Photos: Highlights of Starbucks 2019 Annual Meeting

The first Starbucks Annual Meeting of Shareholders in 1993 was just a small gathering in a downtown Seattle hotel conference room, with a slide presentation and stack of tri-fold brochures. On March 20, 2019, the event drew a crowd of thousands to WaMu Theater in downtown Seattle where guests could rake coffee in a simulated drying patio, immerse in video playing on screens from coffee farms and sample some of Starbucks latest beverages and food. Here is a visual summary of the event as captured by Starbucks Stories.
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People line up during the Starbucks Annual Meeting of Shareholders on Wednesday March 20, 2019 at WaMu Theater. -
Coffee is ready for guests to scoop during the Starbucks Annual Meeting of Shareholders on Wednesday March 20, 2019 at WaMu.

The Annual Meeting of Shareholders featured Starbucks leaders offering updates on the business and future initiatives as well as goals, stories, films and, of course, a special musical guest.

Coffee tastings are a key feature of Starbucks meetings. This year, shareholders smelled, slurped and tasted Starbucks Pike Place® Roast during annual meeting. Here's what it took to serve coffee to thousands:
- 13 pouring stations
- 104 pounds of Starbucks Pike Place® Roast coffee
- 162 hawking trays
- 265 volunteers
- 2,608 short recyclable and compostable cups
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Military members had front-row seats. -
Kevin Johnson, Starbucks chief executive officer, speaks on stage. -
Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson asks a question during the Q & A.

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Coffee is handed out to people for the coffee tasting. -
Kevin Johnson serves coffee to military members seated in the front row.
“She is one of the best lyrical storytellers in music today, a woman who combines her art with her personal mission.”
-Kevin Johnson, introducing special musical guest Brandi Carlile

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Brandi Carlile tells the story behind one of her songs. -
Kevin Johnson thanks Brandi Carlile.
