From beans to dreams – Starbucks partners are turning dreams into reality with Bean Stock

What are your big goals for the new year? Maybe you’re saving up to buy your first home or you want to go back to university to learn something new? Perhaps you’ve got a wedding to plan or have your eye on a new car. Whatever your new year’s resolution, if you work at Starbucks our Bean Stock initiative could bring you one step closer to your financial goals.
At Starbucks, you’re not just an employee, you’re a partner – that means our success is your success. Every year eligible partners receive an annual allocation of our stock, an initiative we call Bean Stock. When Bean Stock started back in 1991, it was the first program of its kind in retail. Today, anyone who started at Starbucks by 1st May each year – from our roasters to our baristas to our marketing team – receives stock options in November every year that can be sold for a little cash boost or left to grow along with the business over time.
Read on to find out how Bean Stock helped two of our partners, Sam and Jacopo, to accomplish their lifelong dreams.
From barista to homeowner – meet Sam Murgatroyd
Sam Murgatroyd works part-time at our Reserve Roastery in Milan and has always dreamed of owning his own home in the vibrant and historic city. But as one of the most expensive places to live in Italy, for a while this goal felt unattainable. Luckily, with a helping hand from the Bean Stock initiative, Sam was able to save enough to take his first step onto the property ladder.
“What truly made my dream of owning an apartment in Milan possible was Starbucks Bean Stock,” Sam explains, “this employee benefit allowed me to invest in my future and gave me the financial foundation to secure a mortgage. Today, I’m proud to call Milan home, and I owe much of my success to the opportunities that Starbucks provided.”
“From a part-time barista to a homeowner in one of the world’s most enchanting cities, my journey shows how hard work and the right support can change your life,” Sam adds, “here’s to the adventures ahead and the dreams that can come true with a little coffee and a lot of passion!”

Brewing academic success – meet Jacopo Cavallo
In 2022, Jacopo Cavallo decided he wanted to go back to university to learn something new and take his career to new heights. At the time, he was working as a Senior Manufacturing Manager at our Reserve Roastery in Milan and was able to apply for an Executive Master Business Administration course at Politecnico di Milano using his shares from Bean Stock. “I thought this would make a big contribution to my career at Starbucks and my professional development in general,” he explains.
When he graduated in 2024, Jacopo says his parents were brimming with pride. “Starbucks has contributed to the achievement of this personal milestone through my Bean Stock grants,” he adds. It was Jacopo’s hard work and commitment that allowed him to reach this incredible accomplishment – Bean Stock just offered a helping hand to get him there.

Empowering partners to reach their life goals
“As an employer, Starbucks believes you should have the opportunity to share in the success of the company – no matter if you’re pouring coffees or poring over spreadsheets, whether you work part-time or full-time,” says Lisa Robbins, vice president of partner resources EMEA, “that’s why at Starbucks we’re not just employees, we’re partners.”
You can find out more about Bean Stock here.