Starbucks Corporation

Starbucks Corporation is the world's largest coffeehouse chain, founded in 1971 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Under CEO Brian Niccol, Starbucks is implementing its 'Back to Starbucks' transformation plan with fiscal 2028 targets including 5%+ revenue growth and 3%+ comparable sales growth. The company trades on NASDAQ (SBUX) with 383,000 employees and operates over 35,000 stores globally while introducing a reimagined Starbucks Rewards program.

Starbucks was founded in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker in Seattle's Pike Place Market. The original store sold high-quality coffee beans and coffee-making equipment, inspired by the coffee culture they experienced in Berkeley, California. The company was named after Starbuck, the first mate in Herman Melville's novel "Moby-Dick."

In 1982, Howard Schultz joined Starbucks as Director of Marketing and Operations. After a trip to Milan, Italy, Schultz was inspired by the Italian coffee culture and envisioned bringing a similar experience to America. However, the founders were not interested in expanding into the café business, so Schultz left to start his own coffeehouse chain called Il Giornale.

Schultz acquired Starbucks from its founders in 1987 and combined it with Il Giornale, creating the modern Starbucks concept. The company began rapidly expanding throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, introducing the Frappuccino in 1995 and expanding internationally. Starbucks went public in 1992, providing capital for further expansion.

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Starbucks continued its global expansion while facing challenges related to overexpansion and economic downturns. The company refocused on core coffee offerings, improved store experience, and expanded into new product categories including food, merchandise, and digital services. Starbucks became one of the most successful digital innovators in the restaurant industry, creating one of the most successful mobile ordering applications that transformed how customers order coffee.

In 2026, Starbucks is implementing its "Back to Starbucks" transformation plan under CEO Brian Niccol, who joined the company to lead a comprehensive turnaround. At the 2026 Investor Day, Niccol announced "Starbucks is back," highlighting progress in the transformation plan and showcasing new coffeehouse and menu innovations. The company introduced a reimagined Starbucks Rewards program with three tiers (Green, Gold, and Reserve) and detailed a financial framework for fiscal 2028, targeting 5% or greater consolidated net revenue growth and 3% or greater global and U.S. comparable store sales growth.

The company's turnaround strategy focuses on strengthening its core coffee business while expanding into new product categories and digital services. Starbucks continues to innovate in coffee technology, customer experience, and sustainable practices, positioning itself for continued growth in the competitive global coffee market. The company expects to add more than 25,000 café seats across the U.S. by the end of fiscal 2026 and open over 2,000 net new stores globally by fiscal 2028.