreports.org/home/2012/10/do-you-get-true-starbucks-flavor-with-its-verismo-coffeemaker.html|archive-date=April 30, 2013|publisher=Consumer Reports}}}}

As of December 31, 2020, Starbucks has discontinued producing their own K-Fee pods for Verismo machines, however, third-party companies continue to produce coffee pods for K-Fee machines, of which the Starbucks Verismo is compatible.{{cite web |title=Starbucks Verismo Compatibility – K-fee USA |url=https://k-fee.us/pages/starbucks-verismo-compatibility |website=K-fee USA |publisher=Kruger North America |access-date=March 9, 2025}}

In 2010, Starbucks began selling alcoholic beverages at some stores in the United States.{{cite news| last=Miller| first=Michael| title=Wine, beer at Starbucks?| url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-xpm-2012-04-04-tn-hbi-0405-starbucks-20120404-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times | date=April 5, 2012 | url-access=subscription}} In August 2014, Starbucks opened its first store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn which by then was among 30 locations serving beer and wine.{{cite news |title=New Starbucks in Williamsburg to Serve Alcohol | url=https://thirstymag.com/new-starbucks-williamsburg-serve-alcohol/ | newspaper=Thirsty NYC | date=August 19, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822012505/http://thirstynyc.com/new-starbucks-williamsburg-serve-alcohol/ | archive-date=August 22, 2014}}

In 2016, three locations within Toronto, Ontario also announced they were going to serve alcohol, including up-scale appetizers like bacon-wrapped dates and truffle mac and cheese.{{Cite news|date=April 1, 2016|title=Selected Canadian Starbucks begin serving booze on Tuesday|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/starbucks-alcohol-1.3515092|access-date=October 1, 2021}}

Starbucks ensures that the selected locations that serve alcohol are able to accommodate the community, as well as have the space for extra seating and storage.

On November 10, 2011, Starbucks acquired juice company Evolution Fresh for US$30 million in cash and planned to start a chain of juice bars starting in around the middle of 2012, venturing into territory staked out by Jamba Inc. Its first store released in San Bernardino, California and plans for a store in San Francisco were to be launched in early 2013.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-starbucks/starbucks-to-open-u-s-juice-bars-in-2012-idUSLNE7AA01H20111111 | title=Starbucks to open U.S. juice bars in 2012 | first=Lisa | last=Baertlein | work=Reuters | date=November 11, 2011}}

In March 2012, Starbucks began selling a line of iced Starbucks Refresher beverages that contain a green coffee extract. The beverages are fruit flavored and contain caffeine but advertised as having no coffee flavor. Starbucks's green coffee extraction process involves soaking the beans in water.{{cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2012/starbucks-announces-beverage-innovation-using-green-coffee-extract-with-sta/ | title=Starbucks Announces Beverage Innovation Using Green Coffee Extract with Starbucks Refreshers Beverage Platform | work=Starbucks | date=March 21, 2012}}

In June 2014, Starbucks began trialing its own line of carbonated sodas, dubbed "Fizzio". The drinks required a special machine to make.{{cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2014/starbucks-expands-cold-beverage-line-up-with-new-fizzio-handcrafted-sodas-a/ | title=Starbucks Introduces New Fizzio Handcrafted Sodas and Teavana Shaken Iced Tea | work=Starbucks | date=June 23, 2014}}

In January 2022, Starbucks launched a line of canned energy drinks, called "Baya". The drink contains caffeine from the coffee fruit.{{Cite web|title=New Starbucks BAYA Energy Launches in Grocery Stores Nationwide|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/new-starbucks-baya-energy-launches-in-grocery-stores-nationwide/|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=Starbucks Stories|language=en-us}}{{Cite web|author=Danielle Wiener-Bronner |title=Starbucks is launching an energy drink|url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/25/business/starbucks-new-drinks-energy/index.html|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=CNN|date=January 25, 2022 }}

{{Main|Starbucks Red Cup}}

Each year between November–January, Starbucks releases new holiday merchandise, including new paper cups with various festive designs.{{Cite news|last=Filloon|first=Whitney|date=November 10, 2015|title=Starbucks' Holiday Cup Controversies, Explained|url=https://www.eater.com/2015/11/10/9705570/starbucks-holiday-red-cups-controversy-history|access-date=October 2, 2021|website=Eater|language=en}}

In March 2017, Starbucks announced the launch of two new limited-edition specialty drinks made from beans aged in whiskey barrels at its Seattle roastery.{{cite news | title=Starbucks First Barrel-Aged Coffee Debuts at Seattle Roastery | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2017/starbucks-barrel-aged-coffee-debuts-at-seattle-roastery/ | work=Starbucks | date=March 6, 2017}} Starbucks's barrel-aged coffee will be sold with a small batch of unroasted Starbucks Reserve Sulawesi beans, which are then hand-scooped into whiskey barrels from Washington state.{{cite news | url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/03/07/news/companies/starbucks-whiskey-coffee/ |title=Starbucks unveils whiskey barrel-aged coffee. Yum! | first=Paul R. | last=La Monica |work=CNN | date=March 7, 2017}}

In February 2023, Starbucks announced it would introduce a line of coffee drinks made with extra virgin olive oil, including lattes, shaken espresso, and cold brews. This would not be a limited-time offering, but rather "'one of the biggest launches we’ve had in decades,'" according to Brady Brewer, the company's chief marketing officer. The goal was to create a new category of beverage. Unlike other drinks, this came about because of the habits of then-CEO Howard Schultz, who was introduced to consuming a teaspoon of olive oil each day by an olive oil producer he met in Sicily. The drinks were initially available in Italy and later expanded to stores in Southern California in spring 2023 and then the UK, Middle East, and Japan later the same year.{{Cite web |last=Wiener-Bronner |first=Danielle |date=February 21, 2023 |title=Starbucks' new drinks have a spoonful of olive oil in every cup {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/21/business/starbucks-oleato/index.html |access-date=January 6, 2025 |website=CNN |language=en}} After its launch, CNN reported some customers reported digestive distress after drinking the beverages.{{Cite web |last=Maruf |first=Ramishah |date=April 8, 2023 |title=Some customers are complaining the new olive oil-infused Starbucks drink is making them run to the bathroom {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/08/business/starbucks-oleato-drink-stomach-issues/index.html |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=CNN |language=en}}

In January 2024, the company said it would introduce the beverages nationwide in the US as well as in Canada, France, and China.{{Cite web |last=Valinsky |first=Jordan |date=January 30, 2024 |title=Starbucks is launching its olive oil-infused beverages nationwide {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/30/food/starbucks-oleato-nationwide-launch/index.html |access-date=January 30, 2024 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=lkami |date=January 29, 2024 |title=Starbucks Oleato |url=https://about.starbucks.com/stories/2024/starbucks-oleato/ |access-date=January 6, 2025 |website=About Starbucks |language=en-US}} The Oleato beverages were permanently discontinued in November 2024.{{Cite web |last=Sirtori |first=Daniela |date=October 29, 2024 |title=Starbucks Is Pulling Olive Oil Drinks to Pare 'Complex' Menu |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-29/starbucks-sbux-pulls-olive-oil-drinks-as-holiday-menu-launches |access-date=January 6, 2025 |website=www.bloomberg.com}}

In May 2008, a loyalty program was introduced for registered users of the Starbucks Card (previously simply a gift card) offering perks such as free Wi-Fi Internet access, no charge for soy milk and flavored syrups, and free refills on brewed drip coffee, iced coffee, or tea.{{cite web | url=https://www.starbucks.com/rewards#starcode | title=Card Rewards | publisher=Starbucks.com}} Each time a customer purchases a drink, they will earn stars if they present their rewards card or scan their card from the mobile app.{{Cite web|last1=Elliott|first1=Megan|date=November 4, 2018|title=How Does the Starbucks Rewards Program Work? Here's How to Get a Free Starbucks Drink|url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/how-does-the-starbucks-rewards-program-work-heres-how-to-get-a-free-starbucks-drink.html/|access-date=October 1, 2021|website=Showbiz Cheat Sheet|language=en-US|archive-date=August 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811023018/https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/how-does-the-starbucks-rewards-program-work-heres-how-to-get-a-free-starbucks-drink.html/|url-status=dead}} Eventually, these stars accumulate to allow customers to redeem for perks such as free drinks, free add-ins, free bakery items or selected merchandise.

In 2009, Starbucks began beta testing its mobile app for the Starbucks card, a stored value system in which consumers access pre-paid funds to purchase products at Starbucks.{{cite journal | url=https://scholarship.law.stjohns.edu/lawreview/vol88/iss1/4/ | last=Roark | first=Marc | title=Payment Systems, Consumer Tragedy, and Ineffective Remedies | journal=St. Johns Law Review |year=2014 | volume=86 | ssrn=2211013}} Starbucks released its complete mobile platform in January 2011.{{Cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2011/mobile-payment-debuts-nationally-at-starbucks/ | title=Mobile Payment Debuts Nationally at Starbucks | work=Starbucks | date=January 18, 2011}}{{Cite news | url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/mobile/01/19/starbucks.payment.mashable/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120050537/http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/mobile/01/19/starbucks.payment.mashable/index.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 20, 2011 | title=Starbucks starts accepting mobile payments nationwide | first=Jennifer | last=Van Grove | agency=Mashable | via=CNN | date=January 19, 2011}} By December 2011, the number of mobile transactions exceeded 26 million.{{Cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2011/starbucks-mobile-transactions-exceed-26-million-within-first-year/ | title=Starbucks Mobile Transactions Exceed 26 Million Within First Year | work=Starbucks | date=December 5, 2011}}

In August 2002, Starbucks provided free Wi-Fi in the United Kingdom, although in the past, a Starbucks rewards card was required.{{Cite news | url=https://www.engadget.com/2011-10-07-starbucks-brews-up-free-two-click-wifi-in-the-uk.html | title=Starbucks brews up free, two-click Wi-Fi in the UK | first=Lydia | last=Leavitt | work=Engadget | date=October 7, 2011}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.theregister.com/2004/03/24/starbucks_brings_wifi/ | title=Starbucks brings Wi-Fi to 154 UK stores | first=Tony | last=Smith | work=The Register | date=March 24, 2004}}

On July 1, 2010, Starbucks offered free Wi-Fi in all of its stores in the U.S. and Canada.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/15/technology/15starbux.html | work=The New York Times | title=Starbucks to Offer Free Wi-Fi | first=Claire Cain | last=Miller | date=June 14, 2010 | url-access=subscription}}{{cite news | url=https://www.thestar.com/business/2010/06/30/starbucks_offers_free_wifi_in_canada.html | title=Starbucks offers free Wi-Fi in Canada | first=Emily |last=Mathieu | work=Toronto Star | date=June 30, 2010}}{{cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2010/starbucks-turns-on-free-wi-fi-for-customers-july-1st/ | title=Starbucks Turns on Free Wi-Fi for Customers July 1st | work=Starbucks | date=June 29, 2010}}

In August 2010, Starbucks began offering free Wi-Fi in Germany via BT Openzone.{{cite news | url=https://www.retailtimes.co.uk/starbucks-offers-free-wi-fi-in-germany/ | title=Starbucks offers free Wi-Fi in Germany | work=Retail Times | date=August 24, 2010 | access-date=April 19, 2021 | archive-date=April 19, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419142753/https://www.retailtimes.co.uk/starbucks-offers-free-wi-fi-in-germany/ | url-status=dead }}

In October 2012, Starbucks and Duracell Powermat announced a pilot program to install Powermat charging surfaces in the tabletops in selected Starbucks stores in the Boston area.{{cite news | url=https://www.boston.com/business/technology/innoeco/2012/10/starbucks_picks_boston_for_pil.html | title=Starbucks picks Boston for pilot test of wire less charging in partnership with Duracell Powermat | first=Scott | last=Kirsner | work=The Boston Globe | date=October 29, 2012}} Furthermore, Starbucks announced its support in the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) and its membership in the PMA board, along with Google and AT&T, in an effort to create "a real-world ecosystem of wireless power" through a universal wireless charging standard that customers could use to recharge smartphones.{{cite news | url=https://www.engadget.com/2012-10-29-pma-starbucks-google-att.html |title=Boston-area Starbucks testing wireless smartphone charging; Starbucks, Google and AT&T back PMA standard | first=Ben | last=Gilbert | work=Engadget | date=October 29, 2012}}

In 2013, it switched providers in the U.S. from AT&T to Google.{{cite news | url=https://www.cnet.com/news/at-starbucks-at-t-is-out-and-google-is-in-for-wi-fi/ | title=At Starbucks, AT&T is out and Google is in for Wi-Fi | first=Shara |last=Tibken | work=CNET | date=July 31, 2013}}

In August 2016, startup company FluxPort introduced Qi inductive charging pads at select locations in Germany.{{Cite press release | url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fluxport-brings-qi-wireless-charging-to-starbucks-coffee-houses-300317457.html | title=FluxPort Brings Qi Wireless Charging to Starbucks Coffee Houses | publisher=PR Newswire | date=August 24, 2016}}

File:Starbucks Map.svg

The company's headquarters is the Starbucks Center in Seattle, Washington, United States, where 3,501 people worked as of January 2015.{{cite news | last=Lerman | first=Rachel | title=Starbucks confirms layoffs at Seattle headquarters | date=January 15, 2014 | work=American City Business Journals | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2015/01/starbucks-confirms-layoffs-at-seattle-headquarters.html}} The main building in the Starbucks complex in SODO was previously a Sears mail order distribution center until 1987.{{cite news |last=Moriwaki |first=Lee |date=June 7, 1997 |title=Old Sears named Starbucks headquarters |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19970607&slug=2543322 |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=August 29, 2024}}

In addition to drinks and food, many stores carry Starbucks' official merchandise, such as mugs, tumblers, scoops, and coffee presses. There are also several select "Starbucks Evenings" locations that offer beer, wine, and appetizers. Starbucks-brand coffee, ice cream, and bottled cold coffee drinks are sold at grocery stores in the United States and other countries. In 2010, the company began its Starbucks Reserve program for single-origin coffees and high-end coffee shops. It planned to open 1,000 Reserve coffee shops by the end of 2017.{{Cite news | last=Robinson | first=Melia | title=Starbucks is opening premium stores where you can buy coffee flights and cold-brew floats — take a look inside | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-starbucks-reserve-bar-what-its-like-2017-7 | work=Business Insider | date=July 29, 2017}} However, since succeeding Schultz, Johnson has scaled back the Reserve coffee shops to only six to ten shops.{{Cite news |last=Jargon |first=Julie |title=Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson Reins In Predecessor's Ambitions: 'I'm Not Howard' |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-ceo-kevin-johnson-reins-in-predecessors-ambitions-im-not-howard-11546857001 |access-date=March 30, 2023 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=January 7, 2019 |language=en-US}} Further development on Reserve coffee shops will be dependent on the success of the few already in existence. Currently, Starbucks operates six coffee roasteries with tasting rooms and 43 coffee bars as part of the program.

{{As of|2023|February}}, Starbucks had 36,171 locations open across 83 countries, with 61% of the locations operating in the U.S. and China, and the rest operating elsewhere.{{Cite web |title=Starbucks FY22 Annual Report |url=https://s22.q4cdn.com/869488222/files/doc_financials/2023/ar/Starbucks-FY22-Annual-Report.pdf |author=Starbucks |access-date=February 21, 2023}}{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2023 |title=Starbucks Reports Q1 Fiscal 2023 Results |url=https://investor.starbucks.com/press-releases/financial-releases/press-release-details/2023/Starbucks-Reports-Q1-Fiscal-2023-Results/default.aspx |access-date=February 21, 2023 |website=investor.starbucks.com |language=en-US}} In February 2024, the chain unveiled a new store design aimed at improving accessibility. The first location to use this design is the Washington, D.C. Union Market store. The company plans for all future company-owned stores to adopt a similar design.{{Cite web |last=Lucas |first=Amelia |date=February 16, 2024 |title=Starbucks has a new accessible store design. Take a look inside |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/16/starbucks-has-a-new-accessible-store-design-take-a-look-inside.html |access-date=February 17, 2024 |website=CNBC |language=en}}

File:Starbucks-germany.jpg, Germany, 2004]]In 1998, Starbucks entered the United Kingdom market with the US$83 million acquisition of the then 56-outlet, UK-based Seattle Coffee Company, re-branding all those stores as Starbucks.{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/28/world/mcdonald-s-corp-betting-that-coffee-is-britain-s-cup-of-tea.html | title=McDonald's Corp. Betting That Coffee Is Britain's Cup of Tea | newspaper=The New York Times | agency=Associated Press | date=March 28, 1999 | url-access=subscription | issn=0362-4331}}

In October 2002, Starbucks established a coffee trading company in Lausanne, Switzerland, to handle purchases of green coffee.{{Cite news | title=Starbucks establishes coffee trading company in Switzerland | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2002/10/14/daily35.html | work=American City Business Journals | date=October 17, 2002}} All other coffee-related business continued to be managed from Seattle. In September 2007, the company opened its first store in Russia, ten years after first registering a trademark there.{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/07/business/worldbusiness/07sbux.html | title=After Long Dispute, a Russian Starbucks | last=Kramer | first=Andrew E. | work=The New York Times | date=September 7, 2007 | url-access=subscription | issn=0362-4331}} After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on May 21, 2022, Starbucks announced closure of all outlets in Russia,{{Cite web|language=en-us|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/update-to-starbucks-partners-on-our-business-in-russia/|title=Update to Starbucks partners on our business in Russia|website=Starbucks Stories|access-date=June 12, 2022}} and in July it was revealed that a local restaurant manager, Anton Pinsky, is going to acquire Starbucks' Russian operating company OOO Starbucks and all its 130 stores.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazeta.ru/business/news/2022/07/07/18079538.shtml|title=«Ведомости» узнали, кто может купить бизнес Starbucks в России - Газета.Ru | Новости|date=August 14, 2024|website=Газета.Ru}} In 2008, Starbucks opened in Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Portugal.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8505866/Forty-years-young-A-history-of-Starbucks.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8505866/Forty-years-young-A-history-of-Starbucks.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-status=live |title=Forty years young: A history of Starbucks | work=The Daily Telegraph | date=May 11, 2011 | url-access=subscription}}{{cbignore}}

File:Starbucks Cafe in Warsaw, Poland.jpg, Poland, 2014]]

In April 2009, Starbucks opened in Poland.{{cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2009/starbucks-announces-the-opening-of-its-first-store-in-poland/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010184747/https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-announces-the-opening-of-its-first-store-in-poland | archive-date=October 10, 2016 | title=Starbucks Announces the Opening of its First Store in Poland | work=Starbucks | date=April 6, 2009 | url-status=live}} In February 2010, Starbucks opened in Arlanda Airport outside Stockholm, its first location in Sweden.{{cite news | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/starbucks-opens-first-shop-in-sweden-its-53rd-country/ | title=Starbucks opens first shop in Sweden, its 53rd country | first=Melissa | last=Allison | work=The Seattle Times | date=February 18, 2010}} In June 2010, Starbucks opened its first store in Budapest, Hungary. In February 2011, Starbucks started selling its coffee in Norway by supplying Norwegian food shops with their roasts. The first Starbucks-branded Norwegian shop opened in February 2012, at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen.{{Cite news | url=https://www.norwegianamerican.com/oslo-airport-gets-fresh-coffee-on-wheels/ | title=Oslo Airport gets fresh coffee on wheels | work=The Norwegian American | date=July 23, 2015}}

File:Starbucks in Finland.jpg in Vantaa, Finland, 2018]]

In May 2012, Starbucks opened its first coffeehouse in Finland, with the location being Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in Vantaa.{{cite news | title=Starbucks Opens First Store in Finland at Helsinki Airport | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2012/starbucks-opens-first-store-in-finland-at-helsinki-airport/ | work=Starbucks | date=May 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112211517/http://news.starbucks.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=654 | archive-date=January 12, 2013 | url-status=live}} In August 2013, the first Starbucks inside Dansk Supermarked opened in the department stores Salling in Aalborg and Aarhus in Denmark.{{cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2013/starbucks-opens-in-salling-department-store/ | title=Starbucks Opens in Salling Department Store | work=Starbucks | date=August 4, 2013}} In April 2014, Starbucks announced a store in Azerbaijan, in the Port Baku Mall.{{cite news | url=https://azeriamericanews.com/2014/04/21/starbucks-coffee-shop-chain-will-be-opened-in-baku-azerbaijan/ | title=Starbucks coffee shop chain will be opened in Baku, Azerbaijan – Azeri America News | publisher=Azeriamericanews.com | date=April 21, 2014}} In November 2014, Starbucks announced its first Channel Island store, in the primary business area of St Peter Port in Guernsey.{{cite news | url=https://www.itv.com/news/channel/update/2014-11-28/starbucks-comes-to-guernsey/ | title=Starbucks comes to Guernsey | work=ITV News | date=November 28, 2014}}

On April 21, 2015, Kesko, the second largest retailer in Finland, announced its partnership with Starbucks, with stores opened next to K-Citymarket hypermarkets.{{cite news | url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/starbucks-to-open-within-kesko-stores-in-finland-2015-04-21 | title=Starbucks to open within Kesko Stores in Finland | first=Dominic | last=Chopping | work=MarketWatch | date=April 21, 2015 | url-access=limited}} As of June 2017, three stores had been opened next to K-Citymarkets: In Sello in Espoo and in Myyrmanni and Jumbo in Vantaa.

In February 2016, Howard Schultz announced the opening of stores in Italy. The first Italian Starbucks store was inaugurated in Milan on September 6, 2018, at which point Starbucks already had locations in 78 countries.{{cite web | url=https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/18_agosto_28/milano-conto-rovescia-starbucks-6-settembre-inaugurazione-5a3cd2ba-aaab-11e8-8af0-f325f3df3076.shtml | title=Milano, conto alla rovescia per Starbucks: il 6 settembre l'inaugurazione | trans-title=Milan, countdown for Starbucks: inauguration day will be September 6 | language=it | date=August 28, 2018}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/after-25-000-stores-in-78-countries-starbucks-turns-to-italy-1536206460 | title=After 25,000 Stores in 78 Countries, Starbucks Turns to Italy | first=Eric | last=Sylvers | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=September 6, 2018 | url-access=subscription}}{{cite news |title=Starbucks to Open Stores in Italy | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2016/starbucks-announces-it-will-open-stores-in-italy-in-2017/ |website=Starbucks | date=February 28, 2016}}{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-coffee/coffee-rivals-square-off-in-italy-ahead-of-starbucks-invasion-idUSKCN1BT1MM | title=Coffee rivals square off in Italy ahead of Starbucks invasion | first=Francesca | last=Landini | work=Reuters | date=September 19, 2017}}{{cite news | url=https://www.thelocal.it/20170216/starbucks-prepares-to-open-up-to-300-stores-in-italy | title=Get ready: Up to 300 Starbucks stores are coming to Italy | work=The Local |date=February 16, 2017}} In May 2016, the first Starbucks store in Slovakia opened in Aupark, in Bratislava.{{cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2016/starbucks-opens-first-store-in-slovakia/ | title=Starbucks Opens its First Store in Slovakia | work=Starbucks | date=June 7, 2016}}{{Cite news | url=https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20178249/starbucks-opens-in-slovakia.html |title=Starbucks opens in Slovakia | work=The Slovak Spectator |date=May 31, 2016}} In June 2018, Starbucks announced the opening of stores in Serbia.{{Cite news | url=https://rs.n1info.com/english/news/a393731-starbucks-coming-to-serbia/ | title=First Starbucks in Serbia this year | work=N1 | date=June 4, 2018}} The first store was opened in April 2019 at Rajiceva Mall. On June 1, 2019, Starbucks opened its first coffee store in Valletta, Malta, the 80th country to have a Starbucks outlet.{{Cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2019/starbucks-welcomes-first-customers-in-malta/ | title=Starbucks Welcomes First Customers in Malta | work=Starbucks | date=June 1, 2019}}

File:Seremban 2 Starbucks 1.jpg, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, in 2021]]

In July 1996, the first Starbucks location opened outside of North America: a store in Tokyo, Japan.{{cite news | last=Szabo | first=Liz | title=Launching Starbucks In Japan -- First Of 15 Stores To Open | url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19960729&slug=2341589 | work=The Seattle Times | date=July 29, 1996}} Its 300th store opened in October 2001.{{cite news |title=Brewing big bucks in Japan |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes20011022-1.2.30.1 |work=Business Times (Singapore) |date=October 22, 2001}}

Starbucks in Japan is described by Bloomberg as appealing to "New Japan" with its patrons being women at their 20s and 30s who prefer premium coffee and "trendy, no-smoking environment".{{cite news |title=Troubled brew |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20030611-1.2.34.1 |work=Today (Singaporean newspaper) |agency=Bloomberg |date=June 11, 2003}}

On December 4, 1997, the Philippines became the third market to open outside of North America.{{cite news | last=Lim Uy | first=Sasha | title=Do You Remember the First Starbucks in the Philippines? | url=https://www.esquiremag.ph/food-and-drink/food/do-you-remember-the-first-starbucks-in-the-philippines-a00204-20171201 | work=Esquire | location=Philippines | date=December 1, 2017}}{{cite news | title=Starbucks in the Philippines | url=https://www.starbucks.ph/about-us/our-heritage/starbucks-philippines | publisher=Starbucks | access-date=April 19, 2021 | archive-date=January 29, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129154122/https://www.starbucks.ph/about-us/our-heritage/starbucks-philippines | url-status=dead }}

The first Starbucks store in Malaysia opened in December 1998.{{cite news |title=Malaysia's Berjaya Food to open licensed Starbucks stores in three Nordic markets |url=https://www.worldcoffeeportal.com/Latest/News/2024/August/Malaysia-s-Berjaya-Food-to-license-Starbucks-store |work=World Coffee Portal |date=August 5, 2024 |quote=Berjaya Food partnered with US coffee giant Starbucks in December 1998 with a store in Kuala Lumpur...}}

In 2000, Starbucks opened its location in the Forbidden City in Beijing, however, in July 2007, this location was closed after years of controversy since its opening in 2000 with protesters objecting that the presence of the American chain in this location "was trampling on Chinese culture".{{cite news | title=Starbucks closes coffeehouse in Beijing's Forbidden City | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/world/americas/15iht-starbucks.4.6664994.html | work=The New York Times | date=July 15, 2007 | url-access=subscription}}{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6898629.stm | title=Forbidden City Starbucks closes | work=BBC News |date=July 14, 2007}}

File:Starbucks at the Forbidden City.jpg, Beijing, China, 2005; closed in 2007]]Between 2001 and 2003, Starbucks opened six (of 80 planned) locations in Israel{{Cite web | url=https://tlv1.fm/business/2016/08/15/why-starbucks-failed-in-israel/ | title=Why Starbucks Failed in Israel | date=August 15, 2016}} and having struggled with fierce local competition, Starbucks, along with its partner Delek,{{cite news | url=https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Starbucks-to-end-Israeli-partnership-1111078.php | title=Starbucks to end Israeli partnership | work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | date=March 31, 2003}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.haaretz.com/1.4779709 | title=All Six Starbucks Cafes in Israel to Shut Down at End of Week | first=Ayala | last=Tsoref | work=Haaretz | date=April 1, 2003}} however, in April 2003, after losing US$6 million Starbucks Israel closed all six of its locations in Israel, citing "on-going operational challenges" and a "difficult business environment".{{cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2014/facts-about-starbucks-in-the-middle-east/ | title=Facts about Starbucks in the Middle East | work=Starbucks | date=August 5, 2014}}{{cite web | url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/starbucks-in-israel/ | title=Starbucks closes outlets in Israel | date=March 20, 2015 | publisher=Snopes}}

In January 2011, Starbucks and Tata Coffee, Asia's largest coffee plantation company, announced plans for a strategic alliance to bring Starbucks to India and also to source and roast coffee beans at Tata Coffee's Kodagu facility.{{cite news |url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/tata-coffee-brings-starbucks-to-india/421757/ |title=Tata Coffee brings Starbucks to India | work=Business Standard | date=January 14, 2011}}{{Cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2011/tata-coffee-starbucks-sign-mou-for-strategic-alliance-in-india/ | title=Tata Coffee & Starbucks Sign MoU for Strategic Alliance in India | work=Starbucks | date=January 12, 2011}}

In January 2011, Starbucks introduced its largest cup size, the Trenta, which can hold {{convert|31|USoz}}.{{cite news | last=Corbett | first=Alexandra| title=Thirsty? Starbucks Supersizes to the Trenta | url=https://dailyvoice.com/connecticut/norwalk/news/thirsty-starbucks-supersizes-to-the-trenta/413370/ | work=The Norwalk Daily Voice | date=January 18, 2011}}

In October 2011, Starbucks opened another location in Beijing, China, at the Beijing Capital International Airport's Terminal 3, international departures hall; making the company's 500th store in China. The store is the seventh location at the airport.{{cite press release | url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111025006612/en/Starbucks-Celebrates-Its-500th-Store-Opening-in-Mainland-China | title=Starbucks Celebrates Its 500th Store Opening in Mainland China | publisher=Business Wire | date=October 25, 2011}}

In January 2012, despite a false start in 2007,{{cite news | url=https://www.rediff.com/money/2007/jul/20star.htm | title=Starbucks postpones India entry, withdraws FIPB application | work=Rediff.com | date=July 20, 2007}}{{cite news | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2007/07/25/starbucks-delays-indian-chain-launch.html | title=Starbucks Delays Indian Chain Launch | agency=Associated Press | via=CNBC | date=July 25, 2007}} Starbucks created a 50:50 joint venture with Tata Global Beverages called Tata Starbucks. Tata Starbucks owned and operated Starbucks outlets in India as Starbucks Coffee "A Tata Alliance".{{cite news | title=Tata Global Beverages and Starbucks Form Joint Venture to Open Starbucks Cafés across India | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2012/tata-global-beverages-and-starbucks-form-joint-venture-to-open-starbucks-ca/ | work=Starbucks | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204124053/http://news.starbucks.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=616 | archive-date=February 4, 2012 | date=January 29, 2012 | url-status=live}} Starbucks opened its first store in India in Mumbai on October 19, 2012.{{cite news | title=Veni, Vidi, Venti: Starbucks Expands Its Global Reach to Mumbai | url=https://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/veni-vidi-venti-starbucks-expands-its-global-reach-mumbai | last=Khalid |first=Farisa | work=Asia Society | date=October 24, 2012}}{{cite news | title=Tata Coffee to close ranks with Starbucks | url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/tata-coffee-to-close-ranks-with-starbucks-112102500016_1.html | work=Business Standard | first=Raghuvir | last=Badrinath | date=January 25, 2013}}{{cite news |title=Starbucks creates a stir in India | url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/starbucks-creates-a-stir-in-india-1.371986 | last=Badrinath | first=Raghuvir | work=The National | date=October 25, 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026043333/http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/retail/starbucks-creates-a-stir-in-india | archive-date=October 26, 2012}}

On February 1, 2013, Starbucks opened its first store in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam,{{Cite news | url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2013/01/04/2003551703 | title=Starbucks to enter coffee-loving Vietnam | agency=Agence France-Presse | via=Taipei Times | date=January 4, 2013}}{{cite news |title=Starbucks to Open 1st Vietnam Cafe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/01/04/starbucks-open-vietnam-cafe/KBaiC1RvD0NM1cwlZakuVP/story.html | first=Mike | last=Ives | agency=Associated Press | via=The Boston Globe | date=January 4, 2013 | url-access=subscription}}{{cite news | url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/333836/starbucks-opens-first-store-in-vietnam | title=Starbucks opens first store in Vietnam | agency=Agence France-Presse | newspaper=Bangkok Post | date=February 1, 2013}} and its first location in Hanoi in July 2014.{{cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-opens-first-store-in-hanoi-1406117088 | title=Starbucks Opens First Store in Hanoi | first=Vu Trong | last=Khanh | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=July 23, 2014 | url-access=subscription}}

File:Starbucks-seoul.JPG, 2020]]In May 2014, the Starbucks operations in South Korea launched a mobile ordering system named Siren Order, accessible through a local version of the Starbucks smartphone application.{{cite news | last=Boden | first=Rian | title=Starbucks Korea lets customers place orders with their mobile phone, more countries to follow | url=https://www.nfcw.com/2014/06/04/329509/starbucks-korea-lets-customers-place-orders-mobile-phone-countries-follow/ | work=NFCW | date=June 4, 2014}}{{cite news | url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2017/11/694_228537.html | last=Park | first=Jae-hyuk | title=Starbucks Korea sees boom in mobile orders | work=The Korea Times |date=April 30, 2017}} In December 2014, Starbucks launched a similar system named Mobile Order & Pay, in Portland, Oregon.{{cite news |url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2014/starbucks-mobile-order-and-pay/ |title=Starbucks Launches Mobile Order & Pay in Portland; National Introduction in 2015 | work=Starbucks | date=December 5, 2014}} The expanded nationwide in 2015, and in late March 2018, the company opened the system, previously available to Starbucks Rewards members only, to all customers.{{cite news | title=Starbucks is bringing back a promotion that baristas hate — but there's a catch | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-happy-hour-deal-changes-2018-3 | last=Kate | first=Taylor | work=Business Insider | date=March 27, 2018}}{{cite news | title=Starbucks just quietly made a change that reveals the future of the company — here's how it works | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-mobile-order-and-pay-for-all-customers-2018-3 | last=Kate | first=Taylor | work=Business Insider | date=March 27, 2018}}

In September 2014, Starbucks announced the acquisition of the remaining 60.5% stake in Starbucks Coffee Japan that it did not already own, for US$913.5 million.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/instant-article/idUKKCN0HI2I820140924 | title=Starbucks buying full control of Japan unit for $914 million | first=Lisa | last=Baertlein | work=Reuters | date=September 23, 2014}}

In August 2015, Starbucks announced plans to open in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, its 16th market in the China/Asia Pacific region by the end of 2015.{{cite news | title=Starbucks Announces Plans to Bring its Unique Coffeehouse Experience to the Vibrant Cambodian Market | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/starbucks-to-enter-cambodia/ | website=Starbucks | date=August 26, 2015}}

On December 18, 2015, Starbucks opened in Almaty, Kazakhstan. On the next day, one more coffee shop was opened.{{cite news | title=Starbucks opens in Almaty | url=http://www.kazpravda.kz/en/rubric/eeu/starbucks-opens-in-almaty/}}

In December 2017, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery opened at HKRI Taikoo Hui in Shanghai, China, the only such location of its kind outside of Seattle.{{Cite web|last=Jacobs|first=Harrison|title=See inside the world's largest Starbucks, where 'coffee is theater' and the line is always down the block|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-reserve-roastery-shanghai-china-is-worlds-biggest-2018-4|access-date=October 24, 2021|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}

In November 2020, Starbucks announced that it plans to open an outlet in Laos.{{Cite news | title=Starbucks targets new market, in coffee exporting Laos | work=The Independent | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/starbucks-targets-new-market-in-coffee-exporting-laos-starbucks-outlet-laos-maxim-coffee-b1519025.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/starbucks-targets-new-market-in-coffee-exporting-laos-starbucks-outlet-laos-maxim-coffee-b1519025.html |archive-date=May 24, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | agency=Associated Press | date=November 2, 2020}}

File:Starbucks Truck NJ Turnpike.jpg in a rest area on the New Jersey Turnpike, 2018]]In September 2002, Starbucks opened its first store in Latin America, in Mexico City.{{Cite news | title=Starbucks Opens Coffee Shop in Mexico | url=https://www.voanews.com/archive/starbucks-opens-coffee-shop-mexico-2002-09-07 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728032348/https://www.voanews.com/archive/starbucks-opens-coffee-shop-mexico-2002-09-07 | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 28, 2020 | work=Voice of America | date=September 7, 2002}} By 2016, there were more than 500 locations in Mexico.{{cite web |title=Starbucks sigue como prioridad para Alsea | url=https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/cartera/negocios/2016/03/29/starbucks-sigue-como-prioridad-para-alsea | work=El Universal | first=Miguel Ángel Pallares | last=Gómez | date=March 29, 2016}}

In August 2003, Starbucks opened its first store in South America in Lima, Peru.{{cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2003/08/18/daily13.html | title=Starbucks enters South America through Peru | work=American City Business Journals | date=August 19, 2003}}

In 2008, Starbucks opened in Argentina and Brazil.

In November 2010, the company opened the first Central American store in El Salvador's capital, San Salvador.{{cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2010/starbucks-celebrates-first-store-opening-in-el-salvador/ | title=Starbucks Celebrates First Store Opening in El Salvador | work=Starbucks | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209203538/http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks+celebrates+first+store+opening+in+el+salvador.htm | archive-date=December 9, 2010 | date=November 3, 2010 | url-status=live}}

In June 2012, Starbucks opened a store in San Jose, Costa Rica.{{Cite news | url=https://ticotimes.net/2012/06/21/first-starbucks-in-costa-rica-opens-in-escazu |title=First Starbucks in Costa Rica opens in Escazú | website=The Tico Times Costa Rica | date=June 21, 2012}} In October 2012, Starbucks announced plans to open 1,000 stores in the United States in the next five years.{{cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-04/starbucks-s-schultz-sees-1-000-new-u-s-stores-in-five-years-1-.html | title=Starbucks CEO Sees Adding 1,000 U.S. Stores in Five Years | work=Bloomberg News | first=Leslie | last=Patton | date=October 4, 2012 | url-access=subscription}}

In August 2013, Starbucks's CEO Howard Schultz personally announced the opening of Starbucks stores in Colombia. The first café was set to open in 2014 in Bogotá and add 50 more stores throughout Colombia's main cities in a 5-year limit. Schultz also stated that Starbucks will work with both the Colombian Government and USAID to continue "empowering local coffee growers and sharing the value, heritage and tradition of its coffee with the world". Starbucks noted that the aggressive expansion into Colombia was a joint venture with Starbucks's Latin partners, Alsea and Colombia's Grupo Nutresa that has previously worked with Starbucks by providing coffee through Colcafe. This announcement came after Starbucks's Farmer Support Center was established in Manizales, Colombia, the previous year making Colombia an already established country by the corporation.{{cite news | title=Starbucks Honors Colombian Coffee Heritage with Entry into Colombia Retail Market and Expanded Support for Farmers | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2013/starbucks-honors-colombian-coffee-heritage-with-entry-into-colombia-retail/ | work=Starbucks | date=August 26, 2013}}

In late August 2013, Starbucks announced its first store in Colombia at a press conference in Bogotá, where the company's CEO explained, "Starbucks has always admired and respected Colombia's distinguished coffee tradition."{{cite news | title=Starbucks to open first café in Colombia, stronghold of Juan Valdez coffee store chain | url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/starbucks-to-open-first-cafe-in-colombia-stronghold-of-juan-valdez-coffee-store-chain | agency=Associated Press | via=Fox News | date=August 26, 2013}}

In May 2014, Starbucks announced its first café in Bolivia would open in 2014 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and the first in Panama in 2015.{{cite news | url=http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2023605327_starbucksboliviaxml.html |title=Starbucks to open stores in Bolivia and Panama | work=The Seattle Times | first=Ángel | last=González |date=May 14, 2014}}

In January 2016, Starbucks announced that it would launch operation in Trinidad and Tobago.{{Cite web |title=Starbucks to Expand Caribbean Operations to Trinidad and Tobago |url=https://www.phl-tt.com/starbucks-news/starbucks-to-expand-caribbean-operations-to-trinidad-and-tobago/ |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=Prestige Holdings Company Limited - PHL |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Starbucks to Open in Trinidad and Tobago |url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2016/starbucks-to-open-in-trinidad-and-tobago/ |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=Starbucks Stories |language=en-us}} On August 29, 2016, Starbucks opened its first store at South Park Mall in San Fernando.{{Cite web |title=Starbucks Trinidad & Tobago |url=https://www.starbucks.tt/about-us/starbucks-trinidad-tobago/ |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=Starbucks Coffee |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Starbucks Opens its First Store in Trinidad and Tobago |url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2016/starbucks-opens-its-first-store-in-trinidad-and-tobago/ |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=Starbucks Stories |date=August 29, 2016 |language=en-us}}

In November 2017, Starbucks commenced operations in Jamaica, where the first store opened in the resort city of Montego Bay{{Cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2017/starbucks-opens-first-store-in-jamaica/ | title=Starbucks First Store in Jamaica Honors Country's Rich Heritage | work=Starbucks | date=November 21, 2017}} on the shores of the Doctor's Cave Beach Club, offering views of the Caribbean Sea.{{cite news | url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-report/express-catering-celebrates-ipo-success_106180 | title=Express Catering celebrates IPO success | first=Balford | last=Henry | work=Jamaica Observer | date=July 28, 2017 | access-date=April 18, 2021 | archive-date=April 18, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418194127/https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-report/express-catering-celebrates-ipo-success_106180 | url-status=dead }} The company also reaffirmed its commitment to working with local coffee farmers to "implement systems to increase productivity and yields, while also increasing compliance to international standards".{{cite news | url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Starbucks_to_help_local_coffee,_dairy_farmers_ | title=Starbucks to help local coffee, dairy farmers | work=Jamaica Observer | date=July 27, 2017}} Starbucks Jamaica opened its first store on November 21, 2017, with plans to open 15 locations island-wide over a 5-year period. Starbucks Jamaica opened stores at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and at the Falmouth Pier, in Falmouth, Jamaica. Starbucks Jamaica announced plans to open up to six stores in Kingston, Jamaica, by 2019.{{Cite news | url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20180418/business-briefs | title=Business briefs | work=Gleaner Company | date=April 18, 2018}} The first of the Kingston stores opened on June 21, 2018. The second store is in Kingston's central business district, New Kingston. Starbucks opened its first in-store location in the flagship location for Jamaica's largest Pharmacy chain, Fontana Pharmacy, also located in Kingston; making it Starbucks's third location.{{Cite web | url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20180615/fontana-open-largest-store-waterloo-square | title=Fontana to open largest store at Waterloo square | work=Gleaner Company | date=June 15, 2018}}

File:Starbucks CCI Quito.jpg of Quito, Ecuador.]]

On April 11, 2018, Starbucks began operations in Uruguay, with a location in the Montevideo Shopping mall.{{Cite web |title=Abrió Starbucks en Uruguay: las novedades de su primer local |url=https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/abrio-starbucks-en-uruguay-las-novedades-de-su-primer-local-201841114320 |access-date=July 18, 2024 |website=El Observador |language=es-UY}} The company announced that it planned to open up approximately 12 cafes in the country.{{Cite web |title=Starbucks llega al centro de Montevideo (y abre la sucursal N° 12 en UY) |url=https://infonegocios.biz/nota-principal/starbucks-llega-al-centro-de-montevideo-y-abre-la-sucursal-n0-12-en-uy |access-date=July 18, 2024 |website=infonegocios.biz}}

In August 2019, a franchised location opened in the Cayman Islands.{{Cite press release | url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/dart-real-estate-announces-opening-of-starbucks-in-camana-bay-804584519.html | title=Dart Real Estate Announces Opening of Starbucks in Camana Bay | publisher=Cision | date=August 15, 2019}}

In October 2019, a franchised location opened in the Turks and Caicos Islands.{{Cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/starbucks-opens-first-store-in-grand-turk/ | title=Starbucks Opens First Store in Grand Turk | work=Starbucks | date=October 14, 2019}}

On April 25, 2023, Starbucks commenced operations in Guyana.{{Cite web |title=Starbucks Opens First Store in Guyana |url=https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/press/2023/starbucks-opens-first-store-in-guyana/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Starbucks |date=April 24, 2023 |language=en-es}}

On April 29, 2024, Starbucks announced its official entry to Ecuador and Honduras in mid-year and late 2024, respectively.{{Cite web |title=Starbucks Announces Entry to Ecuador and Honduras |url=https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/press/2024/starbucks-announces-entry-to-ecuador-and-honduras/ |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Starbucks |date=April 29, 2024 |language=en}}

On August 14, 2024, Starbucks commenced operations in Ecuador, with its first location in the country at Scala Shopping Mall in Quito. The company announced the plans of opening four more cafes in the capital city until the end of 2025.{{Cite web |date=August 14, 2024 |title=Starbucks Opens First Store in Ecuador |url=https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/press/2024/starbucks-opens-first-store-in-ecuador/ |website=Starbucks Stories & News Latin America}}

In July 2000, the first location in Australia opened in Sydney.{{cite web | url=https://www.starbucks.com.au/Starbucks-in-Australia.php | title=Starbucks in Australia | publisher=Starbucks | access-date=August 13, 2019 | archive-date=August 13, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813235933/https://www.starbucks.com.au/Starbucks-in-Australia.php | url-status=dead }} After a massive downturn in 2008, the remaining Australian Starbucks stores were sold to the Withers family in 2014, with the company planning a more restrained expansion.{{cite web | url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/eleven-owners-the-withers-group-to-take-over-starbucks-in-australia/news-story/8132270ce48cca88e22f9b94157d8a4c | title=7-Eleven owners the Withers Group to take over Starbucks in Australia | work=News.com.au | date=May 28, 2014}}{{cite news | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/20/starbucks-australia-coffee-failure.html | title=Why there are almost no Starbucks in Australia | last=Turner | first=Ashley | work=CNBC | date=July 25, 2018}}

As of November 2022, there are 59 Starbucks stores in Australia; 23 in New South Wales, 19 in Queensland and 18 in Victoria. These stores are spread out across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Ballarat. Before the mass-closure of 61 of their 85 stores in 2008,{{cite web | url=https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/starbucks-closed/ | title=Starbucks closed Australian stores - Australian food history timeline - | date=September 28, 2000 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.theage.com.au/business/starbucks-to-close-61-australian-outlets-20080729-3mkm.html | title=Starbucks to close 61 Australian outlets | date=July 29, 2008 }} there were also stores in Adelaide,{{cite web | url=https://desperatelyseekingcrab.com/2008/08/01/bye-bye-to-starbucks-in-adelaide/ | title=Bye Bye to Starbucks in Adelaide | date=August 2008 }} Canberra, Hobart{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-07-30/industry-concern-about-city-heart/457556 | title=Industry concern about city heart | newspaper=ABC News | date=July 30, 2008 }} and Wollongong.{{cite web | url=https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/607696/shellharbour-starbucks-to-close/ | title=Shellharbour Starbucks to close | date=July 29, 2008 }} However, there are plans to open a restaurant in Toowoomba{{cite web | url=https://www.consolidatedpropertiesgroup.com.au/construction-kicks-off-on-second-stage-of-wilsonton-shopping-centre/ | title=Construction kicks off on second stage of Wilsonton Shopping Centre – Consolidated Properties Group }} while the first store in Perth, Western Australia opened on October 23, 2024, with another 11 planned to open by the end of 2025.{{cite web |last1=Margolius |first1=Zach |title=Starbucks in Perth: First WA store in Piara Waters attracts a huge queue |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/starbucks-in-perth-first-wa-store-in-piara-waters-attracts-a-huge-queue-c-16502629 |website=PerthNow |date=October 24, 2024 |access-date=October 24, 2024}}

Starbucks operates several locations in New Zealand.{{Cite web |last=Brookes |first=Emily |date=July 4, 2022 |title=Who's drinking all the Starbucks? |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-drink/129174964/whos-drinking-all-the-starbucks |access-date=August 1, 2022 |website=Stuff |language=en}}

In May 2010, Southern Sun Hotels South Africa signed an agreement with Starbucks to brew Starbucks coffees in select Southern Sun and Tsonga Sun hotels in South Africa. The agreement was partially reached so Starbucks coffees could be served in the country in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted by South Africa.{{cite news | url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2010/06/starbucks-enters-south-africa | title=Starbucks enters South Africa | work=New Statesman | date=June 2, 2010}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.news24.com/fin24/starbucks-headed-for-sa-20100531-2 | title=Starbucks headed for SA | work=News 24 | date=May 31, 2010}}

File:Fourways Mall Starbucks.jpeg, South Africa]]

In April 2016, after TASTE Holdings acquired outlet licensing for South African stores, Starbucks opened its first stores in South Africa in Rosebank, Gauteng, Johannesburg and the Mall of Africa.{{Cite web | url=https://www.eatout.co.za/article/review-first-taste-starbucks-rosebank/ | title=Starbucks in Rosebank: first taste | first=Rupesh | last=Kassen | date=April 22, 2016}}{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tasteholdings-strategy/south-africas-taste-holdings-to-exit-food-business-sells-starbucks-stores-idUSKBN1XB3C3 | title=South Africa's Taste Holdings to exit food business, sells Starbucks stores | work=Reuters | date=November 1, 2019}}

In December 2010, Starbucks debuted their first-ever Starbucks at sea. In partnership with Royal Caribbean International, Starbucks opened a shop aboard the Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's second-largest ship and the second-largest ship in the world.{{cite news | first=Eric | last=Engleman | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2010/10/27/first-starbucks-at-sea-to-debut.html | title=First 'Starbucks at Sea' to debut | work=American City Business Journals | date=October 27, 2010}}

File:Starbucks Bangalore (11450307004).jpg, India, showing a display of food and the beverage preparation area]]

Stores that independently operate locations include Ahold Delhaize, Barnes & Noble, Target Corporation, Albertsons and, more recently, Publix stores. In the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) markets, Starbucks operates a franchising program. Different from the licensing program in which existing corporations may apply to operate a Starbucks kiosk within an existing store, franchises can enable new, freestanding stores.

Starbucks has automation systems in some areas. These machines have 280 possible drink combinations to choose from. They have touchscreens, and customers can play games while they wait for their order.{{cite news|last=Jimenez|first=Charlene|date=September 14, 2012|title=Starbucks vending machines and the future of business|work=The American Genius|url=https://theamericangenius.com/business-news/starbucks-vending-machines-and-the-future-of-business/}}

Vending machines are said to possibly be able to replace baristas.{{Cite news|last=Lee|first=Timothy B.|date=April 15, 2016|title=Good news: automation already destroyed most of the jobs|work=Vox Media|url=https://www.vox.com/2016/4/15/11422266/automation-starbucks-job-loss}} Starbucks has said it does not want to replace baristas with robots, but use them as a complementary tool.{{Cite news|last=Warnick|first=Jennifer|date=January 10, 2020|title=AI for humanity: How Starbucks plans to use technology to nurture the human spirit|work=Starbucks|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/how-starbucks-plans-to-use-technology-to-nurture-the-human-spirit/}}

{{main|Stealth Starbucks}}

File:Roy_Street_Coffee_&_Tea,_Seattle_-_01.jpg, an example of a stealth Starbucks, 2016]]

In 2009, at least three stores in Seattle were de-branded to remove the logo and brand name, and remodel the stores as local coffee houses "inspired by Starbucks".{{cite news | url=https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Capitol-Hill-to-get-a-second-stealth-Starbucks-890282.php | title=Capitol Hill to get a second stealth Starbucks | last=Kiesler | first=Sara | date=August 27, 2009 | work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015161308/http://www2.seattlepi.com/articles/409629.html | archive-date=October 15, 2014}}{{cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2009-08-06/starbucks-howard-schultz-vs-dot-howard-schultz | title=Starbucks: Howard Schultz vs. Howard Schultz | last=Berfield | first=Susan | work=Bloomberg Businessweek | date=August 6, 2009}} CEO Howard Schultz called the unbranded stores a "laboratory for Starbucks". The first, 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea, opened in July 2009 on Capitol Hill. It served wine and beer and hosted live music and poetry readings.{{cite news | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/starbucks-tests-new-names-for-stores/ | title=Starbucks tests new names for stores | last=Allison | first=Melissa | work=The Seattle Times | url-status=live | date=July 16, 2009 | url-access=limited | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731172910/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009479123_starbucks16.html | archive-date=July 31, 2009}} It has since been remodeled and reopened as a Starbucks-branded store. Another is Roy Street Coffee and Tea at 700 Broadway E., also on Capitol Hill. Although the stores have been called "stealth Starbucks"{{cite news | url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=107006775 | title=Starbucks Goes Into Stealth Mode | last=Simon | first=Scott | work=NPR | date=July 25, 2009}} and criticized as "local-washing",{{cite news | url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/08/20/local-washing-starbucks-wal-mart-locavore-opinions-columnists-elisabeth-eaves.html | title=How Locavores Brought On Local-Washing | last=Eaves | first=Elizabeth | work=Forbes | date=August 21, 2009 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120918110958/http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/20/local-washing-starbucks-wal-mart-locavore-opinions-columnists-elisabeth-eaves.html | archive-date=September 18, 2012 | url-status=live}} Schultz says that "It wasn't so much that we were trying to hide the brand, but trying to do things in those stores that we did not feel were appropriate for Starbucks."{{cite news | url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/starbucks-chief-executive-howard-schultz-marketing/981327 | title=Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz on marketing | last=McElhatton | first=Noelle | work=Campaign | date=February 2, 2010}}

Starbucks entered the tea business in 1999 when it acquired the Tazo brand for {{currency|amount=8100000|code=USD}}.{{cite news|date=January 13, 1999|title=Starbucks will buy Tazo tea company|work=American City Business Journals|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1999/01/11/daily15.html}}{{cite news|last=Jargon|first=Julie|date=November 14, 2012|title=Starbucks To Acquire Tea Chain Teavana|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323551004578119283001096190|url-access=subscription}} In December 2012, Starbucks paid US$620 million to buy Teavana.{{cite news | last=Geller | first=Martinne | title=Starbucks to buy Teavana in another step beyond coffee | url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/starbucks-to-buy-teavana-in-another-step-beyond-coffee | agency=Reuters |publisher=Fox Business | date=November 14, 2012}}

{{cite news | title=Starbucks closes Teavana deal | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/starbucks-closes-teavana-deal/ | last=Allison | first=Melissa | work=The Seattle Times | date=December 31, 2012}}

{{cite news|last=Jennings|first=Lisa|date=January 3, 2013|title=Starbucks completes Teavana acquisition|work=Nation's Restaurant News|url=https://www.nrn.com/latest-headlines/starbucks-completes-teavana-acquisition}}

{{Cite news|last=Kass|first=Arielle|date=January 1, 2013|title=Starbucks completes Teavana acquisition|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|url=https://www.ajc.com/business/starbucks-completes-teavana-acquisition/qH44p8upx4fLY7DrsLZRUN/}} Starbucks did not market Teavana products in its stores, though the acquisition allowed the expansion of Teavana beyond shopping malls. In January 2015, Starbucks began to roll out Teavana teas into Starbucks stores, both in to-go beverage and retail formats.{{cite news|date=January 2, 2015|title=Starbucks Launches Teavana Hot Brewed Tea in Starbucks Stores in the U.S. and Canada.|work=Starbucks|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/teavana-hot-brewed-teas-in-starbucks-stores/}} In November 2017, Starbucks sold Tazo to Unilever for $384 million.{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/11/02/starbucks-sells-tazo-tea-brand-univeler-focuses-teavana-instead/826529001/|title=Starbucks sells Tazo tea brand to Unilever, focuses on Teavana instead|work=USA TODAY|access-date=2017-11-03|language=en}} Starbucks shut down Teavana in early 2018.{{Cite news|last=Wattles|first=Jackie|date=July 28, 2017|title=Starbucks to close down all Teavana locations, impacting 3,300 jobs|work=CNN|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/07/27/investing/teavana-stores-closing-starbucks/index.html}}{{Cite news|last=Hartung|first=Adam|date=July 31, 2017|title=Starbucks Closing Teavana Is A Long-Term Troubling Sign For Investors|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2017/07/31/starbucks-closing-teavana-is-a-long-term-troubling-sign-for-investors/}}

Howard Schultz was the CEO of Starbucks from 1986 to 2000. He was succeeded by Orin Smith, who ran the company for five years and positioned Starbucks as a large player in fair trade coffee (fair trade later being overturned during Kevin Johnson's leadership in 2022),{{Cite web |last=Cuff |first=Madeleine |date=February 16, 2022 |title=Starbucks coffee will no longer be Fairtrade as retailer cuts ties with charity in UK & Europe |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/starbucks-coffee-snacks-and-drinks-will-no-longer-be-fairtrade-as-retailer-cuts-ties-with-charity-in-uk-1465445 |access-date=September 16, 2024 |website=inews.co.uk |language=en}} increasing sales to US$5 billion. Jim Donald was CEO from 2005 to 2008, orchestrating a large-scale earnings expansion. Schultz returned as CEO during the 2008 financial crisis and spent the succeeding decade growing the company's market share, expanding its offerings, and reorienting the brand around corporate social responsibility.

Kevin Johnson, who was president and chief operating officer from 2015 to 2018, succeeded Schultz as CEO in 2017.{{Cite news|last=Gelles|first=David|date=June 17, 2018|title=The C.E.O. of Starbucks Isn't Leaving. Only Howard Schultz Is.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/17/business/starbucks-ceo-kevin-johnson.html|url-access=subscription|issn=0362-4331}} Myron E. Ullman became chairman of the firm in June 2018.{{Cite news|last=Halkias|first=Maria|date=June 5, 2018|title=New Starbucks chairman Mike Ullman, who once led J.C. Penney, shares history with brand's departing leader Howard Schultz|work=The Dallas Morning News|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/retail/2018/06/05/new-starbucks-chairman-mike-ullman-who-once-led-j-c-penney-shares-history-with-brand-s-departing-leader-howard-schultz/}} Both Johnson and Ullman succeeded Howard Schultz, who served in both capacities from 2008 to 2017.{{cite magazine|last=Kiviat|first=Barbara|date=December 10, 2006|title=The Big Gulp at Starbucks|magazine=Time|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1568488,00.html}} Since 2018, Schultz has served as the firm's first Chairman emeritus.{{Cite news|last=Whitten|first=Sarah|date=June 4, 2018|title=Howard Schultz, architect of modern Starbucks, to step down as executive chairman|work=CNBC|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/04/howard-schultz-architect-of-modern-starbucks-to-step-down-as-executive-chair-and-from-the-board.html}}

In March 2022, Starbucks announced that Schultz would return as CEO in April 2022 in an interim role.{{Cite news |last=Haddon |first=Heather |date=March 16, 2022 |title=Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz to Return as Chain Faces Union Push, Rising Costs |language=en-US |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-ceo-kevin-johnson-to-step-down-howard-schultz-to-return-in-interim-role-11647431940 |access-date=March 17, 2022 |issn=0099-9660}} Later that September, Laxman Narasimhan was appointed to succeed him in April 2023, with Schultz remaining a member of the board of directors. Narasimhan assumed the position sooner than planned, in March 2023.{{cite news |last= Durbin |first=Dee-Ann |date=March 20, 2023 |title=Starbucks new CEO Laxman Narasimhan takes his seat |url=https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-ceo-schultz-narasimhan-0b83682ed7ba44de49ce73f113e1dc7d |publisher=Associated Press}} In August 2024, he was ousted and replaced with Brian Niccol, who became the chain's CEO on September 9 after leaving his position as Chipotle's CEO.{{cite news |last= Lucas |first= Amelia |date=August 13, 2024 |title= Starbucks replaces CEO Laxman Narasimhan with Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/13/starbucks-replaces-ceo-laxman-narasimhan-with-chipotle-ceo-brian-niccol.html |publisher=CNBC}} Niccol received a starting salary of $1.6 million a year and a $10 million starting bonus.{{Cite web |last=Clarence-Smith |first=Louisa |date=August 16, 2024 |title=Starbucks' new boss allowed to work from home in $113m pay deal |url=https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/starbucks-new-boss-allowed-to-work-from-home-in-113m-pay-deal-5fdcj25qx |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=www.thetimes.com |language=en}}

Analysts have long believed that the firm's corporate governance must determine how to contend with higher materials prices and enhanced competition from lower-priced fast-food chains, including McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts. In October 2015, Starbucks hired its first chief technology officer, Gerri Martin-Flickinger, to lead its technology team.{{cite news|last=Jargon|first=Julie|date=October 6, 2015|title=Starbucks Hires First Chief Technology Officer|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-hires-first-chief-technology-officer-1444163737|url-access=subscription}} Starbucks maintains control of production processes by communicating with farmers to secure beans, roasting its own beans, and managing distribution to all retail locations. Additionally, Starbucks's Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices require suppliers to inform Starbucks what portion of wholesale prices paid reaches farmers.{{cite web|last1=Moon|first1=Youngme|last2=Quelch|first2=John|date=July 2003|title=Starbucks: Delivering Customer Service.|url=https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=30176|work=Harvard Business School}}{{Cite news|date=February 28, 2020|title=C.A.F.E. Practices: Starbucks Approach to Ethically Sourcing Coffee|work=Starbucks|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/cafe-practices-starbucks-approach-to-ethically-sourcing-coffee/}} Shortly after becoming CEO, Niccol announced a new 'Back to Starbucks' strategy to win back customers.{{Cite web |date=September 10, 2024 |title=Message from Brian: Back to Starbucks |url=https://about.starbucks.com/press/2024/back-to-starbucks/ |access-date=January 15, 2025 |website=About Starbucks |language=en-US}} The plan including simplifying the menu{{Cite news |last=Partridge |first=Joanna |date=October 23, 2024 |title=New Starbucks boss to shake up 'overly complex' menu to win back customers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/oct/23/starbucks-brian-niccol-menu-coffee |access-date=January 15, 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} and reversing rules for its cafes in North America that had allowed people to use their facilities even if they had not bought anything.{{Cite web |date=January 14, 2025 |title=Buy something or leave, Starbucks says |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxnv4rjdq4o |access-date=January 15, 2025 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

Starbucks is mainly owned by institutional investors, who hold around 75% of all shares. The 10 largest shareholder of Starbucks in December 2023 were:{{Cite web |title=Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) Stock Major Holders - Yahoo Finance |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SBUX/holders/ |access-date=March 8, 2024 |website=finance.yahoo.com |language=en-US}}

• The Vanguard Group (9.53%)
• BlackRock (6.96%)
• State Street Corporation (4.09%)
• Geode Capital Management (2.02%)
• Morgan Stanley (2.00%)
• Bank of America (1.75%)
• Northern Trust (1.30%)
• Royal Bank of Canada (1.27%)
• JPMorgan Chase (1.21%)
• Norges Bank (1.14%)

{{as of|2024|10}}:{{Cite web|url=https://investor.starbucks.com/corporate-governance/board-of-directors/default.aspx|title=Starbucks Coffee Company - Governance - Board of Directors}}

• Brian Niccol, chair and CEO of Starbucks
• Richard Allison, former CEO of Domino's Pizza
• Andrew Campion, COO of Nike, Inc.
• Mellody Hobson, president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments
• Beth Ford, CEO of Land O'Lakes
• Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, executive chairman of LEGO Group
• Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube
• Daniel Servitje, CEO of Grupo Bimbo
• Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile US
• Wei Zhang, former President of Alibaba Pictures Group
• Howard Schultz, president and former CEO of Starbucks

File:Sbux logo pre 1987.gif|1971–1987

File:Starbucks Coffee logo 1987.png|1987–1992

File:Starbucks Coffee Logo.svg|1992–2011

File:Starbucks Corporation Logo 2011.svg|2011–present

In 2006, Valerie O'Neil, a Starbucks spokeswoman, said that the logo is an image of a "twin-tailed mermaid, or siren as she's known in Greek mythology".{{cite news|date=September 11, 2006|title=The Insider: Principal roasts Starbucks over steamy retro logo|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|url=https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/The-Insider-Principal-roasts-Starbucks-over-1214176.php}} The logo has been significantly streamlined over the years. In the first version,{{cite book|last1=Schultz|first1=Howard|url=https://archive.org/details/pouryourheartint00howa|title=Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time|last2=Jones Yang|first2=Dori|publisher=Hyperion|year=1997|isbn=0-7868-6315-3|location=New York|author-link1=Howard Schultz|author-link2=Dori Jones Yang}} the Starbucks siren was topless and had a fully visible double fish tail.Pendergrast, p. 253 The image was said by Starbucks to be based on a 16th-century "Norse" woodcut, although other scholars note that it is apparently based on a 15th-century woodcut in Juan Eduardo Cirlot's Dictionary of Symbols.{{Cite news|last=Rastogi|first=Nina Shen|date=February 1, 2011|title=Starbucks Siren's Origins Exposed!|work=Slate|url=https://slate.com/culture/2011/02/starbucks-sirens-origins-exposed.html}}{{Cite news|last=Shea|first=Christopher|date=January 31, 2011|title=Medieval Scholar Hot on Trail of Starbucks Logo Cover-Up|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-IMB-1168|url-access=subscription}} Some scholars have identified the image as Melusine.{{cite journal |last=Rippin |first=Ann |year=2007 |title=Space, place and the colonies: re-reading the Starbucks' story |journal=Critical Perspectives on International Business |publisher=Emerald Group Publishing |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=136–149 |doi=10.1108/17422040710744944 |issn=1742-2043}} The connection to Melusine has been questioned; Melusine was not linked to heraldic images of two-tailed mermaids until the late 19th century, making it possibly a late misidentification.{{Cite journal |last=Allison |first=Sarah |date=2023 |title=Melusine and the Starbucks' Siren: Art, Mermaids, and the Tangled Origins of a Coffee Chain Logo |journal=Shima |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=280–288|doi=10.21463/shima.190 |s2cid=258306641 |doi-access=free }} In the second logo, which was used from 1987 to 1992, the siren's breasts were covered by her flowing hair, but her navel was still visible.{{cite news|last=Klara|first=Robert|date=September 29, 2014|title=How a Topless Mermaid Made the Starbucks Cup an Icon|work=AdWeek|url=https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-topless-mermaid-made-starbucks-cup-icon-160396/|url-access=subscription}} The fish tail was cropped slightly, and the primary color was changed from brown to green, a nod to the Alma Mater of the three founders, the University of San Francisco.{{cite news|last=Allison|first=Melissa|date=March 9, 2008|title=Starbucks co-founder talks about early days, launching Redhook and Seattle Weekly|work=The Seattle Times|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/starbucks-co-founder-talks-about-early-days-launching-redhook-and-seattle-weekly-too/}}{{cite news|last=Larimore|first=Rachael|date=October 24, 2013|title=Starbucks business strategy: How CEO Howard Schultz conquered the world|work=Slate|url=https://slate.com/business/2013/10/starbucks-business-strategy-how-ceo-howard-schultz-conquered-the-world.html}} In the third version, used between 1992 and 2011, her navel and breasts are not visible at all, and only vestiges remain of the fish tails. The original "woodcut" logo has been moved to the Starbucks's Headquarters in Seattle.

At the beginning of September 2006, and then again in early 2008, Starbucks temporarily reintroduced its original brown logo on paper hot-drink cups. Starbucks has stated that this was done to show the company's heritage from the Pacific Northwest and to celebrate 35 years of business. The vintage logo sparked some controversy due in part to the siren's bare breasts,{{cite web|last=Walsh|first=Paul|date=May 16, 2008|title=Group finds Starbucks logo too hot to handle|url=https://www.startribune.com/group-finds-starbucks-logo-too-hot-to-handle/18969709/|work=Star Tribune}} but the temporary switch garnered little attention from the media. Starbucks had drawn similar criticism when it reintroduced the vintage logo in 2006.{{cite news|last=Kiley|first=David|date=April 11, 2008|title=Starbucks' Retro Logo|work=Bloomberg News|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2008-04-11/starbucks-retro-logobusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice|url-access=subscription}} The logo was altered when Starbucks entered the Saudi Arabian market in 2000 to remove the siren, leaving only her crown,{{cite news|last=King|first=Colbert I.|date=January 26, 2002|title=The Saudi Sellout|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/2002/01/26/the-saudi-sellout/71c3ca17-277b-43e8-9a8c-9d9c9cc1e3d3/}} as reported in a Pulitzer Prize-winning column by Colbert I. King in The Washington Post in 2002. The company announced three months later that it would be using the international logo in Saudi Arabia.{{cite news|last=Hanks|first=Henry|date=February 8, 2016|title=Women welcome at a Saudi Arabia Starbucks shop after temporary ban|work=CNN|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/07/world/saudi-starbucks-women-ban-feat}} In January 2011, Starbucks announced that it would make small changes to the company's logo, removing the Starbucks wordmark around the siren, enlarging the siren image, and making it green.{{Cite news|last=Baertlein|first=Lisa|date=January 5, 2011|title=Starbucks cuts name and "coffee" from logo|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-starbucks/starbucks-cuts-name-and-coffee-from-logo-idUSTRE7045YF20110106}}

In 1999, Starbucks started the "Grounds for your Garden" program. This gives leftover coffee grounds to anyone requesting it for composting. The goal of the program was to make the company environmentally friendlier. Although not all stores and regions participate, customers can request and lobby their local store to begin the practice.

In October 2008, The Guardian newspaper reported that Starbucks was wasting {{convert|23.4|e6l|e6USgal|abbr=off|sp=us|order=flip}} of water a day by leaving a tap constantly running for rinsing utensils in a 'dipper well' in each of its stores, but this is often required by governmental food safety codes.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/oct/06/water.drought | title=Starbucks wastes millions of litres of water a day | first=Angela | last=Balakrishnan | work=The Guardian | date=October 6, 2008}}

In June 2009, in response to concerns over its excessive water consumption, Starbucks re-evaluated its use of the dipper well system. In September 2009, company-operated Starbucks stores in Canada and the United States successfully implemented a new water saving solution that meets government health standards. Different types of milk are given a dedicated spoon that remains in the pitcher and the dipper wells were replaced with push button metered faucets for rinsing. This will reportedly save up to {{convert|150|USgal|L|abbr=off|sp=us}} of water per day in every store.{{cite news | url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/unlv-professor-targets-wasteful-dipper-wells/ | title=UNLV professor targets 'wasteful' dipper wells | first=Henry | last=Brean | work=Las Vegas Review-Journal | date=June 8, 2009 | url-access=limited}}

In January 2020, Starbucks shared its new environmental sustainability commitment to become a resource positive company. It announced three preliminary targets: By 2030, Starbucks will aim to reduce its carbon emissions, waste output, and water impact by 50%. It also identified five areas of focus: expanding plant-based menu options; shifting to reusable packaging; investing in regenerative agriculture, reforestation, forest conservation and water replenishment; better ways to manage waste; and more eco-friendly stores, operations, manufacturing, and delivery.{{Cite web|title=5 things to know about Starbucks new environmental sustainability commitment|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/5-things-to-know-about-starbucks-new-environmental-sustainability-commitment/|date=January 21, 2020|website=Starbucks Stories|language=en-us}}

Starbucks began using 10% recycled paper in its beverage cups in 2006—the company claimed that the initiative was the first time that recycled material had been used in a product that came into direct contact with a food or beverage.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/17/business/17starbucks.html | title=Starbucks Will Use Cups With 10% Recycled Paper |last=Warner | first=Melanie | work=The New York Times | date=November 17, 2004 | url-access=subscription}} Allen Hershkowitz of the Natural Resources Defense Council called the 10% content "minuscule", but Starbucks received the National Recycling Coalition Recycling Works Award in 2005 for the initiative.{{cite news | url=https://www.greenbiz.com/article/starbucks-honored-recycled-content-cup | title=Starbucks Honored for Recycled-Content Cup | work=GreenBiz.com | date=October 13, 2005}} In a 2008 media article, Starbucks's vice president of corporate social responsibility acknowledged that the company continued to struggle with environmental responsibility, as none of its cups were recyclable and stores did not have recycling bins. At the time that the article was published, Starbucks gave customers who brought in their own reusable cup a 10-cent discount, in addition to using corrugated cup sleeves made from 85% post-consumer recycled fiber, which is 34% less paper than the original. During the same period, Starbucks entered into a partnership with Conservation International—pledging US$7.5 million over three years—to help protect the natural environment of coffee-growing communities in Mexico and Indonesia.{{cite news | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/starbucks-struggles-with-reducing-environmental-impacts/ | title=Starbucks struggles with reducing environmental impacts | last=Allison | first=Melissa | work=The Seattle Times | date=May 14, 2008}}

On July 9, 2018, Starbucks President and CEO Kevin Johnson announced that Starbucks will ban the single-use plastic straws by January 1, 2020, on all cold drinks from all locations worldwide due to climate change concerns, pollution, and sea turtle endangerment as the single-use plastic straws failed to be designed for recycling when they were invented. Frappucinos will get straws made from a different material that is sustainable and environmentally friendly such as paper or compostable plastic, while other cold drinks will get straw-less lids. These new modified lids contain 9% less plastic than Starbucks' previous flat lid.{{Cite web|last=Goodwin|first=Jazmin|date=September 10, 2020|title=Starbucks will be mostly straw-free at Canadian and U.S. locations by October|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/starbucks-will-be-mostly-straw-free-at-canadian-and-u-s-locations-by-october-1.5099699|access-date=October 1, 2021|website=CTVNews|language=en}} The Starbucks locations in Europe, China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, Washington D.C., New Mexico, California, New York, Washington State, New Jersey, Oregon, Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island already eliminated single-use plastic straws by the end of 2018.{{cite news|last=Garcia|first=Tonya|date=July 9, 2018|title=Starbucks and McDonald's plastic straw removal will go down well with millennials|work=MarketWatch|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/starbucks-and-mcdonalds-plastic-straw-removal-will-go-down-well-with-millennials-2018-07-09}}{{cite news|date=July 11, 2018|title=These 8 Companies Are Ditching Plastic Straws. Here's How They Are Replacing Them|work=Fortune|url=https://fortune.com/2018/07/11/ditching-plastic-straws-replacements/}} South Korea is the first country to introduce paper straws to all stores among 78 countries in the world that Starbucks has entered.{{Cite web|date=August 29, 2019|title='종이 맛' 오명 벗고 진화하는 스타벅스 종이빨대|trans-title=Starbucks paper straw evolving after 1 year of introduction,'paper taste'|url=https://www.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/201908281458751967|work=Hankook Ilbo|language=ko}}

Starbucks has publicly committed to reducing waste by 50% by 2030.{{Cite web|title=Starbucks Greener Cup Timeline|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2021/starbucks-greener-cup-timeline/|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=Starbucks Stories|language=en-us}} After successfully completing the campaign to provide the Reusable Cup in Vietnam in 2020, it held the same event in Korea in 2021. Along with a picture of throwing away a cleanly washed recycled PET bottle on Instagram, a hashtag designated by Starbucks was written and uploaded, and a reusable cup was provided instead of a disposable cup.

In April 2013, Starbucks introduced reusable cups where customers would be able to bring their cup into any location and receive a small discount on their drink.{{Cite web|date=April 19, 2013|title=Starbucks introduces reusable cups|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/apr/19/starbucks-coffee-resuable-cups|access-date=October 1, 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en}} When the COVID-19 pandemic first began in 2019, the company halted the use of personal cups due to concerns with the transferring of germs.{{Cite web|title=Starbucks|url=https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2021/starbucks-canada-eliminates-all-plastic-straws-and-brings-back-personal-reusable-cups/#:~:text=Starbucks%20today%20announced%20it%20will,waste%20by%2050%25%20by%202030.|access-date=October 1, 2021|website=stories.starbucks.ca}} In June 2021, the company reintroduced personal reusable cups with a contactless new method to eliminate shared touch points between customers and baristas.{{Cite web|title=Starbucks brings back personal reusable cups to Starbucks cafes in the U.S.|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/starbucks-brings-back-personal-reusable-cups-to-starbucks-cafes-in-the-us/|date=June 8, 2021|website=Starbucks Stories|language=en-us}}

Starbucks is phasing out disposable cups in Korea entirely by 2025.{{cite news|last=Peters|first=Adele|date=April 12, 2021|title=Starbucks is starting to work toward ditching disposable coffee cups|work=Fast Company|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90623551/starbucks-is-starting-to-work-toward-ditching-disposable-coffee-cups}}{{Cite news|last=May|first=Tiffany|date=April 6, 2021|title=Starbucks will stop using disposable cups in South Korea by 2025.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/06/business/starbucks-disposable-cups-south-korea.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/06/business/starbucks-disposable-cups-south-korea.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021|url-access=subscription}}{{cbignore}}

Starbucks began drafting plans for corporate social responsibility in 1994.{{Cite web|url=https://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/4dd6216d0fd0400f8689eceba0497e04.pdf|title=Starbucks Corporation Corporate Social ReSponsibility}} Since Starbucks has partnered with Conservation International (CI) to draft plans and audit its coffee and farmer equity (C.A.F.E.) program,{{cite news | title=Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E) Practices | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/cafe-practices-starbucks-approach-to-ethically-sourcing-coffee/ | work=Starbucks | date=February 28, 2020}} Starbucks's C.A.F.E. practices are based on a rating system of 249 indicators. Farmers who earn high overall scores receive higher prices than those who achieve lower scores. Ratings categories include economic accountability, social responsibility, environmental leadership in coffee growing and processing. Indicators for social responsibility have evolved and now include 'zero tolerance' indicators that require workers to be paid in cash, check, or direct deposit, ensure that all workers are paid the established minimum wage, that workplaces are free of harassment and abuse, that workplaces are nondiscriminatory and do not employ persons under the age of 14, and several more.{{cite web|last1=Semroc|first1=Bambi |title=Assessment of the Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices Program | url=https://www.conservation.org/docs/default-source/publication-pdfs/2012_04_cafe_practices_assessment_fy08-fy10_final68523ed82d714421a7ff9661863fad27.pdf | publisher=Conservation International | first2=Elizabeth |last2=Baer|first3=Joanne |last3=Sonenshine|first4=Marielle Canter |last4=Weikel | date=March 2012}} Starbucks has moved 90% of its coffee purchases to preferred C.A.F.E. certified providers, and the company is approaching its stated goal to purchase 100% of its coffee through C.A.F.E. or other 'ethically sourced' certification systems.

Washington State University Assistant Professor Daniel Jaffee argues that Starbucks's C.A.F.E. practices merely 'green wash' "to burnish their corporate image".{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g2wA6vCxzV4C | last=Jaffee | first=Daniel | title=Brewing Justice: Fair Trade Coffee, Sustainability, and Survival | year=2007 | publisher=University of California Press | page=107| isbn=9780520940192 }} Additionally, Professor Marie-Christine Renard of Rural Sociology of Chapingo University in Mexico wrote a case study of Starbucks's, Conservation International's, and Agro-industries United of Mexico (AMSA)'s joint conservation effort in Chiapas, Mexico in which she concluded that "[w]hile the CI-Starbucks-AMSA Alliance paid better prices, it did not allow the producers to appropriate the knowledge that was necessary for the organizations to improve the quality of their coffee".{{cite journal | url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-010-0584-0 | last=Renard | first=Marie-Christine | title=In the Name of Conservation: CAFE Practices and Fair Trade in Mexico | journal=Journal of Business Ethics | year=2010 | volume=92 | pages=287–299 | doi=10.1007/s10551-010-0584-0 | s2cid=153539792| url-access=subscription }}

File:Coffee_beans_being_sorted_and_pulped.jpg beans, pictured here being sorted in 2007, previously made up the majority of Starbucks' imports from coffee-producing countries, but stopped in 2022. ]]

In 2000, the company introduced a line of fair trade products.{{cite web | url=https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/global-report/ethical-sourcing/coffee-purchasing | title=Goals & Progress: Coffee Purchasing | publisher=Starbucks}}{{Cite web | url=https://www.fairtradeamerica.org/why-fairtrade/global-impact/impact-stories/starbucks/ | title=Starbucks | publisher=Fair Trade America}} Of the approximately 300 million pounds (136 million kilograms) of coffee Starbucks purchased in 2006, about {{convert|18|e6lb|e6kg|abbr=off}} or 6% was certified as fair trade.{{cite news | url=https://www.thestar.com/living/article/250730 | title=The fine print of ethical shopping | quote=About 6 per cent of Starbucks' coffee (about 18 million pounds) was certified as fair trade in 2006. The company buys almost 300 million pounds of coffee a year. | work=Toronto Star | first=Stuart| last=Laidlaw | date=September 1, 2007}} Groups such as Global Exchange called for Starbucks to further increase its sales of fair trade coffees.{{cite news |last=Patriana |first=Zarah |date=October 29, 2008 |title=Starbucks to Double Fair Trade Certified Coffee Purchases |url=https://globalexchange.org/2008/10/29/starbucks-to-double-fair-trade-certified-coffee-purchases/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419035118/https://globalexchange.org/2008/10/29/starbucks-to-double-fair-trade-certified-coffee-purchases/ |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |access-date=April 19, 2021 |publisher=Global Exchange}}

After a long-running dispute between Starbucks and Ethiopia, Starbucks agreed to support and promote Ethiopian coffees. An article in BBC News,{{cite news |date=June 21, 2007 |title=Starbucks in Ethiopia coffee vow |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6225514.stm |work=BBC News}} states that Ethiopian ownership of popular coffee designations such as Harrar and Sidamo is acknowledged, even if they are not registered. Ethiopia fought hard for this acknowledgement mainly to help give its poverty-stricken farmers a chance to make more money. In 2006, Starbucks said it paid {{convert|1.42|$/lb|$/kg}} for its coffee, more than 33% higher than the commodity price at the time. However, the coffee Starbucks bought for {{convert|1.42|$/lb|$/kg}}, had a selling price—after transportation, processing, marketing, store rentals, taxes, and staff salary and benefits—of {{convert|10.99|$/lb|$/kg}}.{{cite news |date=January 17, 2007 |title=Starbucks Leads Global Coffee Industry in Paying Premium Prices for Sustainably-Sourced Coffee |url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2007/starbucks-leads-global-coffee-industry-in-paying-premium-prices-for-sustain/ |work=Starbucks}}{{cite news |date=June 20, 2007 |title=Starbucks reaches truce with Ethiopia over coffee licensing |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/starbucks-reaches-truce-with-ethiopia-over-coffee-licensing/ |work=The Seattle Times}} As of 2013, the Starbucks website sells only one Ethiopian coffee.{{Cite news |date=September 24, 2013 |title=Starbucks introduces single-origin coffee from Ethiopia |url=https://www.bevindustry.com/articles/86791-starbucks-introduces-single-origin-coffee-from-ethiopia |work=Beverage Industry}}{{Cite web |date=September 23, 2013 |title=Starbucks Honors Ethiopia |url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2013/starbucks-honors-the-birthplace-of-coffee-with-ethiopia/ |work=Starbucks}} In addition, Starbucks is an active member of the World Cocoa Foundation,{{Cite web |title=Cocoa |url=https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/sourcing/cocoa |publisher=Starbucks}} although targets set in 2005, 2008 and 2010 to reduce child labour that the Foundation has backed have consistently not been met.{{Cite news |last=Ungoed-Thomas |first=Jon |date=April 3, 2022 |title=Cadbury faces fresh accusations of child labour on cocoa farms in Ghana |url=https://www.theguardian.com/law/2022/apr/03/cadbury-faces-fresh-accusations-of-child-labour-on-cocoa-farms-in-ghana |access-date=September 16, 2024 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}

In 2019, the non-profit labour justice organisation Fair World Project released an article outling how despite Starbucks had passed coffee producers as slave free in their Brazil production units using their internal C.A.F.E. certification standards, that Brazilian labour inspectors had proof of child slave labour practices being present in their supply chain.{{Cite web |last=Canning |first=Anna |date=June 17, 2019 |title=Starbucks Has a Slave Labor Problem |url=https://fairworldproject.org/starbucks-has-a-slave-labor-problem/ |access-date=September 16, 2024 |website=Fair World Project |language=en-US}} In 2022 Starbucks announced that they were going to stop certifying their coffee beans as fairtrade, in favour of their own in-house investigations.

Since 2010, Starbucks has been donating leftover pastries in the United States to local food banks through a food collection service named Food Donation Connection.{{cite news | last=Dupere | first=Katie | title=Starbucks will start donating 100% of its unused food to those in need | url=https://mashable.com/2016/03/22/starbucks-food-donations-foodshare/ | work=Mashable | date=March 22, 2016}} In March 2016, Starbucks unveiled a five-year plan to donate 100 percent of unsold food from its 7,600 company-operated stores in the U.S. to local food banks and pantries.{{cite news | title=Starbucks to Donate 100 Percent of Unsold Food to Food Banks | url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/starbucks-donate-100-percent-unsold-food-food-banks/story?id=37897626 | last=Kim | first=Susanna | work=ABC News | date=March 24, 2016}} Perishable food will be transported in refrigerated trucks to area food banks through the company's partnerships with the Food Donation Connection and Feeding America. This program, called FoodShare, is expected to provide up to 50 million meals over the next five years.{{cite news | title=Starbucks pledges to donate 100% of unsold food| url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/03/23/starbucks-pledges-to-donate-100-of-salvageable-food/82155312/ | last=Malcolm | first=Hadley | work=USA Today | date=March 23, 2016}} {{As of| 2017}}, the program was in 10 different markets, including New York City.{{cite news | url=https://fortune.com/2017/06/09/starbucks-ceo-foodshare-program/ | title=Starbucks Pledges to Donate 50 Million Meals a Year by 2020 | last=Kell | first=John | work=Fortune | date=June 9, 2017}} In New York, Starbucks works with Feeding America and City Harvest, both non-profits, to donate food from 45 locations. It plans to expand the program to all 305 Manhattan stores. In September 2019, 60% of Starbucks stores are participating in FoodShare. This level of participation contributed to 20 million meals served to those in need.{{Cite news | url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/20-million-people-fed-through-starbucks-foodshare-program/ | title=20 million people fed through Starbucks FoodShare program | work=Starbucks | date=September 13, 2019}}

In 2008, Starbucks announced a comprehensive new animal welfare policy banning many inhumane farming practices, including the caging of hens. In 2009, they established a buying preference in North America to use industry best practices for animal husbandry and processing, including egg production.{{Cite web|url=https://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/313ef95924754048b3ca8cea3cc2ff90.pdf|title=Starbucks Animal Welfare-Friendly Practices}}

In 2015, Starbucks made a public announcement that they will switch to 100% cage-free eggs by 2020.{{Cite news|last=Huffstutter|first=P. J.|date=October 1, 2015|title=Starbucks to switch to 100 percent cage-free eggs by 2020|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-starbucks-eggs-idUSKCN0RV5HM20151001|access-date=May 10, 2021}}{{Cite magazine|title=Starbucks Says Eggs Will Be Cage-Free by 2020|url=https://time.com/4060385/starbucks-eggs-cage-free/|access-date=May 10, 2021|magazine=Time}}{{Cite web|last=Greenwood|first=Arin|date=October 5, 2015|title=Starbucks Aims To Use Only Cage-Free Eggs By 2020|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/starbucks-cage-free-eggs_n_56127477e4b0768127027e4f|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=HuffPost|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Starbucks says eggs will be cage-free by 2020|url=https://fortune.com/2015/10/03/starbucks-cage-free-eggs/|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=Fortune|language=en}} However, later, the company altered its commitment to just company-owned locations, excluding around 40% of its licensed restaurants.{{Cite web|date=March 10, 2020|title=HSUS grades companies on animal welfare pledges: see how McDonald's, Subway, Starbucks and others performed|url=https://blog.humanesociety.org/2020/03/hsus-grades-companies-on-animal-welfare-pledges-see-how-mcdonalds-subway-starbucks-and-others-performed.html|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=A Humane World|language=en-US}}

In 2018, Starbucks committed to reaching the goal of using 100% cage-free eggs and egg products in company-operated stores globally by 2020, including Starbucks branded products and those supplied to licensed partners in the North America. They stated their goal to be for all their products to meet high quality and ethical standards, with a commitment to social responsibility standards with animal welfare as a primary focus{{Cite web|title=Starbucks Animal Welfare-Friendly Practices News|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/animal-welfare-friendly-practices/|website=Starbucks}}

Organizations such as World Animal Protection and Compassion in World Farming have stated that Starbucks has not shown any demonstrable improvement in animal welfare since 2012.{{Cite web|title=McDonald's, Starbucks and Subway have made no animal welfare progress in eight years {{!}} World Animal Protection|url=https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/news/mcdonalds-starbucks-and-subway-have-made-no-animal-welfare-progress-eight-years|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=www.worldanimalprotection.org|date=April 6, 2020 |language=en}} According to the Humane Society of the United States, Starbucks no longer qualifies as having an actual cage-free commitment.{{Cite web|url=https://www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/Scorecard.pdf|title=Humane Society's Food Industry Scorecard}}

{{Main|Hear Music}}

File:Hearmusic riverwalk.jpg, 2006]]

Hear Music began as a music catalog company in 1990, adding a few retail locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Hear Music was purchased by Starbucks in 1999.{{Cite news | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/02/starbuckss-failed-music-revolution/385937/ | title=Starbucks's Failed Music Revolution | last=Kornhaber | first=Spencer | work=The Atlantic | date=February 25, 2015}} In 2002, it produced a Starbucks opera album, featuring artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, followed in March 2007 by the hit CD Memory Almost Full by Paul McCartney, making McCartney the first artist signed to the new Hear Music label sold in Starbucks outlets.{{Cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6476843.stm | title=McCartney joins Starbucks label | work=BBC News | date=March 22, 2007}} In 2006, the company created Starbucks Entertainment, one of the producers of the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee. Starbucks stores advertised the film before its release and sold the DVD.{{cite news | url=https://money.cnn.com/2006/04/21/news/companies/starbucks_movies/ | title=Coffee and popcorn | first=Paul R. | last=La Monica | work=CNN | date=April 28, 2006}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2006/01/09/daily18.html | title=Starbucks readies for its close-up with movie deal | work=American City Business Journals | date=January 12, 2006}}

Starbucks has become the subject of a protest song, "A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop" by Neil Young and his band, Promise of the Real. This single from the album The Monsanto Years criticized both Starbucks's alleged use of genetically modified food and the GMO company Monsanto.Zumic [http://zumic.com/music-videos/185591/the-monsanto-years-neil-young-promise-of-the-real-official-full-album-stream-zumic-review/ "The Monsanto Years" – Neil Young + Promise Of The Real (Official Full Album Stream + Zumic Review) by Francesco Marano Published: June 22, 2015]{{cite magazine | last=Kreps | first=Daniel | title=Neil Young Previews Cheeky 'Rock Starbucks' Video | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/neil-young-previews-cheeky-rock-starbucks-video-20150522 | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=May 22, 2015}}

In September 2016, Starbucks announced a debut of its first-ever original content series called "Upstanders", which aimed to be inspirational.{{Cite news | title=Starbucks debuts its own original content series, "Upstanders," featuring video and podcasts | url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/07/starbucks-debuts-its-own-original-content-series-upstanders-featuring-video-and-podcasts/ | last=Perez | first=Sarah | work=TechCrunch | date=September 7, 2016}} The series featured podcasts, written word, and video, and was distributed via the Starbucks mobile app, online, and through the company's in-store digital network.

In the 1999 film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, it is stated by Number 2 (Robert Wagner) to Dr. Evil (Mike Myers), that while he was frozen, Virtucon invested in the company years prior which has become a major conglomerate.

In the 2021 film Ghostbusters: Afterlife, it is stated by Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) that Starbucks had taken over the Ghostbusters' firehouse headquarters at North Moore Street after they went out of business and had turned it into a coffeehouse before Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) bought it back from them.

In Canada, Starbucks has partnered with Aeroplan to award Aeroplan points to customers who link their Aeroplan and Starbucks accounts. Aeroplan members receive points for loading money into their Starbucks account.{{Citation|url=https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/partners/starbucks.html|title=Aeroplan partners - Starbucks|date=November 18, 2021}}

Starbucks has partnered with Apple Inc. to collaborate on selling music as part of the "coffeehouse experience". In October 2006, Apple added a Starbucks Entertainment area to the iTunes Store, selling music similar to that played in Starbucks stores. In September 2007, Apple announced that customers would be able to browse the iTunes Store at Starbucks via Wi-Fi in the US—with no requirement to log into the Wi-Fi network—targeted at iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and MacBook users. The iTunes Store automatically detects recent songs playing in a Starbucks and offer users the opportunity to download the tracks. Some stores feature LCD screens with the artist name, song, and album information of the current song playing. This feature was rolled out in Seattle, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area, and was offered in limited markets during 2007–2008.{{cite news|last=Gonsalves|first=Antone|date=September 5, 2007|title=Apple Builds Ecosystem With iPod Touch Screen|work=InformationWeek|url=https://www.informationweek.com/apple-builds-ecosystem-with-ipod-touch-screen-/d/d-id/1058854}} During the fall of 2007, Starbucks also began to sell digital downloads of certain albums through iTunes. Starbucks gave away 37 different songs for free download through iTunes as part of the "Song of the Day" promotion in 2007, and a free "Pick of the Week" download is available from the App Store.{{Cite news|last=Clay|first=Kelly|date=September 18, 2012|title=Download Free Pick Of The Week From Starbucks App|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2012/09/18/download-free-pick-of-the-week-from-starbucks-app/}}{{Cite press release|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2007/09/05Apple-and-Starbucks-Announce-Music-Partnership/|title=Apple and Starbucks Announce Music Partnership|publisher=Apple Inc.|date=September 5, 2007}}

Starting on June 1, 2009, the MSNBC morning news program Morning Joe has been presented as "brewed by Starbucks" and the show's logo changed to include the company logo. Although the hosts have previously consumed Starbucks coffee on air "for free" in the words of MSNBC president Phil Griffin, it was not paid placement at that time.{{Cite news|last=Stelter|first=Brian|date=May 31, 2009|title=Starbucks Is Now the Official Joe of 'Morning Joe'|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/business/media/01joe.html|url-access=subscription}} The move was met with mixed reactions from rival news organizations, viewed as both a clever partnership in an economic downturn and a compromise of journalistic standards.{{cite news|last=Guthrie|first=Marisa|date=June 2, 2009|title='Morning Joe' Starbucks Sponsorship Gets Mixed Reactions|work=Broadcasting & Cable|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/morning-joe-starbucks-sponsorship-gets-mixed-reactions-34877}} The endorsement deal ended in August 2013.{{Cite news|last=Shaw|first=Dorsey|date=September 16, 2013|title=MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Loses Its Starbucks Endorsement Deal|work=BuzzFeed|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/dorsey/did-msnbcs-morning-joe-lose-its-starbucks-endorsement-deal}}

Starbucks and Kraft Foods entered into a partnership in 1998 to sell Starbucks products in the Mondelez grocery stores owned by the latter. Starbucks claimed that Kraft did not sufficiently promote its products and offered Kraft US$750 million to terminate the agreement; however, Kraft declined the offer, but Starbucks proceeded with the termination anyway. Starbucks wanted to terminate the agreement because at the time, single coffee packs were beginning to become popular. In their agreement, Starbucks was confined to selling packs that only worked in Kraft's Tassimo machines. Starbucks did not want to fall behind in the market opportunities for K-Cups.{{cite news|last=Strom|first=Stephanie|date=November 13, 2013|title=Starbucks to Pay Kraft $2.75 Billion, Ending Broken-Deal Dispute|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/13/business/starbucks-to-pay-kraft-2-75-billion-ending-broken-deal-dispute.html|url-access=subscription}} In mid-November 2013, an arbitrator ordered Starbucks to pay a fine of US$2.8 billion to Mondelez International, a corporate spin-off of Kraft, for its premature unilateral termination of the agreement.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.wsj.com/video/starbucks-fined-28b-in-grocery-dispute-and-more/2AEF2E9A-0D95-48B8-B79B-B27685B1AEF2.html|title=Starbucks Fined $2.8B in Grocery Dispute, and More|date=November 13, 2013|last=Po|first=Joanne|work=The Wall Street Journal}}{{cite news|last=Jargon|first=Julie|date=November 13, 2013|title=Starbucks Fined $2.8 Billion in Grocery Dispute|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303914304579194331955592154|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite news|last=Sharf|first=Samantha|date=November 12, 2013|title=Starbucks Ordered To Pay Kraft $2.8 Billion|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2013/11/12/starbucks-ordered-to-pay-kraft-2-8-billion/|url-access=limited}}

In June 2014, Starbucks announced a partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) that would allow Starbucks employees in their Junior and Senior years of college to complete four years of college at Arizona State University's online program for only around US$23,000. Starbucks employees admitted into the program will receive a scholarship from the college,{{Cite web|title=Future leaders start here|url=https://www.starbucks.com/careers/working-at-starbucks/education|publisher=Starbucks}} that will cover 44% of their tuition. The remaining balance and all other expenses would be paid by the student or through traditional financial aid. In April 2015, Starbucks and ASU announced an expansion of the College Achievement Program. The program would now allow all eligible part-time and full-time employees working in a U.S. Starbucks to enroll in the program for full-tuition reimbursement.{{cite news|date=April 6, 2015|title=ASU, Starbucks to offer full tuition coverage for all eligible employees|work=Arizona State University|url=https://asuonline.asu.edu/newsroom/asu-online-news/asu-starbucks-offer-full-tuition-coverage-all-eligible-employees/}} After the completion of each semester, Starbucks reimburses the student their portion of the tuition. The student can then use the reimbursement to pay any loans or debt incurred during the semester.{{cite news|last=Wallace|first=Gregory|date=June 20, 2014|title=Starbucks workers could pay $23,000 for 4-year tuition|work=CNN|url=https://money.cnn.com/2014/06/20/pf/college/starbucks-college/}}

In 2015, Starbucks signed a deal with PepsiCo to market and distribute Starbucks products in several Latin American countries.{{cite news|date=July 23, 2015|title=Starbucks, PepsiCo sign agreement for Ready-To-Drink coffee, energy beverages in Latin America|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSS8N0ZV02V20150723}}

In May 2015, Starbucks entered a partnership with music streaming service Spotify. The partnership entailed giving U.S.-based employees a Spotify premium subscription and to help influence the music played in store via playlists made using Spotify. Starbucks was also given its own curated Spotify playlist to be featured on Spotify's mobile app.{{cite news|last=Prins|first=Nomi|date=May 19, 2015|title=The Spotify-Starbucks Partnership Is Digital Co-Branding Genius|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/nomiprins/2015/05/19/the-spotify-starbucks-partnership-is-digital-co-branding-genius/|url-access=limited}}

On June 19, 2015, a Starbucks opened at Disney's Animal Kingdom on Discovery Island. Since the park does not allow plastic straws due to the animals, this location features special green eco-friendly straws with their cold drinks.{{cite news | url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/os-disney-animal-kingdom-starbucks-20150619-post.html | title=Disney's Animal Kingdom: Starbucks now open | first=DEWAYNE | last=BEVIL | work=Orlando Sentinel | date=June 19, 2015 | url-access=limited}} This was the sixth Starbucks to open in Walt Disney World, following locations in the Magic Kingdom (Main Street, U.S.A.), Epcot (Future World), Disney's Hollywood Studios (Hollywood Boulevard),{{cite news | last=Smith |first=Thomas | title=Starbucks to Open at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Early 2015 | url=https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/08/starbucks-to-open-at-disneys-hollywood-studios-in-early-2015/ | website=disneyparks.com | publisher=Disney Parks-Walt Disney World | date=August 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531154402/https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/08/starbucks-to-open-at-disneys-hollywood-studios-in-early-2015/ |archive-date=May 31, 2024 }} and two in Disney Springs (Marketplace and West Side). In addition to these six, there are locations in Disneyland (Main Street, U.S.A.), Disney California Adventure (Buena Vista Street), Anaheim's Downtown Disney, and Disney Village at Disneyland Paris. The Downtown Disney and Disney Springs locations are Starbucks-operated, while the locations inside of the theme parks are Disney-operated.{{cite news | last=Horovitz | first=Bruce | title=Starbucks to open big store in Downtown Disney | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/03/10/starbucks-disney-disneyland-downtown-disney/6179395/ | work=USA Today | date=March 10, 2014}}

In December 2018, Starbucks expanded its partnership with Uber Eats to bring its beverages to U.S. customers' doorsteps, as it had already done for some time in China.{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/13/starbucks-partners-with-uber-eats-to-deliver-to-customers.html |title=Starbucks cuts long-term earnings per share forecast; shares fall |last2=Rogers |first1=Sarah | last1=Whitten | first2=Kate | work=CNBC |date=December 13, 2018}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-to-launch-uber-eats-delivery-across-us-2020-2019-7 | title=Starbucks is rolling out delivery across America with Uber Eats | first=Kate | last=Taylor | work=Business Insider | date=July 23, 2019}}

In March 2020, Starbucks announced that starting from April 6, all U.S. employees and their eligible family members could use up to 20 free mental health therapy or coaching sessions per year.{{cite news|last=Thomas|first=Patrick|date=March 16, 2016|title=Starbucks to Offer Free Therapy to All Workers|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-to-offer-free-therapy-to-all-workers-11584363600|url-access=subscription}} They can meet with a counselor face-to-face or video call and will also have unlimited access to self-care apps through Lyra Health Inc.{{Cite web|date=March 16, 2020|title=Starbucks Transforms Mental Health Benefit for U.S. Employees|url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-transforms-mental-health-benefit-for-us-employees/|access-date=October 6, 2021|website=Starbucks}}

Starbucks have a range of ready-to-drink iced coffee products in shops and supermarkets, which are produced under license by Danish-Swedish dairy cooperative Arla Foods.{{cite web|url=https://www.arla.com/company/news-and-press/2018/pressrelease/starbucks-extends-strategic-partnership-with-arla-foods-to-grow-ready-to-drink-across-emea-2531742/|title=Starbucks extends strategic partnership with Arla Foods to grow ready-to-drink across EMEA|date=June 7, 2018|access-date=July 12, 2023}}

Kevin Knox, who was in charge of doughnuts food quality at Starbucks from 1987 to 1993, recalled on his blog in 2010 how George Howell, coffee veteran and founder of the Cup of Excellence, had been appalled at the dark roasted beans that Starbucks was selling in 1990.{{cite news|last=Allison|first=Melissa|date=March 10, 2010|title=Coffee wrap: Starbucks spent $740K on lobbying last year, Le Whif, and an old hand takes a swipe at 'third wave' coffee|work=The Seattle Times|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/coffee-wrap-starbucks-spent-740k-on-lobbying-last-year-le-whif-and-an-old-hand-takes-a-swipe-at-third-wave-coffee/}} Talking to The New York Times in 2008, Howell stated his opinion that the dark roast used by Starbucks does not deepen the flavor of coffee, but instead can destroy purported nuances of flavor.

The March 2007 issue of Consumer Reports compared American fast-food chain coffees and ranked Starbucks behind McDonald's Premium Roast in the middle of a coffee war. The magazine called Starbucks coffee "strong, but burnt and bitter enough to make your eyes water instead of open".{{cite news|date=February 4, 2007|title=A triple-venti-Americano-decaf surprise? Consumer Reports finds McDonald's coffee better than Starbucks|work=NBC News|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16951509}}

As reported by Time in 2010, third wave coffee proponents generally criticize Starbucks for over-roasting beans.{{Cite magazine|last=Ozersky|first=Josh|date=March 9, 2010|title=Is Stumptown the New Starbucks — or Better?|magazine=Time|url=http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1970653,00.html}} As a result, Starbucks retrained its baristas and changed its roasting methods in 2010 in order to "standardize quality over quantity".{{Cite news|last=McArdle|first=Megan|date=October 13, 2010|title=Starbucks Puts Quality Over Quantity|work=The Atlantic|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/10/starbucks-puts-quality-over-quantity/64511/}} The Atlantic reported that this push for higher-quality coffee slowed down orders, but stated "[they] move their product pretty quickly, and with surprising accuracy". Forbes corroborated this trade off between efficiency and quality at Starbucks.{{Cite news|date=February 15, 2017|title=Quality Vs. Quick Service: The Difference Between Starbucks And McDonald's|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2017/02/15/quality-vs-quick-service-the-difference-between-starbucks-and-mcdonalds/}}

In 2018, Business Insider conducted a test of Starbucks coffee judged by 100 coffee experts.{{Cite news|last=Tobin|first=Taylor|date=September 25, 2018|title=What coffee experts think about 10 popular Starbucks drinks|work=Insider Inc.|url=https://www.insider.com/coffee-experts-review-starbucks-drinks-2018-9}} It concluded that although staples of the menu were "too sugary", coffee quality materially improved with particularly strong showings in the firm's iced coffee and nitro cold brew coffee offerings. Insider experts, however, did note that the coffee quality in Starbucks Reserves far surpassed that of the typical retail store.

{{main|Criticism of Starbucks}}

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, a number of companies have faced growing pressure to halt operations in Russia, but have not yet done so. This includes Starbucks. On March 4, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson stated that the company has no business operations in Ukraine, but does have 130 licensed Starbucks locations in Russia that are wholly owned by a "licensed partner". While Johnson did not comment on their future, he condemned the Russian invasion and did say that the company "will donate any royalties we receive from our business operations in Russia to humanitarian relief efforts for Ukraine".{{Cite news |last=Creswell |first=Julie |date=March 5, 2022 |title=Fast-food chains and food producers stay open in Russia, and mostly quiet about Ukraine. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/05/world/europe/russia-food-ukraine.html |access-date=March 6, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |title=Ukraine invasion: Attention turns to McDonald's and crypto exchanges, yet to take a stand against Russia |url=https://news.sky.com/story/attention-turns-to-mcdonalds-and-cryptocurrency-exchanges-as-holdouts-in-russia-exodus-12557535 |access-date=March 6, 2022 |website=Sky News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=March 5, 2022 |title=For many Washington state businesses, the war in Ukraine means tough choices about Russia |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/for-many-washington-state-businesses-the-war-in-ukraine-means-tough-choices/ |access-date=March 6, 2022 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Letter to Partners from Kevin Johnson on Ukraine |url=https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/letter-to-partners-from-kevin-johnson-on-ukraine/ |access-date=March 6, 2022 |website=Starbucks Stories |language=en-us}}

Starbucks has been accused of racial bias and discrimination on several occasions. In 1994, Starbucks settled a lawsuit after two employees were dismissed because of their race, age, and sex. A black woman filed a suit after her direct supervisor, a regional vice president, said he would like to call her Toby, a slave name which was given to African Kunta Kinte in the TV miniseries Roots. Her co-worker spoke on her behalf, after which she was fired.{{Cite web|title=Starbucks Settles Discrimination Suit -- Employees Say They Were Fired Because Of Their Race, Age, Sex {{!}} The Seattle Times|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19940801&slug=1923225|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=archive.seattletimes.com}} In 2008, a former African American Starbucks engineer sued the company for discrimination after his supervisor failed to address racist bullying he was experiencing at the workplace, instead giving him extra work due to his complaining. Starbucks settled the suit in 2009.{{Cite web|last=Allison|first=Melissa|date=June 23, 2009|title=Starbucks pays $120,000 to settle racial discrimination lawsuit, but the check hasn't been cashed|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/starbucks-pays-120000-to-settle-racial-discrimination-lawsuit-but-the-check-hasnt-been-cashed/|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US}} The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has raised allegations against Starbucks for racial bias in its promotions, allegedly based on workforce data from 2007 to 2011 that showed that minority retail partners in the United States received fewer promotions than statistically expected.{{Cite web|date=March 31, 2021|title=Starbucks reaches agreement with EEOC over alleged bias in promotions|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/starbucks-reaches-agreement-with-eeoc-over-alleged-bias-in-promotions/|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US}}

The 2015 Starbucks "Race Together" campaign, when baristas were instructed to write the phrase "Race Together" on customer's cups with the aim to start a national dialogue about race, was heavily criticized and received backlash.{{Cite web|last=Shah|first=Khushbu|date=March 17, 2015|title=Can Starbucks Fix Racism With a Message on a Cup?|url=https://www.eater.com/2015/3/17/8231973/can-starbucks-fix-racism-with-a-message-on-a-cup|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=Eater|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=March 18, 2015|title=Starbucks' Move To Debate Race Brews Backlash|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/starbucks-race-backlash_n_6898324|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=HuffPost|language=en}} In 2020, employees were prohibited from wearing Black Lives Matter symbols or phrases on their clothing or accessories.{{Cite web|last=Beer|first=Tommy|title=Starbucks Bans Employees From Wearing Black Lives Matter Attire|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/06/11/starbucks-bans-employees-from-wearing-black-lives-matter-attire/|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=Forbes|language=en}}

Individual Starbucks cafes have faced criticism over incidents of racial bias, leading the company to close 8,000 cafes for a day in 2018 for racial bias training.{{cite news |last1=Hyken |first1=Shep |title=Starbucks Closes 8,000 Stores For Racial Bias Training -- Is It Enough? |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/shephyken/2018/06/01/starbucks-closes-8000-stores-for-racial-bias-training-is-it-enough/ |work=Forbes |date=June 1, 2018 |language=en}} In 2014, a Milwaukee Starbucks employee called the police when they noticed a black man sleeping in a park, which resulted in the police officer killing the man by shooting him 14 times, prompting protests.{{Cite web|date=April 17, 2018|title='They didn't care:' Call from Starbucks employee prompted response that led to Dontre Hamilton's death|url=https://www.fox6now.com/news/they-didnt-care-call-from-starbucks-employee-prompted-response-that-led-to-dontre-hamiltons-death|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=FOX 6 Now Milwaukee|language=en-US}} In 2018, two black men were arrested and escorted out of a Philadelphia Starbucks after the staff called the police because they refused to leave. The video of the incident quickly became viral and sparked widespread outrage.{{Cite web|last1=Madej|first1=Patricia|last2=DiStefano|first2=Joseph N.|last3=Adelman|first3=Jacob|title=Black men's arrests at Philadelphia Starbucks prompt city probes amid national outcry|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/starbucks-philadelphia-police-viral-video-investigation-race-20180414.html|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=www.inquirer.com|date=April 14, 2018 |language=en}} In another 2018 incident, a black man was denied the code for the restroom for not being a customer, even though at the same time a white man was given that code before ordering anything.{{Cite web|date=April 16, 2018|title='Is It My Skin Color?' Black Man Asks in Viral Video After Apparently Being Denied Restroom Access at Torrance Starbucks|url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/is-it-my-skin-color-black-man-asks-in-viral-video-after-apparently-being-denied-restroom-access-at-torrance-starbucks/|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=KTLA|language=en-US}} In 2021, a Starbucks in Ireland was fined €12,000 after an Irish Thai customer received her order with a racist drawing on the cup.{{Cite web|date=January 19, 2021|title=Starbucks in Dublin fined over racist drawing on customer's cup|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/starbucks-dublin-ireland-fine-racist-drawing-customer-cup/|access-date=May 10, 2021|website=Politico|language=en-US}}

In 2022, over a period of a few months, Starbucks terminated more than 85 workers in the U.S. who had been involved in organizing worker unions against unfair labor practices. The workers had also accused Starbucks of creating a culture of fear and surveillance in the store.{{cite news |last1=Sainato |first1=Michael |title=Starbucks creating 'culture of fear' as it fires dozens involved in union efforts |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/25/starbucks-union-employees-fired |access-date=August 25, 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=August 25, 2022}}

In November 2022, the chain announced it would close a location in Seattle that was the first to unionize. It said the closure was due to safety concerns.{{Cite web |last=Wiener-Bronner |first=Danielle |date=November 22, 2022 |title=Starbucks closes location that was the first to unionize in Seattle |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/22/business/starbucks-closure-union/index.html |access-date=November 23, 2022 |website=CNN |language=en}}

On December 18, 2022, workers at over 100 stores across the U.S. undertook a three-day strike in response to alleged union busting and to demand better working conditions.{{Cite web |last=Kent |first=Jackie |date=December 19, 2022 |title=Seattle Starbucks workers join nationwide strike |url=https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-starbucks-strike-union-workers-employee-nationwide-country-america-us-capitol-hill-picket-line-roastery-howard-schultz-coffee |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=KOMO News |language=en}}

{{Main|2023 Starbucks strike}}

In June 2023, Starbucks attracted controversy for allegedly not allowing workers at some locations in 22 states to put up Pride Month decorations. It came during an ongoing public furor over the direction of LGBTQ+ rights in the US, with other major corporations, like Target and AB-InBev, which manufactures Bud Light, also receiving heightened criticism and scrutiny. A strike at some stores was announced as a result.{{Cite news |last=Sainato |first=Michael |date=June 14, 2023 |title=Starbucks Pride decorations removed because of new policy, US workers say |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jun/14/starbucks-workers-pride-month-no-decorations-policy |access-date=June 23, 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Kate |date=June 23, 2023 |title=Starbucks union says workers at more than 150 stores will strike over Pride decor |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/23/starbucks-union-says-workers-will-strike-over-pride-decor.html |access-date=June 23, 2023 |website=CNBC |language=en}}

File:Pro-Palestine Demonstration in Exeter Feb 10 2024 Boycott Starbucks.jpg outside Starbucks in Exeter, England on February 10, 2024]]{{Further information|Criticism of Starbucks#Allegations of support for Israel and boycott}}

In late 2023, Starbucks faced boycotts following the company's decision to sue the Starbucks Workers United (SWU) union for making a social media post stating "Solidarity with Palestine" shortly after the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel.{{cite news |last1=Tenbarge |first1=Kat |title=Social media fuels boycotts against McDonald's and Starbucks over Israel-Hamas war |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/social-media-fuels-boycotts-mcdonalds-starbucks-israel-hamas-war-rcna125121 |access-date=December 26, 2023 |work=NBC News |date=December 1, 2023 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Durbin |first1=Dee-Ann |title=Starbucks, Workers United union sue each other in standoff over pro-Palestinian social media post |url=https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5 |access-date=December 26, 2023 |work=AP News |date=October 18, 2023 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Mohamud |first1=Amal |title=Why people are boycotting Starbucks in solidarity with Palestine |url=https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/why-people-are-boycotting-starbucks-in-solidarity-with-palestine-1.6666378 |access-date=December 26, 2023 |work=Edmonton |date=November 29, 2023 |language=en}} Starbucks alleged that the post harmed its reputation, and sued for trademark infringement for the use of the Starbucks name and a related logo. The SWU made a filing in response, requesting the continued use of the name and logo, and alleging defamation from Starbucks that it endorsed violence or terrorism. According to SWU President Lynne Fox the post was written by a single person, shortly deleted, and not authorized by other members of the SWU. CEO Laxman Narasimhan wrote a year-ending letter addressed to employees, writing: "Our stance is clear. We stand for humanity."{{cite news |last1=Tenore |first1=Haley |title=Starbucks CEO says people on social media misrepresented what the coffee chain stands for and led to stores being vandalized |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-ceo-responds-boycott-calls-store-vandalism-israel-palestine-backlash-2023-12 |access-date=December 26, 2023 |work=Business Insider |date=December 22, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Sherman |first1=Natalie |title=Starbucks blames 'misrepresentation' after Israel Gaza protests |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67777506 |access-date=December 26, 2023 |work=BBC |date=December 20, 2023}}

In 2025, a court ordered Starbucks to pay $50 million to a driver who suffered burns after an unsecured hot drink spilled on him.{{Cite web |last=Dorgan |first=Michael |date=March 15, 2025 |title=Starbucks ordered to pay $50M to customer burned by hot drink |url=https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/starbucks-ordered-pay-50m-customer-burned-hot-drink |access-date=March 17, 2025 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}

{{Portal|Coffee|Companies|Food}}

• Coffee culture
• List of coffee companies
• List of companies based in Seattle
• Multinational corporation

{{reflist}}

• Behar, Howard with Janet Goldstein. (2007). It's Not About the Coffee: Leadership Principles from a Life at Starbucks, 208 pages. {{ISBN|1-59184-192-5}}.
• Clark, Taylor. (2007). Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce and Culture. 336 pages. {{ISBN|0-316-01348-X}}.
• Michelli, Joseph A. (2006). The Starbucks experience: 5 principles for turning ordinary into extraordinary, 208 pages. {{ISBN|0-07-147784-5}}.
• {{cite book| last =Pendergrast | first =Mark |author-link=Mark Pendergrast | title =Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World | publisher=Texere | location=London |year=2001|orig-year=1999 | isbn =1-58799-088-1}}
• Schultz, Howard. and Dori Jones Yang. (1997). Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time, 350 pages. {{ISBN|0-7868-6315-3}}.
• Simon, Bryant. (2009). Everything but the Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks. 320 pages. {{ISBN|0-520-26106-2}}.

; Media

• Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/XUBeH7VQaFY Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190413125058/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUBeH7VQaFY Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUBeH7VQaFY|title=How Starbucks Became An $80B Business|publisher=CNBC|date=January 10, 2019}}{{cbignore}}
• Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/_FGUkxn5kZQ Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20180727121651/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FGUkxn5kZQ&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FGUkxn5kZQ|title=Why Starbucks Failed In Australia|publisher=CNBC|date=June 26, 2018}}{{cbignore}}
• Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/sdHKw0Ve--8 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20191102015901/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdHKw0Ve--8&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdHKw0Ve--8|title=Why Starbucks Is Struggling In South Africa|publisher=CNBC|date=October 23, 2019}}{{cbignore}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Official website}}

{{Finance links

| name = Starbucks

| google = SBUX:NASDAQ

| sec_cik = 829224

| yahoo = SBUX

| bloomberg=SBUX:US

| reuters = SBUX.O

}}

• "[https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/21/opinion/starbucks-union-strikes-labor-movement.html Inside Starbucks’ Dirty War Against Organized Labor]" at The New York Times

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