Reaffirms Seven Strategies to Grow Market Cap to $100 Billion

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Previews New Delivery Options through “Green Apron” Delivery Service to Debut in New York City; Announces Third-Party Delivery Through Agreement with Postmates

Continues to Double Down on Investments in its People, Including $233 Million in Healthcare Benefits and $210 Million in Bean Stock in FY14

Announces Commitment to Hire 10,000 Opportunity Youth in the Next Three Years; Reaffirms its Commitment to Hire 10,000 Veterans and Active Duty Military Spouses Over the Next Five Years; Aims to Graduate 25,000 U.S. partners by 2025 Through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan

SEATTLE (March 18, 2015) – Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) today kicked off its 23rd Annual Meeting of Shareholders, with more than 2,800 partners, shareholders, invited guests and board members in attendance. Together with the Starbucks leadership team, Howard Schultz, chairman and ceo of Starbucks, will honor the accomplishments of the company over the past year of delivering record financial results as the company heads toward achieving a $100 billion market cap.

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“When I look back at the last 23 years of our public life or Starbucks 44-year history, so much of our success is deeply rooted in the values, culture and guiding principles of who we are, who we’ve been and who we are striving to be as a company,” said Howard Schultz, chairman and ceo of Starbucks Corporation. “The long history of Starbucks is steeped in trying to build a different type of business proposition from Day One: one that achieves the balance between profitability and a social conscience. And to continually ask ourselves what it takes to build a great enduring company. Even as our share price hits new all-time highs, we have never lost sight of this vision, and our goal of bringing our people along with us on the journey and sharing our success.”

FY14 Financial Highlights/ Achievements Starbucks has reported record revenues of $16.4 billion (11 percent growth) and record non-GAAP earnings per share of $2.661 (21 percent growth on a non-GAAP basis1) in fiscal 2014; $3.1 billion in non-GAAP operating income2 (25 percent growth on a non-GAAP basis2) in fiscal 2014 ; and $1.6 billion returned to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases. Starbucks also invested $233 million in healthcare benefits and $210 million in Bean Stock in FY14.

New Game-Changing Advances in Digital Customer Experience As Starbucks continues to find opportunities to meet customers where they are in their day while providing both convenience and brand engagement, the company will elaborate on plans to roll out Mobile Order &amp; Pay. A mobile ordering feature integrated into Starbucks world-class mobile app and My Starbucks Rewards loyalty program, Mobile Order &amp; Pay officially launched in the Pacific Northwest this week and Starbucks remains on track for a full national roll-out in 2015. This expansion will also lay the groundwork for Starbucks to begin testing various food and beverage delivery options in the coming year.

In an effort to integrate service solutions that meet the “on demand” customer, Starbucks will unveil two complementary delivery models including:

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Starbucks has the unique ability to leverage its store platforms, suite of digital offerings and mobile commerce innovation to provide delivery options as a natural extension of the Starbucks Experience.

Leading Innovation in Coffee and Tea, From Bean to Cup Starbucks will outline its plans to continue to build its leadership position in coffee including the sourcing, roasting, brewing and serving of its handcrafted beverages. In addition to providing its customers with a portfolio of products that reflect its core espresso craft like the Flat White, the company remains committed to expanding its line of super-premium, small lot Starbucks Reserve® coffee. Starbucks plans to open its next Roastery location in Asia in 2016 and is actively looking for real estate for its second Roastery in the United States. Additionally, Starbucks will announce its achievement of ethically sourcing 99 percent of its coffee in FY15 supported by its 15 year relationship with Conservation International.

In addition to coffee, Starbucks will unveil its strategy to grow and develop the Teavana® brand and will announce plans to offer Teavana teas in Starbucks stores in China/Asia Pacific in 2016. Teavana Shaken Iced Teas, Teavana Oprah Chai and Teavana hot brewed teas in Starbucks stores have already shown strong revenue contribution, and tea remains the fastest growing beverage category within Starbucks North America business.

Creating a Pathway for Opportunity by Building a Purpose-Driven Workforce Starbucks will also outline its commitment to attracting and retaining people who share in the company’s mission to nurture and inspire the human spirit, by investing in partners who will deliver a superior customer experience.

As part of this, Starbucks has committed to hiring 10,000 veterans and military spouses and today will announce that it has already placed more than 3,300 in jobs to leverage their leadership and dedication to operational excellence. Starbucks will also outline its opportunity to address unemployment in young people by committing to hire at least 10,000 over the next three years where Starbucks will focus on creating new career opportunities for young adults. And, Starbucks will today outline its ambitious plans to have at least 25,000 college graduates by 2025 through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan program, and announced that nearly 2,000 partners have already enrolled in the program. The company’s hope is that a large number of these graduates will be “Opportunity Youth:” young people between the ages of 16-24 who are not enrolled in school or are out of the workforce.

Meaningful employment and a top-notch education is the foundation through which Starbucks can help create a sustainable future for its partners whether they build on a rewarding career with Starbucks or if their aspirations take them on a different journey.

A Conversation About Race Relations in America In the second half of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Schultz plans to address the subject of race relations in America and unconscious bias through a personal reflection of his time spent with more than 2,000 partners during Partner Open Forums in Seattle, St. Louis, Oakland, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Schultz plans to announce that Starbucks and USA TODAY will jointly publish national inserts called “Race Together,” and launch a digital hub at <a href="http://racetogether.usatoday.com">racetogether.usatoday.com</a>, which will all serve as learning tools and conversation starters for Starbucks customers, partners and the nation to encourage a greater understanding, empathy, and compassion toward one another. More than 2 million of these inserts will be available across the country in USA TODAY newspapers, and special standalone "Race Together" inserts will also be available in Starbucks® company-operated stores beginning on Friday, March 20.

Joining Schultz on stage will be Starbucks board member Mellody Hobson, who will deliver her acclaimed speech, entitled "Color Blind or Color Brave.” This is expected to be one of the signature moments of the meeting, and will demonstrate the commitment the company has to equal and respectful opportunity for all.

“Doing what is right for society and what is right for business cannot be mutually exclusive endeavors. Today more than ever, companies such as Starbucks must use their resources to create opportunities for their people as well as for the communities they serve,” said Schultz. “Last year on this very stage, I posed the question: ‘What is the role and responsibility of a for-profit, public company in today’s society?’ This year, I hope that we have answered that question and showcased how Starbucks can truly use our scale for good and play a role in changing the narrative and national conversation to create opportunities for all.”

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company 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 <a href="http://www.starbucks.com">www.starbucks.com</a> and find images, b-roll and a LIVE blog of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders at <a href="http://news.starbucks.com">http://news.starbucks.com</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, the acceptance of the company’s products by our customers, 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 28, 2014. The company assumes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.

1 Non-GAAP. FY14 GAAP EPS of $2.71 includes a $0.02 per share litigation credit related to the arbitration with Kraft Foods Global, Inc. and a $0.03 net benefit from transactions in Q4 FY14. The net benefit from transactions in Q4 FY14 relates primarily to a $0.05 gain on the sale of our Malaysia equity method investment, partially offset by a loss on the sale of our Australia retail operations and transaction costs incurred in Q4 FY14 related to the planned acquisition of Starbucks Japan. The FY14 EPS growth rate is calculated over FY13 non-GAAP EPS of $2.19. FY13 GAAP EPS of $0.01 includes a $2.25 per share litigation charge resulting from the conclusion of the arbitration with Kraft Foods Global, Inc., a $0.03 gain on sale of our Mexico joint venture and a $0.03 gain on sale of our Chile and Argentina joint ventures.

2 Non-GAAP. FY14 GAAP operating income of $3,081.1 million includes a pre-tax credit of $20.2 million related to the arbitration with Kraft Foods Global, Inc. and $2.4 million of costs from transactions in Q4 FY14. The FY14 operating income growth rate is calculated over FY13 non-GAAP operating income of $2,458.7. FY13 GAAP operating loss of $325.4 million includes a pre-tax charge of $2,784.1 million resulting from the conclusion of the arbitration with Kraft Foods Global, Inc.

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Starbucks today kicked off its 23rd Annual Meeting of Shareholders honoring the accomplishments over the past year as the company heads toward achieving a $100 billion market cap.

Starbucks Annual Meeting Spotlights Record Financial Performance Driven Through the Lens of Humanity

Stories to inspire and nurture the human spirit

Starbucks Stories

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Starbucks Corporation

Starbucks Spotlights Record Financial Performance Driven Through the Lens of Humanity

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PRESS RELEASE: <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-annual-meeting-spotlights-record-financial-performance">Starbucks Spotlights Record Financial Performance Driven through the Lens of Humanity at Agenda-Setting Annual Meeting of Shareholders</a>

Members of the media, find <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/multimedia">additional photo and video assets here</a>

Howard Schultz – chairman and chief executive officer 

(Acknowledges international business partners, veterans and military spouses, Starbucks Armed Forces Network, Starbucks College Achievement Plan students, and Starbucks partners (employees) in attendance with 2,800 at McCaw Hall in Seattle)

23 years ago, at the time of our IPO, we had 125 stores and a market cap of $250 Million. Today there are 22,000 stores in 66 countries. Starbucks has reached a record high market cap of $70 Billion and stock price growth of 1,200% and 13x shareholder growth since 2008. 

Over the years Starbucks has had five 2-for-1 stock splits. The Starbucks Board has approved our sixth 2-for-1 stock split for our shareholders since we went public.

PRESS RELEASE: <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-announces-2-for-1-stock-split">Starbucks Announces 2-for-1 Stock Split, its Sixth Split since Initial Public Offering</a>

Partner investments – Financial performance of our company and building shareholder value is linked to creating value for our people: over $233 Million invested in health care benefits for our partners (employees); over $210 Million in Bean Stock gains, and more than $1.2 Billion since inception of the program. $73 Million matched this year in 401k contributions. 

<a href="">Starbucks College Achievement Plan</a> – Nearly 2,000 partners enrolled, and today we are announcing our goal to graduate 25,000 partners by 2025.

<a href="">Veterans hiring initiative</a> – Starbucks is committed to hiring 10,000 veterans and military spouses by 2018 and has already hired 3,300.

2014 represented another record year for Starbucks coffee company by every relevant measure. We saw records in revenue, cash flows, and operating margin and our shareholders benefited from this performance in a significant way. Importantly, we have always been focused on balancing this financial growth with the right level of investments in our people, our businesses and our communities. This broad balance is absolutely critical to – and inseparable from – the financial results of our operations.

Revenue growth: Revenues reached $16.4 billion and total retail transactions across the globe for 2014 were an incredible 3.6 billion. At that rate, our partners are serving nearly 7 thousand perfectly prepared, hand crafted beverages and high quality food offerings to our customers every minute of every day. 

Comp growth: 20 consecutive quarters of comp growth of 5% or greater; In the US, our largest market, our comp growth averaged an impressive 7% over this period, which is again nearly double that of our peer group.

Beto Guajardo – senior vice president, Global Strategy

Our role here today is to frame the robust strategies we’ve put into place to deliver the kind of growth you’ve come to expect from Starbucks. 

Starbucks has become one of the world’s most beloved and trusted brands, and we can tell you what creates our brand strength. In a survey of all the people who consider purchasing at Starbucks because of brand appeal, they do so because: 47% love the Starbucks brand because of the connection between partners and customers; 27% say they love the way Starbucks treats its people; 26% love the coffee. 

Katie Seawell - senior vice president, Category and Brand Marketing

Key to our success is investing in our partners and with coffee we have the opportunity to ignite our partners’ passion every single day. There’s never been a more exciting time to be in specialty coffee, an industry we helped establish over 40 years ago and have been innovating in ever since.

Customers around the world are more curious about where their coffee comes from, how it’s roasted and how different brewing methods can change the taste of their beverage. Our coffee journey starts with farmers and their families who work every single day to bring us the highest quality arabica coffee.

I am excited to share with you that for the first time (a first for any company) this year 99% of Starbucks coffee will be verified ethically sourced. Why not 100%? That last 1% is difficult, but very important and allows us to use our scale for good. In places like the Congo, where in partnership with East Congo Initiative, our purchase power can help to develop a coffee supply chain. All of this work directly benefits the local economy and its people. None of this would be possible though without the partnerships that help create long term, systemic change. In coffee, our work with <a href="http://www.conservation.org/Pages/default.aspx">Conservation International</a> is unprecedented. (Video)

John Culver - group president China/Asia Pacific and Channel Development

Starbucks coffee is served to more than 60% of the world’s population across China and Asia Pacific Region (CAP) and in channels outside our stores. Over the next 5 years, we will grow from 22,000 stores to over 30,000 stores around the world. In the CAP region, this week we opened our 5,000th store. Over the next 5 years this region will grow three times in size and Starbucks store footprint will double to 10,000 stores across our 15 markets.

Over half Starbucks new store growth globally over the next 5 years will come from the CAP region, led by Japan and China. Japan was Starbucks first market outside North America, entered in 1996. Today approaching 1,100 stores in Japan and will soon assume full ownership of the market. China is Starbucks fastest-growing global market. In the next few weeks we’ll open the 1,600th store and will have 3,400 stores there in the next 5 years. Shanghai has more Starbucks stores than any other city in the world in which we operate.

We are seeing tremendous anticipation for Starbucks first international <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-reserve-roastery-and-tasting-room">Roastery</a> as we look for potential sites in Japan and China.

Cliff Burrows - group president the Americas and Teavana

This year has been a tremendous year for growth – in fact probably the best. We are currently at just over 14,000 stores across the Americas and that number will grow by 3,500 over the next 5 years.

The store experience is a direct reflection of how our customers are attracted to all the brand has to offer, including products as well as speed and convenience in traditional stand-alone stores as well as our drive-thru stores, which account for more than 40% of U.S company-operated stores.

We will be introducing a new smaller footprint with a select range of products; take away only –Express format – focused on meeting the demands of customers in urban locations during the morning peak. This new format will open up new doors in places we haven’t been able to go before. Today, I am pleased to announce that our first of this new format will open next quarter in New York and we are on track to open 4 more by the end of the year.

By the end of 2019 we will double food sales in the Americas through breakfast, lunch, snacks and the Evenings program. We will grow our food business in the U.S. from 18% to 25% of revenues by the end of 2019 adding an additional $2 Billion to our base business.

5. Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Brand Growth

Michael Conway - president, Global Channel Development

Our mission in Channel Development is to connect people around the world to Starbucks where they live, work and play. Our products are distributed in 39 countries and there are more than 1 Million touch points outside of Starbucks stores. Only 20% of all the coffee consumed in the U.S. is in retail cafes. The remaining 80% of all coffee occasions are done outside of cafes. 

The fastest growing segment of the at-home coffee market is single serve, which in the U.S., is led by K-Cups. Since the launch of K-cups in 2011, we have shipped 2.3 Billion cups.

We are the only premium coffee brand that has the universal awareness and appeal necessary to succeed on a global scale. This is especially true in Asia where distribution through Starbucks stores is an asset and the single cup category has yet to begin. To that end, international expansion is an important part of our CPG strategy. 

The ready to drink (RTD) coffee and energy drinks category is a $6 Billion market and slated to grow by 20% over the next three years. Pleased to announce today that Starbucks has entered into a strategic business agreement with Tingyi Holding Corp. one of China’s largest food &amp; beverage players. 

PRESS RELEASE: <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-signs-agreement-with-tingyi-holding-corp">Starbucks Coffee Company Signs Agreement with Tingyi Holding Corp. to Expand in China’s $6 Billion Ready-to-Drink Coffee &amp; Energy Category </a>

Annie Young-Scrivner – president, Teavana

Tea has been a part of Starbucks history since our first store. Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world only after water, and has a global category size of $125 Billion. Americans drink 800 Million servings of tea per week and iced tea is the number one beverage during lunch time.

Our vision for Teavana is to transform and up-level tea consumption around the world, just like we transformed coffee more than 40 years ago and continue to innovate today.

As we are building the brand (with Teavana Shaken Iced Tea, Teavana Oprah Chai and our Teavana hot brewed teas in Starbucks stores) we are also giving back to communities. Our partnership with Oprah Winfrey has generated <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-donates-nearly-2-million-from-teavana-oprah-chai">millions of dollars that are supporting young women</a> in areas of education and mentorship.

Out of the 66 countries where Starbucks does business today, Teavana is currently only in 7. A large portion of the $125 Billion category resides in Asia and we are excited to bring tea innovation into this region while respecting its heritage. I am pleased to share with you today our Starbucks stores will be converting all of our teas in China and Japan – and across the entire region – to Teavana in 2016.

Sharon Rothstein - global chief marketing officer

Our loyalty and mobile experience, and the value and benefits it unlocks for our customers, begins with our Starbucks gift cards. One in seven adults in the U.S. received a Starbucks gift card last holiday. 

When customers register their gift cards, they become members of our My Starbucks Rewards (MSR) loyalty program. With the growing benefits and values of our loyalty program, we’ve seen MSR active membership more than double in three years, with more than 10 Million active members today in the U.S. alone. Mobile spend from MSR members has grown even faster, at nearly 50% per year to $1.5 Billion in 2014. 

Adam Brotman - chief digital officer

We’ve built the most successful ecosystem of any retailer in the world. We have more than 14 Million active users of our mobile apps and process approximately 8 million mobile payment transactions per week. This translates to roughly 18% of all transactions in our stores which is more than half of every card transaction - all done through mobile. This significant growth demonstrates the power and momentum of our mobile ecosystem.

Mobile Order &amp; Pay, a feature we rolled out in Portland a few months ago, just expanded to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest yesterday. It’s now in over 600 stores. (Adam demonstrates convenience of Mobile Order &amp; Pay) Customers who have experienced Mobile Order and Pay are giving us some of the highest satisfaction scores with their experience that we’ve seen to date. We are on track for a national roll-out in 2015. We will also be rolling this out to Android users later this year. Internationally, we intend to launch Mobile Order &amp; Pay in Canada and pilot the program in the UK as well.

Ultimate convenience for customers is delivery. I have two announcements today about delivery: First, later this year we are going be piloting delivery in collaboration with leading on-demand delivery provider - <a href="https://postmates.com/">Postmates</a> and we're going to do it here in Seattle. (Adam acknowledges Postmates CEO Bastian Lehmann in attendance). The second announcement relates to the other delivery format we’ll test and we’re calling it “Green Apron” delivery. In dense, urban environments like office buildings, we believe we’ve cracked the code on another way to bring Starbucks to our customers, and that’s to have baristas on hand to provide an exclusive service within an office building – this will be great in places like New York City. That’s exactly where we plan on launching later this year. We will have details about both of these delivery methods closer to launch.

<a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/race-together-conversation-has-the-power-to-change-hearts-and-minds">Howard Schultz – Race Together</a>

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This is a much more difficult and different conversation than we have had at any other time in the history of our company with regard to an annual meeting and certainly very different in the last couple of hours. And the question is do we have a right to bring this into this meeting and to share with you and discuss what we think we should do in terms of our obligation and responsibility to our people, to our communities and to all of you. The first open forum that we have in Seattle in December was unscripted. Every open forum that followed in Oakland, Los Angeles, St. Louis, New York and Chicago was also unscripted, but every one of them including the one we had last week with Chief O'Toole at the 23rd &amp; Jackson Street store in Seattle, where she and I did it together. Every one of them has been exactly the same.

What I mean by that is we created a safe environment where people could share their vulnerabilities, their life experience. And I must say at times tragic examples of racial injustice, racism, discrimination and then with many times, where I felt I had to fight back the tiers and what I was listening to and what I was trying to absorb. What you do when a young man in St. Louis, an African-American young man stands up in front of 300 people and says I made it to 20 years. I don’t know if I will make it to 21. You can’t be a bystander when you hear that.

What do you do when an African-American single mom in New York stands up in front of another 300 people and says before my 10-year-old son goes to school I make absolutely sure he doesn’t have any bright clothes on. And I turned and asked her why, because I don’t want him to draw any attention to himself. And I turned to the white woman next to her. And I said you have children. She says yes. I said have you ever worried on any level what your kids were wearing to school? What I learned in this emotional journey over the last few months was the great need for empathy, compassion, understanding and metaphorically trying to put your shoes, your feet in someone else’s shoes.

So, the question in front of us is what are we going to do? Over the last 10 years, we have had the benefit – I have had the benefit of having Mellody Hobson on Starbucks board. She is an African-American woman. She has risen to the heights at the highest level of corporate America. She has been an advisor and a counselor to me on a number of issues, but specifically this issue as I and the company try to navigate through the process of not being a bystander and effectively and respectfully trying to make a difference in the communities we serve. I have invited Mellody to speak to you and share her own life experience with you.

Mellody Hobson – Starbucks Board Member

Finance executive Mellody Hobson, a member of the Starbucks Board of Directors for 10 years, says speaking openly about race makes for better business and a better society even though the subject of race can be challenging to discuss. 

<a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-board-member-mellody-hobson-lets-be-color-brave">Full transcript of Hobson's presentation</a>

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If you ever have the opportunity to be involved in a hiring process or an admissions process, you can be color brave.

If you have the responsibility to organize a brainstorming session at work or at school, you can be color brave.

If you’re trying to solve a problem and you look around the table and only see the same kind of people with the same kind of background, you can speak up and be color brave. 

My challenge to you is simply this: observe your environment. At work. At home. At school. And if you don’t see any diversity, work to change it. Invite people into your life who don’t look like you or think like you or come from where you do—people who will challenge your assumptions and help you grow as an individual. You might gain powerful new insights about the world. And by the way, this challenge cuts both ways and applies to people of color as well—because I have plenty of friends who only hang out with black people. We people of color have a responsibility to stand up for diversity too. The more progress we make, the more hopeful the message it sends to the next generation for whom we have an obligation to be role models. 

The idea of being the “land of the free and the home of the brave” is woven into the fabric of America, because throughout history, as a people, we have never shrunk from the challenges we face. We show courage. We take action. So let's be bold. Let’s make sure we’re audacious enough to not leave anything on the table. Let’s make sure we’re daring enough to not leave anyone out. And let’s make sure that we’re not being color blind; but being color brave enough to ensure every child believes their future matters and their dreams are possible. 

Common is an American hip hop recording artist and actor from Chicago. Common debuted in 1992 with the album Can I Borrow a Dollar? Common won the 2015 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and the 2015 Academy Award for Best Original Song, for his song "Glory" from the 2014 film Selma, in which he co-starred as 1960s Civil Rights Movement leader James Bevel.

<a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/race-together-conversation-has-the-power-to-change-hearts-and-minds">Race Together</a> is an initiative from Starbucks and USA TODAY to stimulate conversation, compassion and action around race in America. Friday (March 20, 2015) 2 Million printed copies of a special section (eight-page insert) will be distributed in all USA TODAY papers, and in every company-owned Starbucks store in the U.S.

Starting this week, our partners began sharing the sentiment “Race Together” by writing it on cups around the country in our stores. If a partner doesn't want to write that on a cup, they don't have to. If a customer doesn't want those words written on a cup, they won't be. We know that creating conversation is just a first step. 

These are the 6 million young people who are age 16-24 and who are not working and not in school, 50% of which are minorities. I believe they also represent an opportunity for Starbucks. So today, I am very proud to announce that Starbucks is making a commitment to hire 10,000 opportunity youth by 2018.

Hudson rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol. As an actress, she made her film debut in Dreamgirls (2006), for which she gained worldwide acclaim and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, an NAACP Image Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In January 2015, it was announced that Hudson would be making her Broadway debut in a revival of The Color Purple.

1:27 PM Starbucks 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders concludes

Complete Recap of Starbucks 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders - Starbucks Stories

Complete Recap of Starbucks 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders

Starbucks spotlights record financial performance driven through the lens of humanity at agenda-setting 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

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10 Things to Know About Starbucks Before the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders Begins

What Starbucks is doing around race in America

We have announced a collaboration with USA Today that will create awareness and dialogue about race relations in America.

Race Together intends to tackle issues of bias and unconscious bias through education and conversational tools and Starbucks will bring the dialogue inside and outside our stores.

We will expand on the six open forums we’ve conducted across the country that engaged our partners on race relations in American while embracing our mission and values.

We’ll continue to work with community leaders, mayors, police and community organizations about education and job opportunities for 16-24 year-olds who are not in school or unemployed. 

Starbucks has a goal of graduating 25,000 partners by 2025 through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan benefit we offer with ASU. 

Over the next three years, Starbucks is committed to creating pathways to opportunity for 10,000 16-24 year-old young people who are either not in school or currently employed.

Starbucks believes the role and responsibility of a public company extends to society and that we can use our scale for good. 

10 Things to Know About Starbucks Before the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders Begins - Starbucks Stories

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SEATTLE; March 11, 2015 – Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) will hold its 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. PT. The event will be webcast and can be accessed at <a href="http://investor.starbucks.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99518&amp;p=irol-irhome">http://investor.starbucks.com</a>. A replay of the webcast will be available on the company’s website until Friday, April 17, 2015.

Satellite coordinates to the live webcast are available, upon request, to broadcast media. Photography and b-roll will also be available for download following the event at <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/">http://news.starbucks.com/</a>.

Starbucks will hold its 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on March 18, 2015.

Starbucks to Webcast 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders

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Long before Kevin Johnson was named Starbucks president and chief operating officer, and a decade before being appointed to the company’s board of directors, he was a Starbucks customer.

“Like everyone else, I started walking into my local Starbucks for coffee and became a part of what millions of people now consider to be their daily ritual,” said Johnson. “What I noticed then, and what I continue to appreciate now, is the authentic and thoughtful ways partners (employees) create a great experience for customers and bring the brand to life.”

With partners and customers in mind, today Johnson begins his new role with Starbucks. In January, <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-names-kevin-johnson-president-and-chief-operating-officer">Starbucks announced</a> Johnson would join the company’s senior leadership team following <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/troy-alstead-reflects-on-23-years-with-starbucks">Troy Alstead’s decision to take a sabbatical</a> after 23-years with Starbucks.

As Starbucks president and coo, Johnson will manage all operational functions including the global businesses of Starbucks in the Americas, EMEA and China/Asia Pacific. He will also oversee Starbucks global supply chain which works with more than 21,000 stores in 66 countries worldwide. From coffee to cups to chairs and more, the global supply team manages more than 85,000 outbound deliveries per week to Starbucks retail stores, distribution channels and outlets.

Johnson will draw on his decades of experience in the tech industry to direct Starbucks information technology, and mobile and digital platforms. He’s a longtime tech leader having served as CEO of Juniper Networks and as a Microsoft executive. At Microsoft, he led worldwide sales, marketing and services which gave him key insights in running a large customer-facing global operation. Johnson said he has a “great deal of passion for innovation and the role technology plays in improving lives.”

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He has helped guide Starbucks digital strategy since joining the company’s board of directors in 2009 – the same year the company introduced its <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/card/rewards">My Starbucks Rewards</a> loyalty program which now has more than nine million members. The most recent innovation for customers, the launch of <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-mobile-order-and-pay">Mobile Order &amp; Pay</a>, will expand and the company will debut mobile delivery via the Starbucks app later this year.

“The opportunity for me to be a part of Starbucks, which is clearly a leader in the digital space, is both very exciting and humbling,” he said.

Johnson’s commitment to digital innovation extends to nonprofit businesses. He was a founding board member of NPower, an organization that provides other nonprofits with access to technology and the skills needed to fulfill their social missions. That includes helping young adults and veterans through free tech and professional skills training. Johnson is also involved with Catalyst, a leading nonprofit that focuses on expanding opportunities for women in business. And he supports Youth Eastside Services, one of the largest providers of youth and family counseling assistance in the Seattle area.

Family is at the “center of my world,” said Johnson, who grew up with his brother and sister in a small town in New Mexico. Johnson’s father was a theoretical physicist; his mother a pediatric nurse.

“I hope that I’ve taken on the best of my parents’ characteristics – the analytical, logical thoughtful nature of my father and the compassionate and caring characteristics of my mother,” he added. Kevin and June Johnson have two sons, ages 27 and 30, and one grandchild. 

Tech Leader Kevin Johnson Begins New Role as Starbucks President and COO - Starbucks Stories

Tech Leader Kevin Johnson Begins New Role as Starbucks President and COO

Kevin Johnson begins his new role with Starbucks as president and chief operating officer, leading the company’s global operating businesses, as well as Starbucks supply chain, information technology and mobile and digital platforms.

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https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2015/tech-leader-kevin-johnson-begins-new-role-as-starbucks-president-and-coo/

The aroma from the first cup of coffee every morning takes Troy Alstead back to key moments in his life. 

Growing up with his brothers in Puyallup, Washington where his parents always had coffee brewing in a percolator. Attending the University of Washington, where he’d walk to one of the first Starbucks stores to discover coffees of the world. Reading the Sunday newspaper over coffee in his kitchen, shortly after he got married, where he saw a job listing for a Starbucks financial analyst. 

“I wasn’t looking to change jobs at the time, but the Starbucks logo caught my eye because I was a loyal customer,” Alstead recalled. “To me Starbucks was this incredible place I went for coffee. I didn’t imagine working there.”

He joined Starbucks early in 1992 when the company had about 100 stores and was privately owned. Alstead was on teams that guided Starbucks initial public offering and outlined the company’s expansion into global markets. He served as both the chief financial officer and the chief operating officer. Soon, he’ll begin a sabbatical from Starbucks which he said is “important for me and my family right now, but still not easy.”

Alstead reflects on 23 years with the company, discusses how he’ll spend his free time, and offers a few words of advice to Starbucks partners (employees) who are just beginning their careers. 

Most of the projects Alstead worked on in his early Starbucks career could also be described as “not easy, but possible.”

Four years into his journey with Starbucks, Alstead was asked to join the team developing the company’s global business. With a life-long interest in international studies and an appreciation of other cultures, the assignment was a natural fit. At that point, in 1996, Starbucks had about 1,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada. It also had a lot of skeptics outside the company who doubted the company could succeed in overseas markets. 

“We heard the same doubts when Starbucks expanded to California. People thought coffee was a Seattle thing, or maybe for the northern cold belt of the country,” recalled Alstead. “Today, the runway for growth for Starbucks around the world is remarkable.”

Before the end of 1996, Starbucks had opened stores in Japan and Singapore. Starbucks is now in 66 countries and he said in many ways the company is “just getting started” outside North America. China is the fastest growing market for Starbucks which is opening, on average, one store every 18 hours there. 

Alstead credits baristas who wear the green apron for the company’s growth saying the Starbucks Experience comes to life in their hands.

“While we have the most amazing coffee anywhere, it is brought to life by how they make the beverages and how they speak to the customers about it, and the environment they create in the stores. That is everything for us,” Alstead said. “We’ve known that since the beginning.”

His advice to Starbucks store partners just beginning their careers is to do what you love, value the people around you, and serve others. “If you can find a way to do that in any career field, you’ll find meaning through work.” 

In the months ahead, Alstead will continue to serve others through several volunteer projects that are important to his family and community. He’ll also pursue non-profit work related to his passion for ocean preservation. And, he’ll ride his motorcycle and scuba dive more too. “I’m going to be busy,” he said with a smile, quickly adding that he’s going to continue starting every day with his favorite cup of Starbucks® Sumatra coffee, with an aroma that will now remind him of 23 “amazing” years with the company.

“I’d say Starbucks changed my life, but it’s bigger than that,” he said. “Starbucks created and shaped my life.” 

Next week, the <a href="http://news.starbucks.com">Starbucks Newsroom</a> will feature the incoming president and chief operating officer, <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-names-kevin-johnson-president-and-chief-operating-officer">Kevin Johnson</a>.

As he prepares for a sabbatical from Starbucks, coo Troy Alstead reflects on 23 years with the company and offers advice for partners (or anyone) just beginning their careers.

Troy Alstead Reflects on 23 Years with Starbucks

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https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2015/troy-alstead-reflects-on-23-years-with-starbucks/

SEATTLE; February 19, 2015 – Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) today announced the company will present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2015 Consumer &amp; Retail Conference in New York at 12:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 3, 2015, and at the UBS Global Consumer Conference in Boston at 8:45 a.m. ET on Thursday, March 5, 2015.

A live webcast of the presentations will be available at <a href="http://investor.starbucks.com">http://investor.starbucks.com</a>. An archived webcast will also be available on Starbucks website, at the same URL.

Starbucks to Present at Investment Conferences - Starbucks Stories

Starbucks to Present at Investment Conferences

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) today announced the company will present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2015 Consumer & Retail Conference in New York.

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https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2015/starbucks-to-present-at-bank-of-america-merrill-lynch-and-ubs-conferences/

Starbucks board member and former technology executive to join Starbucks management team and lead global operations

SEATTLE (Jan. 22, 2015) – Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) today announced it has appointed Kevin Johnson as president and chief operating officer. Johnson has been a Starbucks board member since 2009, and will now take a central operating role effective March 1. 

“As a member of our board of directors, Kevin has worked closely with me for the past six years as a sounding board and collaborator on many of the strategies we are now pursuing. Kevin’s deep management experience and technology background will help further propel Starbucks efforts in partner (employee) and customer-facing innovations as we accelerate our global growth agenda,” said Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and ceo. “I am honored that Kevin is joining Starbucks in this capacity, particularly at this important time for our company, and I am looking forward to working with him and our strongest management team in the company’s 44-year history.” 

Johnson will report to Schultz and serve as a member of Starbucks senior leadership team, as well as continue on the Starbucks board of directors. He ceased membership on all Starbucks board committees prior to this appointment.

As president and chief operating officer, Johnson will lead the company’s global operating businesses across the Americas, EMEA (Europe Middle East and Africa), and China/Asia Pacific, as well as Starbucks supply chain, information technology, and mobile and digital platforms. Reporting to Johnson will be <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/leadership/cliff-burrows">Cliff Burrows</a>, group president, U.S., Americas and Teavana; <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/leadership/john-culver">John Culver</a>, group president, China /Asia Pacific, Channel Development and Emerging Brands; as well as other senior leaders responsible for Starbucks supply chain, mobile and digital, and information technology organizations.

Earlier this month, <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-chief-operating-officer-alstead-takes-leave-from-company">Starbucks announced</a> that Starbucks chief operating officer and 23-year partner <a href="http://news.starbucks.com/leadership/troy-alstead">Troy Alstead</a> will take a sabbatical beginning March 1 to spend more time with his family. Over the next month, Alstead will work to immerse Johnson into his levels of responsibility as they work together to ensure a smooth transition.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Howard, Troy and Starbucks senior leadership team for many years, and I am delighted to extend that relationship even deeper to work closely with our partners in operations, supply chain, technology and mobile and digital teams to drive our aggressive growth plans,” said Johnson. “Over the past six years I have gotten to know the company well and I look forward to extending my 33 years of operating experience to help propel Starbucks to the next decade of growth and innovation. I am honored and humbled to join Starbucks, a company that I love, during this important time.” 

Johnson will bring broad leadership capacity to Starbucks. He served as chief executive officer of Juniper Networks, Inc., from September 2008 through December 2013. Prior to that, Johnson served as the president of the Platforms Division at Microsoft Corporation and was a member of Microsoft’s senior leadership team and held a number of senior executive positions over the course of his 16 years at Microsoft. Prior to joining Microsoft in 1992, he worked for International Business Machine Corp.’s systems integration and consulting business. In 2008, Johnson was appointed by President George W. Bush to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) where he served through the end of 2013.

Johnson resides in Seattle and will be based at the Starbucks Support Center beginning March 1.

<a href="mailto:investorrelations@starbucks.com">investorrelations@starbucks.com</a>

Media

<a href="mailto:press@starbucks.com">press@starbucks.com</a>

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabicacoffee. Today, with more than 21,000 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 <a href="http://starbucks.com">www.starbucks.com</a> and <a href="http://news.starbucks.com">www.news.starbucks.com.</a>

Starbucks Names Kevin Johnson President and Chief Operating Officer - Starbucks Stories

Starbucks Names Kevin Johnson President and Chief Operating Officer

Starbucks board member and former technology executive to join Starbucks management team and lead global operations effective March 1, 2015.

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https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2015/starbucks-names-kevin-johnson-president-and-chief-operating-officer/

Strong Holiday Performance Drives 5% Global Comp Growth, Global Traffic Increases 2%

Revenues rise 13% to a record $4.8 billion; EPS of $1.30 includes a gain on the acquisition of Starbucks Japan

Record non-GAAP EPS jumps 16% to $0.80 excluding non-routine items

Dollars loaded on Starbucks Cards surge 17% year-over-year to a record $1.6 billion

Company reaffirms FY15 growth targets

SEATTLE; January 22, 2015 – Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) today reported financial results for its 13-week fiscal first quarter ended December 28, 2014. Q1 FY14 GAAP results include the impact of a litigation credit related to the Kraft arbitration; Q1 FY15 GAAP results include Starbucks Japan acquisition-related items. Non-GAAP results exclude these items. Please refer to the reconciliation of GAAP measures to non-GAAP measures at the end of this release.

• Consolidated net revenues increased 13% to $4.8 billion

• Global comparable store sales increased 5%, with a 2% increase in traffic

 Americas comp sales increased 5%, with a 2% increase in traffic

 EMEA comp sales increased 4%, driven by a 3% increase in traffic

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