Letter to Customers

To Our Customers:Â Â

Twenty-five years ago, I walked into Starbucks first store and I fell in love ? with the coffee I tasted, with the passion of the people working there, and with how it looked, smelled and felt. From that day, I had a vision that a store can offer a welcoming experience for customers, be part of their community, and become a warm "third place" that is part of their lives everyday ? and that it can provide a truly superior cup of coffee.

Based on that vision, I, along with a very talented group of people, brought Starbucks to life. We did it by being creative, innovative and courageous in offering coffee products that very few in America had ever tasted; by celebrating the interaction between us and our customers; by developing a store design unlike any that existed before; and by bringing on board an exceptionally engaged group of partners (employees) who shared our excitement about building a different kind of company.

In doing this, we developed a culture based on treating each other, our customers and our coffee growers with respect and dignity. This includes embracing diversity, committing ourselves to ethical sourcing practices, providing health care and stock options to all of our eligible full- and part-time partners, supporting the communities we serve, and, most of all, ensuring that we are a company you can be proud to support.

I am writing today to thank you for the trust you have placed in us and to share with you my personal commitment to ensuring that every time you visit our stores you get the distinctive Starbucks Experience that you have come to expect, marked by the consistent delivery of the finest coffee in the world. To ensure this happens, in addition to my role as chairman, I am returning to the position of chief executive officer to help our partners build upon our heritage and our special relationship with you, and lead our company into the future. Â

We have enormous opportunity and exciting plans in place to make the Starbucks Experience as good as it has ever been and even better. In the coming months, you will see this come to life in the way our stores look, in the way our people serve you, in the new beverages and products we will offer. That is my promise to you. Everyone at Starbucks looks forward to sharing these initiatives with you.

Onward,

Howard Schultz

For more information:
Letter and Voicemail to Starbucks Partners (employees)
Questions & Answers
Investor Relations (webcast available after 2 p.m. PST.)Â Â