Campaign Asia-Pacific has released its annual study of Asia’s Top 1000 Brands. Starbucks is listed 15th overall for 2015, and the number one restaurant brand in Asia.

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The top brands report is based on an online survey developed by Campaign Asia-Pacific and the Nielsen research company. The survey asked customers to list brands by industry sector they most trusted and felt had the best reputation. Four hundred respondents were polled in each market, except for India and China, which polled 800 and 1,200 people, respectively.

In addition to an overall ranking of the most favored brands, the survey drills down to the market level with 13 country-specific rankings. Starbucks is the number 10 brand in China, 12th in Hong Kong and Thailand, and 17th in Japan and Korea.

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Starbucks coffee is served to more than 60% of the world’s population across the China and Asia Pacific Region (CAP) and in channels outside our stores.

Starbucks anticipates that over half of new store growth globally over the next 5 years will come from the CAP region, led by Japan and China. In 1996, Japan became Starbucks first operational market outside of North America; Shanghai has more Starbucks stores than any other city in the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The top five companies on the list of leading&nbsp;brands in Asia are: Samsung, Sony, Nestle, Apple and Panasonic.&nbsp;

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Annual Study Ranks Starbucks the Number 1 Restaurant Brand in Asia : Starbucks Stories Asia

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Starbucks Stories Asia

Annual Study Ranks Starbucks the Number 1 Restaurant Brand in Asia

Campaign Asia-Pacific has released its annual study of Asia’s Top 1000 Brands. Starbucks is ranked 15th overall on the regional list for 2015, and it is the number 1 restaurant brand in Asia.

https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2015/annual-study-ranks-starbucks-the-number-1-restaurant-brand-in-asia/

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Coffee is at the core of everything Starbucks does.

From sourcing and roasting to crafting and innovating, Starbucks partners (employees) are passionate about brewing and handcrafting the world’s best coffee beverages.&nbsp;Starbucks baristas in China and Japan recently celebrated coffee artistry through competitions in pour-over brewing and latte art.

The Starbucks coffee journey began in Asia nearly 20 years ago, with the company’s first store outside of North America opening in Tokyo in 1996, followed later in 1999 with the first store at the Beijing World Trade Centre. It started with the introduction of a cup of fresh-brewed coffee, followed by educating customers on the joy and indulgence of enjoying a handcrafted cup of espresso beverage, such as the Café Latte and Café Mocha.

Today, customers in Japan and China have even more ways to enjoy their favorite cup of Starbucks coffee – through pour-over brewing or latte art – at more than 1,000 stores and more than 1,600 stores in Japan and China, respectively.

Craftsmanship and Artistry in Each Cup of Starbucks Coffee

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“Every cup of Starbucks coffee, whether it’s our fresh brew or an espresso beverage, starts with sourcing the finest coffees from around the world. By extending our offerings to include the pour-over and latte art, we are showcasing these quality ingredients in a full-flavored coffee beverage,” said Belinda Wong, president, Starbucks China.&nbsp; “More significantly, the craftsmanship and artistry that goes into each cup of Starbucks pour-over or latte art is highlighted in an exceptional way. We are excited to share this experience with our customers in China.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Most recently, Starbucks wrapped up the final event of its Starbuck China Third Annual Latte Art Throwdown Tour and Second Annual Pour-Over Competition, which covered six cities, including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xian, Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. A total of 79 Starbucks China baristas competed in the competitions.

The idea of the tour and competitions began about three years ago as a way to build excitement and momentum around the launch of latte art as a standard offering in China.&nbsp; Today, the tour and the competition leading up to these events has become a celebration of partners’ coffee artistry and genuine passion for coffee.&nbsp;

“It was especially symbolic that while a group of our China partners were in Sumatra experiencing the <a href="https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-coffee-journey-the-first-10-feet-the-last-10-feet">‘first 10 feet’</a> of the coffee bean journey, this competition was celebrating the work that our partners do every day to deliver the ‘last 10 feet’,” said Jeff Miller, vice president, retail and operations, Starbucks China.&nbsp;“I am certain that if the farmers could see how our baristas honor their work through the care they put into brewing these coffees, whether in a latte or a cup of pour-over, they would be as proud as we are.”

The top four winners from each Starbucks China region will travel later this year to Chengdu to attend the Starbucks China National Latte Art and Pour-Over&nbsp;competitions.&nbsp; These events will coincide with the China Coffee Ambassador Cup, where the winner will be crowned Starbucks China Coffee Ambassador, representing the pinnacle of coffee expertise.

“As the leading coffee company in China, I am so excited to represent my North China region partners at this national competition. This is a dream come true for me and a firm demonstration of our dedication to only deliver the perfect Starbucks coffee beverage to our customers every time they visit our stores,” added Kevin Zhang from the Starbucks Beijing Kerry Center flagship store.

Coffee Has Become an Important Part of ‘the Japanese way of life’

In Japan, Starbucks partners also challenged each other and showcased their coffee passion and talent with the best baristas at the Starbucks Coffee Japan Annual Leadership Conference. As part of this gathering, Starbucks hosted the second "We Connect Cup” – a competition to demonstrate and highlight how Starbucks partners exercise the best services, operation, and connections with customers.

“Since the opening of our first store in Ginza, coffee has become such an important part of the Japanese way of life,” said Jun Sekine, ceo, Starbucks Coffee Japan. “Over the past 19 years, our baristas have been pulling perfect espresso beverages for our customers, sharing our passion for the world’s most premium Starbucks Reserve coffee, and building individual moments of connections with customers. We want to continue to elevate their coffee experience whenever they come to a Starbucks store.”

At the second We Connect Cup competition, Starbucks Coffee Japan partners from 13 regions pit their coffee skills and expertise in three categories – operational excellence, beverage routine and service basics.

“It’s by perfecting these three combinations that will make Starbucks world class customer service vision a reality in Japan,” added Masayo Mameta, partner at the Starbucks Fukuoka University Hospital store.

Coffee is at the core of everything Starbucks does. Recently, baristas in China and Japan celebrated coffee artistry through competitions in pour-over brewing and latte art.

Starbucks Baristas Celebrate Coffee Artistry in China and Japan

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https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2015/starbucks-baristas-celebrate-coffee-artistry-in-china-and-japan/

From Argentina to Vietnam, Starbucks is in 66 countries around the world – each with different cultures, citizens and customs. How do Starbucks designers create locally relevant stores in such varied locations? Design studio teams answer that question in a special series of reports, beginning with Asia.

Since opening its first store outside of North America in Tokyo in 1996, Starbucks has grown to more than 5,000 stores in the China and Asia Pacific Region across 15 different markets. Over the next five years, the company plans to double its store count to more than 10,000.

"We rely on design to continue making our brand relevant to each customer in every location we support from our design studio," Lucas Torresi said. He is one of three directors who manage design for the 13 markets of Starbucks Greater Asia, and shares some of the team’s newest designs.&nbsp;“We have a fantastic team of talented designers from different backgrounds and nationalities who are continually&nbsp;creating and evolving our store portfolio. I don't know of any other brand that is working on this scale."

Indonesia’s coffee history dates back over more than three centuries. Even coffee’s nickname “java” comes from Indonesia’s Java Island, where Dutch traders cultivated arabica coffee trees as early as the 17th century.

In the port city of Surabaya, on the northern shores of East Java, the renovation of the Starbucks store at the Galaxy Mall brought designers the opportunity to bring coffee to the forefront. It is now the first Starbucks Reserve store in the city of Surabaya, and the second Reserve store in Indonesia.

Weathered blues and greens of locally reclaimed boat wood clad the bar and focal wall, a nod to the city’s seafaring history. The patterned tile floor echoes traditional designs and custom copper pendant lights bring warmth to the space.

A two-hour flight northwest across the Java Sea is the city-state of Singapore. Here the island nation’s iconic skyscrapers and Colonial-era building rise just off the southernmost tip of the Asian continent.

When the team had the opportunity to expand the Great World City Mall store, their goal was to make the interior bright but warm, and improve on how the space was used. They created a central timber structure that formed the main “vertebrae” of the space. This grand main frame acts as a backdrop for the entire bar and as a decorative backing for the seating area.

Another two-hour plane ride north is Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest city. Starbucks opened its <a href="https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-debuts-iconic-flagship-store-in-ho-chi-minh-city-honoring-vietnam">first store in Vietnam</a> here in January 2013, and the&nbsp;new SC VivoCity is one of the first stores in the country to be located in a shopping mall.

The design was focus on making this a warm and welcoming place in contrast with the very modern and clean lines of the mall interiors. Designers used natural wood and pivot doors that can be completely open into the corridor, bringing a sense of the outside in.

“The coffee is the inspiration around the design of this space,” Torresi said. “Mercantile-inspired shelves dominate the top of the bar, and coffee botanical artwork climb along the walls, bringing a sense of fun through a unique twist of color in framing the artwork.”

East across the South China Sea are the Philippine Islands, a market Starbucks first entered 18 years ago, its third outside of North America. Starbucks new store on the campus at Manila’s La Consolacion College is near the capital city’s presidential office, Malacanang Palace.

The store design makes use of the long store frontage and enclosed patio area to create a design that would complement the existing architecture of the building yet allowing a lot of natural lights and visibility into the store. The result uplifts the entire neighborhood façade.

The majority of customers are university students, so the design team created spaces where they could interact together. For art, they created a modern twist to showcase Starbucks coffee passion by printing on scroll-inspired hanging artwork.

With more than 18 in-house design studios around the world, Starbucks is driven by its commitment to environmental sustainability, local relevancy, and bringing bold and innovative design to customers.

Take a tour of some of Starbucks newest store designs in Asia.

Store Design Showcase: Creating the Starbucks Experience in Asia

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https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2015/asia-pacific-store-design/

Starbucks Coffee Malaysia has earned top honors for its employment practices at the Aon Hewitt Best Employers of 2015 Awards. The Best of the Best award was presented to Starbucks Malaysia at the recent Awards Presentation and Learning Conference in Kuala Lumpur.

The Aon Hewitt Best Employers Award is one of the most prestigious awards recognizing companies with strong employee engagement, high-performance culture, effective leadership and a compelling brand.&nbsp;Aon Hewitt’s research is conducted over nine months and is active in a dozen Asia Pacific markets, including China, Japan, Australia, and Malaysia.&nbsp;The Malaysian survey was completed in partnership with TalentCorp Malaysia.

Sydney Quays, managing director of Starbucks Malaysia and Brunei, called the honor “one of the most significant recognitions that a company could get in validation to its human resources practices and talent management initiatives.”

“We're known for our coffee, but our people make us famous,” Quays added.&nbsp;

A substantial part of Starbucks recognition was related to the company’s efforts to retain, engage and motivate partners.

“Retention starts from hiring the right talent,” said June Beh, partner resources and compliance director for Starbucks Malaysia and Brunei. “We also highly invest in the training of every partner (employee) empowering them with the necessary skills and knowledge.”

Starbucks store manager Desmond Soon was given the opportunity last year to lead a district for the company. “This allowed me to create a lasting connection with the community, to be involved in company programs, and to share our amazing stories with customers,” Soon said.

Starbucks® in Malaysia is operated by Berjaya Starbucks Coffee Company Sdn Bhd., a licensee of Starbucks Coffee International.&nbsp; The first Malaysian Starbucks coffeehouse opened in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. Today there are more than 190 Starbucks stores in Malaysia.&nbsp;The company operates Starbucks retail locations throughout Malaysia and is committed to offering the world’s finest coffee while enriching Malaysians’ lives one cup at a time. &nbsp;Visit the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/StarbucksMalaysia">Starbucks Malaysia Facebook page</a>, or &nbsp;<a href="http://www.starbucks.com">Starbucks.com</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://www.news.starbucks.com">News.Starbucks.com.</a>

The Aon Hewitt Best Employers Award is one of the most prestigious awards recognizing companies with strong employee engagement, high-performance culture, effective leadership and a compelling brand.

Starbucks Coffee Malaysia Earns Top Honors as an Employer of Choice

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Starbucks Japan celebrated the launch of a new Frappuccino® beverage in style this week.

A fashion event, created by acclaimed designer Taro Horiuchi, set the stage for the debut of Starbucks Fruits-on-top yogurt Frappuccino® with crushed nuts. Horiuchi, a Tokyo fashion designer and winner of the Newcomer’s Prize at Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix Japan, created dresses and separates that playfully captured the essence of the beverage with fruit on top.

The base of the beverage is yogurt blended with almonds and four kinds of refreshing fruit jelly - orange, strawberry, yellow peach and white peach – topped with whipped cream. The early-summer treat is available in Starbucks stores in Japan for a limited time (April 15-June 2).

Today, Starbucks serves Frappuccino blended beverages in all of its 66 countries and offers more than 36,000 different drink combinations. Around the world there are unique Frappuccino flavors that reflect the diverse palates of global customers, such as Coffee Jelly Frappuccino and Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino in Asia, Algarrobina Frappuccino with syrup from the Black Carob tree in Peru and the chocolate Brigadeiro Frappuccino in Brazil.

Japan was the first country outside of the United States and Canada to offer the handcrafted beverage in 1996.

Top 5 flavors in the United States: Caramel, Mocha, Vanilla Bean, Java Chip, Double Chocolatey Chip

U.S. Frappuccino social media stats: 10.9 million fans on Facebook, 164,000 followers on Twitter, 301,000 followers on Instagram (as of 4/16/15)

Starbucks store #8944 in Moreno Valley, California sells more Frappuccino blended beverages than any other store in the United States and Canada.

Saturday is the busiest day of the week for Frappuccino blended beverage sales.

The record for the most Frappuccino blended beverages sold on a single day in the United States and Canada occurred on May 10, 2014.

A Stylish Launch for Starbucks Japan’s New Frappuccino : Starbucks Stories Asia

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A Stylish Launch for Starbucks Japan’s New Frappuccino

A fashion event, created by acclaimed Tokyo designer Taro Horiuchi, set the stage for the debut of Starbucks Fruits-on-top yogurt Frappuccino with crushed nuts.

https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2015/a-stylish-launch-for-starbucks-new-frappuccino-in-japan/

SEATTLE– March 18, 2015 (HONG KONG – March 19, 2015) – Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) and Chinese leading food and beverage producer Tingyi Holding Corp. (“Tingyi”) (0322.HK) announced today they have entered into an agreement to manufacture and expand the distribution of Starbucks ready-to-drink (RTD) products throughout mainland China. According to the agreement, Starbucks will be responsible for providing coffee expertise, brand development and future product innovation, and Tingyi will manufacture and sell Starbucks RTD portfolio in China. The RTD coffee and energy category is a $6 billion business, and is projected to grow by 20% over the next three years.*

The agreement leverages the respective strengths of Starbucks and Tingyi to bring the entire Starbucks RTD portfolio to customers in China as well as the ability to innovate specifically for the China market.

China is Starbucks fastest growing market outside the U.S. with more than 1,500 stores in nearly 90 cities, and more than 25,000 partners (employees). Tingyi is a leading Chinese food and beverage producer which, after more than 20 years of development, boasts world-leading production facilities and management expertise with a broad spectrum of quality channel resources. Tingyi’s local manufacturing, sales and distribution expertise combined with Starbucks strong brand recognition and coffee expertise will unlock new market opportunities.

“We are pleased to work with Tingyi, a leader in China’s RTD beverage category, to unlock the massive ready-to-drink market and grow local demand for Starbucks,” said John Culver, group president, Starbucks Coffee China and Asia Pacific, Channel Development and Emerging Brands. “Our agreement enables us to develop new categories and occasions to delight our customers and connect people outside of our stores to Starbucks where they live, work and play.”

“The RTD market has a huge growth potential in China,” said James Wei, CEO of Tingyi Holding Corp. “The agreement with Starbucks will further expand Tingyi’s beverage product portfolio and enables us to provide consumers with more high-quality and convenient product options and experiences. As part of this cooperation, Tingyi will leverage its strength in production and distribution to increase the market share of Starbucks’ RTD products in the Chinese market.”

Today, customers in China can purchase Starbucks® Bottled Frappuccino® beverages in nearly 6,000 locations including select Starbucks retail stores, grocery and convenience stores throughout mainland China. Through this agreement, Starbucks and Tingyi plan to bring new and existing Starbucks® Bottled Frappuccino® in the marketplace during 2016, which will be followed by innovation and an increased number of locations and cities for consumers to purchase Starbucks RTD products.&nbsp;

*Based on 2014 Euromonitor results.

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 21,000 stores around the globe, Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit our stores or online at <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/">Starbucks.com</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/">news.starbucks.com</a>.

Tingyi Holding Corp. is China's leading food and beverage company that specializes in the production and distribution of instant noodles, beverages and baked goods in the PRC. Tingyi started its instant noodle segment in 1992 under the brand of Master Kong, and expanded into the bakery segment and beverages in 1996.&nbsp;For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.masterkong.com.cn/?jdfwkey=eb1yl">www.masterkong.com.cn</a>.

Certain statements contained herein are not based on historical fact and are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable securities laws and regulations. Generally, these statements can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "feel," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "project," "should," "will," "would," and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements are based on information available to Starbucks as of the date hereof, and Starbucks actual results or performance could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business. These risks and uncertainties include: fluctuations in U.S. and international economies and currencies, our ability to preserve, grow and leverage our brands, potential negative effects of material breaches of our information technology systems if any were to occur, costs associated with, and the successful execution of, the company’s initiatives and plans, including bringing Starbucks RTD portfolio to China,&nbsp; the acceptance of the company’s products by our customers, including our RTD products in China, the impact of competition, coffee, dairy and other raw material prices and availability, the effect of legal proceedings, and other risks detailed in the company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the “Risk Factors” section of Starbucks Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September&nbsp;28, 2014.&nbsp; The company assumes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.

According to the agreement, Tingyi will manufacture and sell Starbucks RTD portfolio in China, with Starbucks being responsible for product development and brand operations.

Starbucks Signs Agreement with Tingyi to Expand in China’s $6 Billion RTD Coffee and Energy Category

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Starbucks Signs Agreement with Tingyi to Expand in China’s $6B RTD Coffee Category

https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2015/starbucks-signs-agreement-with-tingyi-holding-corp/

With a history that dates back more than 4,000 years, Lunar New Year is one of the world’s grandest and most significant cultural celebrations. It's a time to sweep out the old and bring in the new with family gatherings, celebrations and the exchanging of gifts.

Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, originated in China during the Shang Dynasty to honor deities and ancestors. It’s now celebrated around the world for 15 days from late January to mid-February with spectacular fireworks displays, parades and events. This year's celebration marks the Year of the Sheep (or Goat) in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. Those born under the sign are believed to be calm, gentle and creative.

Starbucks stores are helping celebrate Lunar New Year with new card designs, mugs, tumblers and other merchandise in Asian markets:

Lunar New Year Starbucks Card (U.S. and Asia)

Starbucks senior designer Victor Melendez created the design for the 2015 Starbucks Lunar New Year Card, <a href="https://www.starbucks.com/shop/card/egift/lunar-new-year">available in dozens of countries around the world</a>. His design, crafted using a linoleum block printing technique, features the seasonal colors of red and gold.

Starbucks® New Year Gift Voucher Set (Hong Kong)

Complete set includes 12 Hong Kong $20 gift vouches and a complimentary tall handcrafted beverage voucher and 16 delicate packets in red and gold.

Year of the Sheep Gift Set (China, Taiwan)

Includes a “sheepish” Year of the Sheep Bearista® Bear and mini My Starbucks Rewards® Card.

Starbucks Coffee Wafer Rolls (China, Singapore, Taiwan)

Customers can enjoy this new crisp and buttery cookie infused with coffee in a decorative tin for easy gift-giving.

Customers can add some excitement to their New Year festivities with a Spicy Mocha. The beverage features the chili flavor of Chinese red pepper infused into Starbucks signature espresso and sweet chocolate sauce, topped with whipped cream and sweet and spicy red sprinkle.

A delicate treat of aromatic peach blossom and Earl Grey tea with freshly steamed milk, topped off with whipped cream and peach blossom sugar sprinkle.

Starbucks stores are helping celebrate Lunar New Year with new card designs, mugs, tumblers and other merchandise in Asian markets and around the world.

Starbucks Stores in Asia Usher in the Year of the Sheep

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Speaking to 360 partners from the China Southwest and Central region, the president of Starbucks China highlighted the unparalleled steps Starbucks is taking to innovate the customer and partner (employee) experience and celebrated this commitment with opening of the Chengdu Taikoo Li store which puts the coffee experience at the forefront for customers. In a&nbsp;message that was webcast which across the country, Belinda Wong also announced an enhanced partner experience through new opportunities with the launch of the new Starbucks Talent Exchange Program.

Elevating the Starbucks Experience for Customers

Nestled in the recently opened Chengdu Taikoo Li retail and entertainment district, the Starbucks flagship store is designed to honor the vibrant culture in Chengdu and Starbucks rich coffee heritage with Starbucks Reserve™ Coffee – a range of rare and exquisite, small-lot arabica&nbsp; coffees from around the world.&nbsp; The design of the new store features Sichuan-inspired tiles, silk artwork by local craftsmen, and a warm wood tone interior, which is similar to the materials used in the recent refurbishment of the nearby historic Daci Temple, a key cultural landmark in Chengdu.

“The store is the first flagship store in our fast-growing China Southwest and Central region and reflects on our coffee passion,” said Wong. “This is a reflection of our continued focus to highlight our coffee passion and create a locally-relevant Starbucks Experience through each moment of connection for our customers.”

Demonstrating an unparalleled passion for coffee and a high-level of artisanal coffee expertise, all partners at the store are Starbucks Coffee Masters. These baristas have completed a rigorous certification process and have earned the distinguished Black Apron after an intensive coffee skills and knowledge training. Currently, there are 6,000 Coffee Masters in China.

Located in a three-story building, the first floor features an exclusive Starbucks ReserveCoffee interactive bar to facilitate customer engagement with Starbucks Coffee Masters. The second floor reflects Starbucks global coffeehouse culture with plush custom seating for customers to connect with friends and family over a cup of coffee. The third, or loft, floor provides a space for large gatherings and star-gazing in the evenings through the exposed terra cotta ceiling.

The store is the company’s eighth Starbucks Reserve™ store in China since bringing the program to the market in October 2014 and was designed by Starbucks China Design Studio, one of eighteen in-house international Starbucks design offices across the globe.

Enhancing Partner Investments to Further Personal Aspirations

The coffee passion, artisanal skills and expertise presented at the store require persistence by each Starbucks partner in their individual development journey. To further evolve their coffee and service expertise, as well as continue to enrich their experience working for the company, Starbucks will once again elevate its employer-of-choice proposition in China, with the introduction of the Starbucks Talent Exchange Program. Developed and designed specifically for Starbucks China retail partners, in 2015, eligible Starbucks partners will have the opportunity to apply for a work exchange program within China or internationally. Singapore will be the first international location to participate in the work exchange program with Starbucks China and the company is working to expand this new program across other key Starbucks markets.

“We heard from our partners that in addition to the ongoing professional and training development opportunities at Starbucks China University, their personal aspiration is to work and experience life in different cities in China, or in an overseas market,” said Angel Yu, vice-president, partner (human) resources, Starbucks China. “This special talent exchange program is part of our ongoing efforts to offer exciting opportunities for our retail partners to immerse in a different culture and to experience work and life outside of their comfort zone. Besides honing their interpersonal skills and broadening their horizons, we believe our partners will return home with life-changing experiences that will enhance their personal and career aspirations.”

Starbucks opened its first store in China in 1999, and since then has opened more than 1,400 stores across 84 cities with 25,000 partners who proudly wear the Starbucks green apron. As Starbucks China continues to grow and expand its store footprint, the company will continue to innovate and elevate the customer and partner experience.

Starbucks China Announces First-of-a-Kind Partner Development Program : Starbucks Stories Asia

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Starbucks China Announces  First-of-a-Kind Partner Development Program

Starbucks opens first Starbucks flagship store in its China Southwest and Central region; new store will serve rare, exquisite small-lot Starbucks Reserve™ Coffees; Starbucks Reaffirms commitment as Employer of Choice with introduction of new Starbucks China Talent Exchange Program.

https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2014/starbucks-china-opens-new-flagship-store/

Starbucks is bringing an immersive coffee experience to its customers in China with a new lineup of Starbucks Reserve® coffees and an interactive coffee bar to seven stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Starbucks Reserve® coffees are small-lot coffees that are the most exquisite coffees in the world. Every year Starbucks coffee buyers travel to coffee-growing regions - from the faraway highlands in Papua New Guinea to the coast of Galapagos Islands in Ecuador - to find and purchase some of the world’s finest arabica coffee beans.

The stores in China that carry Starbucks Reserve coffee will feature coffee-forward designs, including an interactive “coffee bar,” where customers can discover different types of brewing methods such as the manual, pour-over style Chemex® Coffeemaker or the classic coffee press. Customers will have the opportunity to spend more time to explore Starbucks® coffees, ask questions, and purchase their favorite brewing equipment and packaged coffee for home use. Baristas are certified Starbucks Coffee Masters who wear black aprons as a symbol of their coffee expertise. 

“With 43 years of strong passion for coffee, we purchase and roast some of the finest quality coffee beans around the world for our customers,” said Belinda Wong, president of Starbucks China. “The launch of Starbucks Reserve coffee will bring a unique coffee experience to China.” 

The first four Starbucks Reserve offerings in China each hold intriguing flavors and stories:

Peru Chonti Coffee noted for its herbaceous aroma with a subtle lemony acidity with flavor notes of hazelnut and baking chocolate, this coffee originates from the steep valleys of northern Peru.

Panama Los Cantares Estate Coffee grown in Panama’s remote Volcán region, this coffee has won awards for its floral aromas, delicate body and bright, crisp acidity.

Malawi Peaberry Sable Farms Coffee from East Africa delivers crisp acidity with a vibrant splash of lime zest and a spicy, citrus complexity through the concentrated flavor of hand-selected peaberries. 

Hawaii Ka’u Coffee, cultivated on the temperate slopes of Mauna Loa, is recognized as one of the finest coffees in the world for its delicate and deliciously tropical flavors.

Starbucks Reserve coffees are currently available 25 markets, including the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Korea, and Japan. 

<a href="https://storiesadmin.starbucks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Starbucks_Reserve_China_Press_Release.pdf">Press Release in Chinese </a>

Exceptional Starbucks Reserve Coffees Launch in China : Starbucks Stories Asia

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Exceptional Starbucks Reserve Coffees Launch in China

Starbucks is bringing an immersive coffee experience to its customers in China with a new lineup of premium Starbucks Reserve coffees and an interactive coffee bar to seven stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2014/starbucks-reserve-coffees-launch-in-china/

“I can’t imagine what 2,000 slurps will sound like,” said Jackie Xu, a Starbucks coffee master who guided district managers through a formal coffee tasting during the company’s leadership conference in Seattle.

Placing one hand over a coffee cup, Starbucks leaders from around the world each smelled the coffee. They described the aroma. Next, a quick slurp spread coffee across the palate allowing subtle flavors to reach all of the taste receptors of the tongue. Xu smiled after hearing a boisterous, unison slurp from the audience members.

Xu’s passion for the featured coffee was obvious as she described Starbucks Pike Place Special Reserve – a roast only sold at the company’s first store at 1912 Pike Place and Seattle’s Space Needle. &nbsp;What was not apparent was that she had not spoken in front of a large crowd before.

“I would never have imagined I would be standing on a stage in front of Howard Schultz (Starbucks chairman, president and ceo) and thousands of people talking about coffee,” said Xu. “This is a dream come true.”

Her dream began when Xu was a college student studying business management in China. With an interest in the retail industry, she read Howard Schultz’s first book, “Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time.”

“What stood out about the book then is still what is important in our society,” she said. “Howard Schultz cares about his partners. Starbucks is a culture where we all care about our partners and help them develop in their daily work and careers.”

Xu joined the company as a barista one-and-a-half years ago and is currently the store manager of Starbucks Kerry Center store in Beijing, China. Soon, she’ll be among the first partners to connect with customers in the company’s Starbucks Reserve™ Roastery and Tasting Room, opening in December.

Located in Seattle, the 15,000 square-foot interactive retail environment devoted to coffee innovation will allow customers to engage with Starbucks passion for coffee. It is designed to be an integrated coffee roasting, education and retail space allowing Starbucks to expand its small-lot sourcing program and to serve as homage to the rich history of specialty coffee.&nbsp;

“I am honored to be a part of this,” she said.

Addressing the 2,100 partners in attendance for the Starbucks Leadership Experience she concluded, “I stand here by myself, but I carry all their (China store partners) dreams on my shoulders.”

Carrying the Dreams of Starbucks China Partners on Her Shoulders : Starbucks Stories Asia

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Carrying the Dreams of Starbucks China Partners on Her Shoulders

Starbucks store manager Jackie Xu addressed 2,100 partners in attendance for the Starbucks Leadership Experience: “I stand here by myself, but I carry all their (China store partners’) dreams on my shoulders

https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2014/carrying-the-dreams-of-starbucks-china-partners-on-her-shoulders/

Starbucks to purchase remaining 60.5% share of Starbucks Japan in two-step tender offer process

Acquisition enables continued elevation of unique Starbucks Experience for customers and partners through coffee, store design and digital and mobile leadership

Starbucks to build on more than 1,000 existing stores and nearly 20 years of brand loyalty and trust

SEATTLE; September 23, 2014 – Starbucks Corporation (Nasdaq: SBUX) today announced that it will acquire the remaining 60.5% share of Starbucks Coffee Japan, Ltd. (Starbucks Japan) that the company currently does not own through a two-step tender offer process, further elevating Starbucks growth and innovation in its second-largest market when measured by retail store sales. The acquisition positions Starbucks to accelerate growth across multiple channels in Japan, including the potential introduction of new concepts, such as Teavana. Before the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2015, Starbucks expects to have a controlling interest and will consolidate Starbucks Japan into the company’s results. Starbucks expects this transaction will be immediately accretive on a non-GAAP basis when excluding certain items noted later in this release.

Starbucks Japan is a joint venture between Starbucks and Sazaby League&nbsp;that operates Starbucks branded retail stores in Japan. Since the inception of their joint venture agreement in 1995, Starbucks and Sazaby together introduced the coffeehouse experience to Japanese customers and built one of Starbucks top-performing markets globally. Starbucks Japan’s business today is marked by strong brand recognition and deep customer loyalty built through delivering an unparalleled Starbucks Experience. Starbucks stores have been remarkably consistent performers despite ongoing macro-economic challenges in Japan.

“Nearly 20 years ago we opened the first Starbucks store outside of North America in Tokyo’s Ginza district with lines around the block,” said Howard Schultz, chairman, president and ceo of Starbucks Coffee Company. “Japan is a market we know well and care deeply about, with more than 25,000 partners serving millions of customers every week at more than 1,000 stores. Full ownership of Starbucks Japan enables us to build on the amazing foundation of customer trust and loyalty our partners have achieved by continuing to take care of our people, delivering the highest quality coffee and innovating in product, store design and the digital experience."

“We would like to thank all of our partners in Japan who wear the green apron with pride and deliver the Starbucks Experience to our customers each and every day,” commented John Culver, group president China/ Asia Pacific, Channel Development and Emerging Brands. “Their efforts have built an admired brand and delivered the strong financial results that have made Starbucks Japan a meaningful contributor to the growth and profitability in our China/ Asia Pacific segment. We wish Sazaby the best and sincerely appreciate the operational excellence and leadership that they have contributed to Starbucks Japan’s success and the solid foundation they have helped us build for the opportunities ahead.”

Over the summer, Sazaby approached Starbucks about selling its Starbucks Japan ownership stake to Starbucks and exiting the business in a smooth and orderly manner in advance of the expiration of Starbucks Japan’s retail franchise rights. Starbucks credits Sazaby with establishing and growing Starbucks Japan’s healthy business and is excited for this next chapter in Starbucks Japan’s evolution which will leverage existing infrastructure, systems and expertise to continue disciplined retail growth and expanded presence in other channels.

“It has been an honor for Sazaby to be part of the Starbucks family for nearly two decades,” said Masatoku Mori, President and Representative Director, Sazaby. “We are deeply grateful for the opportunity we have had to introduce the Starbucks Experience and the world’s best coffee to Japan. We have full confidence that Starbucks will continue to care for our dedicated partners, loyal customers and neighboring communities with the same personalized attention and respect they’ve provided since opening our first Starbucks store in 1996.”

The first step in the two-step tender offer process begins with Sazaby tendering its shares, which will commence on September 26th. The purchase price for Sazaby’s 39.5% stake is ¥965 per share, for a total of ¥55 billion, or approximately $505.0 million with Japanese Yen converted into US Dollars at a reference conversion rate of 108.93 JPY to USD. Upon final settlement of this first tender offer step, which is anticipated to occur during the middle of Starbucks first quarter of fiscal 2015, Starbucks will own a controlling 79% interest in Starbucks Japan.

Shortly after the settlement of the first step in the tender offer and following the release of Starbucks Japan’s second quarter earnings results, Starbucks will initiate the second step for the remaining 21% ownership interest held by public shareholders and option holders of Starbucks Japan’s common stock. The tender offer purchase price for this second step is ¥1,465 per share, for a total of ¥44.5 billion, or approximately $408.5 million at the above referenced conversion rate. The public price per share of ¥1,465 represents an 11.6% premium to the 30-day average price of Starbucks Japan’s stock, a 4.7% premium to the closing price on Monday, September 22, and a 51.8% premium to the price Starbucks is paying Sazaby for its shares.

All steps of this tender offer process have been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of Starbucks, Sazaby and Starbucks Japan, and the transactions are expected to be fully completed during the first half of calendar 2015. The consolidation of Starbucks Japan’s financial results into Starbucks financials will commence after the final settlement of the first step of the tender offer, at which time Starbucks will record the required purchase accounting adjustments, such as the step-up in fair value of Starbucks existing ownership interest in Starbucks Japan, as well as newly acquired tangible and intangible assets. This information will be included in Starbucks first quarter of fiscal 2015 externally reported financial results.

Financial targets for Starbucks fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014 provided in conjunction with Starbucks 2014 third quarter earnings on July 24th are unchanged as a result of this transaction. Starbucks expects this&nbsp;transaction to be slightly accretive to the company’s fiscal year 2015 non-GAAP financial results, when excluding: 1) an anticipated acquisition-related gain in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 resulting from a fair value adjustment of Starbucks current 39.5% ownership interest in Starbucks Japan; 2) ongoing amortization expense of significant acquired intangible assets related to the transaction; and 3) transaction and integration costs.

The English translation of the press release issued by Solar Japan Holdings G.K., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Starbucks that will acquire the shares and options, will be available later today on Starbucks website at <a href="http://investor.starbucks.com">http://investor.starbucks.com</a>. The English translation of the tender offer explanatory statement will be available on September 26, 2014 at <a href="http://investor.starbucks.com">http://investor.starbucks.com</a>. The offering documents will be available in Japanese on September 26, 2014 at <a href="http://www.smbcnikko.co.jp/stock/tob/">http://www.smbcnikko.co.jp/stock/tob</a>.

Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and ceo, and Troy Alstead, chief operating officer, hosted a webcast (9/23) at 3 pm PDT to discuss this acquisition. The webcast may be accessed on the Investor Relations page of Starbucks website at http://investor.starbucks.com, where it will also be archived until October 21, 2014.

About Starbucks

Since 1971, Starbucks has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.

Starbucks Japan was formed as a joint venture partnership in 1995 with license agreements that grant it the exclusive right to develop and operate Starbucks coffee stores in Japan, and to use certain trademarks, designs, marks, technologies, and know how. With more than 1,000 stores today, Starbucks Japan employs approximately 25,000 partners. Earlier this year, Sazaby approached Starbucks about their interest in selling their Starbucks Japan ownership stake and exiting the business. As stated in Starbucks Japan’s securities filings, the existing license agreements are set to expire on March 31, 2021 and contain no provision for auto-renewal.

Important Notice

This press release is not, and does not constitute any part of, an offer to sell or purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase, any securities. The tender offers will be conducted in accordance with the procedures and information disclosure standards prescribed by Japanese law, which may differ from the procedures and information disclosure standards in the United States. In particular, Section 13(e) and Section 14(d) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and&nbsp;the rules prescribed thereunder do not apply to the tender offers, and the tender offers do not conform to those procedures and standards.

Certain statements contained herein are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the applicable securities laws and regulations. Generally, these statements can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “feel,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements are based on information available to Starbucks as of the date hereof, and Starbucks actual results or performance could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the failure of the parties to consummate the two-step tender offer due to commercial, regulatory or other reasons, as well as general economic and industry factors such as coffee, dairy and other raw material pricing and availability, successful execution of internal performance and expansion plans, fluctuations in U.S., Japanese and other international economies and currencies, the impact of initiatives by competitors, the effect of legal proceedings, and other risks detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the “Risk Factors” section of Starbucks Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 29, 2013. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Starbucks Poised for Continued Growth in Japan Through Full Ownership of Market : Starbucks Stories Asia

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Starbucks Poised for Continued Growth in Japan Through Full Ownership of Market

Starbucks to purchase remaining 60.5% share of Starbucks Japan in two-step tender offer process. Acquisition enables continued elevation of unique Starbucks Experience for customers and partners through coffee, store design and digital and mobile leadership. Starbucks to build on more than 1,000 existing stores and nearly 20 years of brand loyalty and trust.

https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2014/starbucks-poised-for-growth-in-japan-through-full-ownership-of-market/

On a hot August morning in August 1996, Starbucks opened its doors for the first time in Ginza, Tokyo, one of the county's most famous shopping, dining and entertainment districts. At the time, Starbucks had fewer than 1,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada, and many people wondered how Starbucks would be received outside North America.

“Yet from the minute the store opened until it closed, customers lined up 40-50 people deep for a taste of Starbucks coffee,” Starbucks chief executive officer Howard Schultz said in his book, Pour Your Heart Into It. “The Starbucks brand had the same power in Tokyo that it had in New York and Seattle. It had taken a life of its own.”

In the 18 years since that summer day in Tokyo, Starbucks has grown to more than 1,050 stores across 46 districts in Japan. The Starbucks design team brings the Starbucks Experience to life, fostering connections with the local community and culture in each store.

“Japanese design is influenced by our aesthetic feeling nurtured by natural beauty in all four seasons,” said Mayu Takashima, Starbucks Japan store design leader. “Our store designs not only reflect Starbucks brand and heritage, but also incorporate Japanese culture and aesthetics.”

Takashima shares some of her favorite store designs:

Starbucks celebrated its growth in Japan in May 2013 with the opening of its “tribute store” in the Meguro area of Tokyo, which symbolically represents Starbucks 1,000th store in the country. Located on the first floor of Starbucks Japan’s Support Center, the store expresses Japanese hospitality and celebrates warm connection with its customers.

The store design drew inspiration from Japanese architecture and gardens in its simple and bright space, taking cues from traditional tea houses. Modern craftsmanship and translucent elements allow consistent interactivity between customers and partners. Green garden spaces bring nature into the space, and recycled coffee grounds were used to make original boards on some of the table tops.

“In Japan, there is a saying, ichi-go ichi-e, which means ‘treasure every encounter,’” said Takashima. “We reflect this welcoming spirit with the experience we created in the Meguro store.”

The store’s central art piece was created in collaboration with a local textile artist, and features the colorful quetzal bird from the original coffee stamp for Starbucks® Shade Grown Mexico. Reclaimed burlap coffee sacks were given a new life as part of the artwork.

“The artwork symbolizes biodiversity, representing the connection between a cup of coffee and quetzal, coffee farmers and natural environment around coffee farms,” she said. “It also represents our wish that our customers feel energy from the quetzal flying into the sky with red coffee cherry.”

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