New round of investments, part of collective private and public sector collaboration, is a major step to scale innovative solutions to advance water access and reduce waste sent to landfill&nbsp;

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Ahead of its 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Starbucks announced over $50 million in planned investments to advance its ambitious target to cut its water and waste footprints in half by 2030.

“At Starbucks, it’s our role and responsibility to protect our planet and give back more than we take. These investments will help us make significant strides toward our sustainability commitments while building a business that scales for good and is driven by innovation,” said Starbucks executive vice president of global coffee, social impact and sustainability, Michelle Burns.

Driven by the passion of its partners, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2021/starbucks-expands-commitment-to-water-and-outlines-comprehensive-strategy/">Starbucks is committed to building a more equitable, resilient and sustainable</a> future for communities and the planet. This latest round of investments showcases the power of collective impact across sectors and Starbucks role as an industry-wide model for how thoughtful partnerships can drive environmental stewardship and long-term business goals.

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Mexico: Subsidized water delivery allows Gloria and her husband to have regular access to affordable water for drinking, bathing, cleaning, and growing fresh food in their garden. (Photo credit: Water.org)

Building a Water Positive Future

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At present, two billion people around the world are living in water-stressed areas. Investing in water and climate projects can be a solution for advancing equity and human rights, alleviating the impacts of climate change and securing resilient supply chains.

In support of our expanded water commitment of 50% of water withdrawal conserved or replenished across our direct operations, stores, packaging and agricultural supply chain by 2030, Starbucks has committed to prioritize action in high-risk basins through collective action and support watershed health, ecosystem resilience and water equity.

To achieve this target, Starbucks is leveraging its global reach and partnering with other leading companies who are members of the United Nations Water Resilience Coalition and the public sector to unlock critical capital for making progress against UN SDG 6. Starbucks <a href="https://unglobalcompact.org/news/5046-03-16-2023" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced an initial anchor investment of up to $25 million into WaterEquity’s Global Access Fund IV</a> in partnership with other corporate peers and the United States International Development Finance Corporation. Through such an investment, Starbucks is helping lead the way in an innovative approach to water stewardship with the hope of catalyzing additional companies to invest in water action. Starbucks is exploring additional investments that would bring our total investment intended to advance water access, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to $50 million.

Starbucks recent investment with WaterEquity will support improvements in water access and quality for low-income populations in countries across South and Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America through microfinance loans for the purchase of WASH products and services such as household toilets, water filters and tap connections. Innovative investments like this build on The Starbucks Foundation’s long history of investments in WASH around the world and help meet the company’s new commitment to enhance WASH for 5 million people. The company is complementing its investments with ongoing programmatic work in high-risk basins with leading NGO partners including WWF, TNC, Water.org and WaterAid.

Brazil: Since getting access to safe water at home, Cirliane can spend her time baking cakes to sell rather than walk to collect water. (Photo credit: Water.org)

Investing in a Circular Economy

In another key step to reduce its environmental impact and bolster a more robust recycling industry, Starbucks <a href="https://www.closedlooppartners.com/global-corporations-join-brookfield-to-invest-nearly-a-billion-dollars-in-closed-loop-partners-operating-company-circular-services-the-leading-developer-of-circular-economy-infrastructure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced a $10 million investment in Circular Services</a> to reduce landfill waste and drive innovative efforts to shift towards a circular economy in the United States.

Circular Services is the largest privately held recycling company in the United States, and Starbucks investment will support their work helping U.S. municipalities and businesses reduce the amount of valuable recyclable material sent to landfill. Circular Services uses advanced technology to improve sortation, processing and reuse of valuable commodities, including consumer packaging, organics, textiles, electronics and more, for continual reuse in domestic supply chains.

This investment will not only bring recycling access to Starbucks stores, but also creates a partnership with leading waste industry stakeholders to collaborate on recycling solutions for packaging types with limited access to recycling programs such as Starbucks hot cup.

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Sims Municipal Recycling (SMR), a Closed Loop Partners investment, produces hundreds of thousands of tons of recycled metals, plastics, paper and glass for sale to mills, smelters, refiners, re-claimers and secondary material processors. (Photo credit: Michael Anton | Sims Municipal Recycling)

“Now is the time for bold action to transform the recycling infrastructure in the U.S. Starbucks is excited to join with Microsoft, Nestle, PepsiCo, SK Group, Unilever, Brookfield and the Partnership Fund for New York City to help generate nearly a billion-dollar investment in Circular Services. This builds upon our long-standing work with Closed Loop Partners, whose NextGen Consortium has made significant strides in advancing sustainable packaging, including bringing hot cup recycling to more communities,” said Starbucks chief sustainability officer, Michael Kobori.

Starbucks investment is part of a collaborative collective including Microsoft, Nestlé, PepsiCo, SK Group, Unilever and Brookfield Renewable, all working to scale circular economy infrastructure with a goal of catalyzing further corporate capital and accelerating growth of innovative partners that will champion the circular economy of the future.

As we look to the future, we are challenging ourselves to think bigger and do much more in partnership with others to take care of the planet we share. With the help of our partners, customers, industry experts and advocates, we are innovating – testing, learning and scaling – new ways to help protect our planet.

Supporting Water Projects Worldwide&nbsp;

Starbucks is also investing RMB 3 million to initiate the Qiandao Lake water replenishment project, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, and with the support of the local government. Through this initiative, the company seeks to develop water replenishment into a viable and effective nature-based solution that complements existing water conservation efforts, with potential for adaptation to other critical water basins across China.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The project features two scientifically proven strategies for improving water quality, tailored to the unique characteristics of the local natural ecosystem including the promotion of sustainable agriculture to reduce soil erosion and surface runoff and wetlands restoration that naturally filters off pollutants while enhancing local biodiversity. Qiandao Lake supplies drinking water to approximately 10 million people across Zhejiang Province.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Alsea Foundation, The Starbucks Foundation and World Vision announced a partnership with Planet Water Foundation to guarantee access to clean water for vulnerable communities with plans to install 25 water towers over the next five years. The initiative will guarantee access to clean and safe water for 45,000 people in various communities across Mexico and in markets where Alsea operates Starbucks stores.&nbsp;

“We believe that access to clean and safe water is a basic human right, which is why we have collaborated with Planet Water Foundation for more than 10 years, starting in Indonesia and recently expanding to Latin America,” said Alicia Vermaele, director of The Starbucks Foundation. “We are proud that this new initiative will accelerate access for communities in Mexico, Colombia and other places where there is insufficient access to clean water, with the help of our local Starbucks partners as volunteers, who know their communities best.”&nbsp;

Ahead of its 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Starbucks announced planned investments to advance its ambitious target to cut its water and waste footprints in half by 2030.

Starbucks Commits Over $50 Million to Sustainable Waste and Water Funds Toward a Resource-Positive Future

Stories to inspire and nurture the human spirit

Starbucks Stories

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At Starbucks, we’ve always been about so much more than coffee.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Over the course of our 50 years, with the help of our partners, we have always looked for ways to help protect our planet. Starbucks is committed to being a resource positive company, testing and learning from pilot programs and quickly sharing solutions to reach more people and create more impact.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

We invest ahead of the growth curve and innovate by testing new technologies that help us learn how to create the best possible experiences for our partners and customers. This work is being done in our Tryer Center, at <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/take-a-virtual-trip-to-starbucks-coffee-farm-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hacienda Alsacia in Costa Rica</a>, in the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/starbucks-announces-new-planet-and-people-positive-research-facility-in-partnership-with-arizona-state-university/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ASU-Starbucks Center for the Future of People and the Planet</a>, and through collaborative partnerships like our support of the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/starbucks-journey-to-sustainable-dairy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dairy Net Zero Initiative</a>, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/update-on-starbucks-journey-to-find-a-more-sustainable-cup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Closed Loop Partners</a> and TONZ and the Farm Powered Strategic Alliance. &nbsp;

“We set a bold aspiration to become a resource positive company – to store more carbon than we emit, to eliminate waste and to conserve and replenish more freshwater than we use. This aspiration included setting ambitious 2030 targets to cut our carbon, water, and waste footprints in half,” said Michael Kobori, Starbucks chief sustainability officer. “Innovation is how we will build our next chapter, advance our planet positive impact, and boldly reimagine our future together.”&nbsp;

In support of the company’s goal to reduce waste sent to landfill from stores and direct operations, Starbucks is shifting away from single-use plastics, promoting reusability and championing the use of recycled content, driven by a broader shift towards a circular economy. &nbsp;

Promoting Reusables&nbsp;

Our Planet Positive commitment comes to life when we invite our customers to join our efforts and find ways to be more sustainable during their Starbucks experience, like choosing a reusable cup. The challenge is how to make choosing reusables as convenient as you expect from Starbucks. &nbsp;

Our goal by 2025 is to create a cultural movement towards reusables by giving customers easy access to a personal or Starbucks provided reusable cup for every visit making it convenient to reuse wherever customers are enjoying their Starbucks Experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

And by the end of next year, customers will be able to use their own personal reusable cup for every Starbucks visit in the US and Canada – including in café, drive-thru and mobile order and pay.&nbsp;

To help make reusables convenient for customers, we are testing multiple reusable programs and operating models:&nbsp;

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Store manager Kim Davis led one of the first stores to test Borrow a Cup in the U.S.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Customers were just so excited to try something new and my partners had a lot of pride in testing it and giving that feedback to make the program even better,” said Kim Davis, store manager. “I do think that everyone really does want to contribute to a better world, and if we can help them do that one cup at a time, that is our mission right there.”&nbsp;

Customer Incentives&nbsp;

In addition to unique operating models like “Borrow A Cup” and 100% Reusable Stores, Starbucks is exploring what incentivizes customer behavior change through a few ways:&nbsp;

Sustainable Packaging Solutions&nbsp;

While a shift to reusables cups is our primary strategy toward achieving our Planet Positive goals, finding better ways to manage waste with more sustainable packaging solutions is also a priority. &nbsp;

Upping the recycled content of our hot cups is a long-time commitment and an area where we can continue to lead. We are working on doubling the hot cup recycled content, and reducing the material used to make the cup and liner. The virgin paper used in our hot cup will be sustainably sourced and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. &nbsp;

In further single use packaging optimization, we continue to replace traditional plastic straws with new compostable options around the globe. By the end of this year, will have eliminated PFAS from all packaging in the US and will eliminate PFAS globally in 2023. 

Recycling Infrastructure

While our goals are focused on diversion from landfill, we also need a viable and more robust recycling industry. &nbsp;

The company is also launching a new Starbucks Partner Waste and Recycling App, developed by partners as part of the Greener Stores Innovation Challenge, designed to help partners navigate complex and unique store recycling guidelines. The app puts everything partners need to know to reduce waste and recycle in one place; it features store specific information and notifications, a sorting guide and the option to create store specific signage for partners and customers. &nbsp;

We will continue ongoing work with industry stakeholders like the NexGen Consortium to facilitate advancements in US recycling infrastructure. &nbsp;

We’ve committed an additional $5M to continue our work with NextGen to innovate to a more sustainable hot cup but also to work with the recycling industry to advance the recovery of foodservice packaging. &nbsp;

Starbucks has also signed on the WWF led Manifesto, coordinating a call to action from countries and businesses for the UN to establish a Global Plastics Treaty to prevent plastic waste and encourage a circular plastic economy &nbsp;

With new cup recycling markets coming online regularly, this March we will launch a mobile app for partners to help them understand what is recyclable and compostable in their markets.&nbsp;

Together, these experiments and innovations will help us reach our planet positive goals.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Line-up of Starbucks beverages in reusable cups of different sizes and designs

Starbucks is committed to being a resource positive company, testing and learning from pilot programs and quickly sharing solutions to reach more people and create more impact.

Starbucks Innovates, Tests and Learns from Store Partners to Achieve Waste Goals

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Ahead of its 30th Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Starbucks affirmed its bold aspiration to be a resource positive company – giving back more than it takes from the planet. With a test and learn approach to meet the company’s 2030 planet positive goals, Starbucks continues to find inspiration from green apron partners around the world. Today, Starbucks outlined efforts to reduce waste through innovative reusable cup programs, launched a waste and recycling app to support partners’ sustainability efforts and announced a new pilot program with Volvo to help electrify a driving route from the Colorado Rockies to Seattle.

“We have a bold long-term sustainability vision and ambitious goals for 2030,” said Starbucks president and ceo, Kevin Johnson. “Starbucks partners around the world are passionate about protecting our planet and are at the very center of driving the innovation that enables us to give more than we take from the planet.”

To help reach the company’s goal of reducing waste by 50% by 2030, Starbucks is shifting away from single-use plastics and piloting reusable cup programs in six markets around the world. By the end of next year, customers will be able to use their own personal reusable cup for every Starbucks visit in the U.S. and Canada – including in café, drive-thru and mobile order and pay.&nbsp; Our goal, by 2025, is to create a cultural movement towards reusables by giving customers easy access to a personal or Starbucks provided reusable to-go cup for every visit, making it convenient and delightful to reuse wherever customers are enjoying their Starbucks Experience.&nbsp;

Store manager Kim Davis led one of the first stores to test Borrow a Cup in the U.S.

“Customers were just so excited to try something new and my partners had a lot of pride in testing it and giving that feedback to make the program even better,” said Kim Davis, store manager. “I do think that everyone really does want to contribute to a better world, and if we can help them do that one cup at a time, that is our mission right there.”

Starbucks continues to test multiple “Borrow-A-Cup” and reusable operating models in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Singapore, with more countries in the year ahead. In addition, the company continues to encourage customers to bring their own cup and to emphasize for-here-ware as the default sit-and-stay experience, while exploring new customer incentives and technologies, like cup washing stations at café counters.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The company is also launching a new Starbucks Partner Waste and Recycling App, developed by partners as part of the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/a-more-sustainable-company-one-reality-tv-style-competition-at-a-time/">Greener Stores Innovation Challenge</a>, to help partners navigate complex and unique store recycling guidelines. The app puts everything partners need to know to reduce waste and recycle in one place; it features store specific information and notifications, a sorting guide and the option to create store specific signage for partners and customers.&nbsp;

"Starbucks is spending this year testing innovative new ways to reduce waste and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Michael Kobori, chief sustainability officer. “Some of our best innovations, like the Waste and Recycling App, come directly from our store partners.&nbsp; Our store partners know their customers and communities best. When we work together with our partners, we find better solutions to create a more sustainable future for our planet and people.”

In addition, Starbucks continues to rapidly expand its roster of renewable energy and decarbonization projects in the United States, including a new pilot program with Volvo Cars to electrify the driving route from the Colorado Rockies to the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle, providing a string of familiar, reliable, clean and safe places to recharge themselves and their battery-powered vehicles.

By the end of 2022, Volvo-branded electric vehicle (EV) chargers, powered by ChargePoint, will be available at up to 15 Starbucks stores along a 1,350-mile route from the Denver area to the coffee company’s Seattle headquarters, as part of the company’s 2,700 Greener Store portfolio.&nbsp;These DC Fast Chargers will be placed at Starbucks stores about every 100 miles, adding much needed peace of mind for EV drivers, who we know see today’s limited charging infrastructure as a major barrier to purchase. While customer’s cars are recharging outside, drivers can relax comfortably inside with their favorite Starbucks beverage.

By 2030, Starbucks aspires to lead the retail industry in decarbonization solutions, including Electric Vehicle charging and onsite solar availability at stores and in adjacent locations. Starbucks plans to continue expanding its solar pilot locations to 55 new stores this year.&nbsp;

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Forward-Looking Statements

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 “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “feel,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements include statements relating to trends in or expectations relating to the effects of our existing and any future initiatives, strategies and plans, as well as trends in or expectations regarding our financial results and long-term growth model and drivers, the anticipated timing and effects of recovery of our business, the conversion of several market operations to fully licensed models, our plans for streamlining our operations, including store openings, closures and changes in store formats and models, expanding our licensing to Nestlé of our consumer packaged goods and Foodservice businesses and its effects on our Channel Development segment results, tax rates, business opportunities and expansion, strategic acquisitions, our future relationship with Starbucks Coffee Korea Co., Ltd., expenses, dividends, share repurchases, commodity costs and our mitigation strategies, liquidity, cash flow from operations, use of cash and cash requirements, investments, borrowing capacity and use of proceeds, continuing compliance with our covenants under our credit facilities and commercial paper program, repatriation of cash to the U.S., the likelihood of the issuance of additional debt and the applicable interest rate, the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our financial results, future availability of governmental subsidies for COVID-19 or other public health events, the expected effects of new accounting pronouncements and the estimated impact of changes in U.S. tax law, including on tax rates, investments funded by these changes and potential outcomes and effects of legal proceedings. Such statements are based on currently available operating, financial and competitive information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual future results and trends may differ materially depending on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: further spread of COVID-19 and related disruptions to our business; regulatory measures or voluntary actions that may be put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, including restrictions on business operations or social distancing requirements, and the duration and efficacy of such restrictions; the potential for a resurgence of COVID-19 infections and the circulation of novel variants of COVID-19 in a given geographic region after it has hit its “peak”; fluctuations in U.S. and international economies and currencies; our ability to preserve, grow and leverage our brands; the ability of our business partners and third-party providers to fulfill their responsibilities and commitments; potential negative effects of incidents involving food or beverage-borne illnesses, tampering, adulteration, contamination or mislabeling; potential negative effects of material breaches of our information technology systems to the extent we experience a material breach; material failures of our information technology systems; costs associated with, and the successful execution of, the Company’s initiatives and plans, including the successful expansion of our Global Coffee Alliance with Nestlé; our ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms; the acceptance of the Company’s products by our customers, evolving consumer preferences and tastes and changes in consumer spending behavior; partner investments, changes in the availability and cost of labor including any union organizing efforts and our responses to such efforts; significant increased logistics costs; inflationary pressures; the impact of competition; inherent risks of operating a global business; the prices and availability of coffee, dairy and other raw materials; the effect of legal proceedings; and the effects of changes in tax laws and related guidance and regulations that may be implemented and other risks detailed in the company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the “Risk Factors” and “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the Company's most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. The company assumes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.

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Starbucks outlined efforts to reduce waste through innovative reusable cup programs, launched a waste and recycling app to support partners’ sustainability efforts and announced a new pilot program with Volvo.

Starbucks affirms commitment to a planet positive future through innovation and learnings from store partners

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The ASU-Starbucks Center for the Future of People and the Planet will focus on initiatives aimed to deliver scalable impact towards Starbucks aspirational 2030 goals and beyond.

Nine licensed Starbucks stores on campus will test and evaluate customer response to center innovations.

Building on a long-standing partnership, Starbucks and Arizona State University are joining forces to create the <a href="http://www.asu-starbuckscenter.com">ASU-Starbucks Center for the Future of People and the Planet</a> – a new research and rapid innovation facility created to find new ways to design, build and operate Starbucks stores.

“Over the last several years we have been reinventing Starbucks for our future and transforming the way we drive innovation at Starbucks,” said Kevin Johnson, Starbucks ceo. “As we continuously focus on elevating the Starbucks Experience, introducing new and exciting beverage innovation, and reimagining customer experiences both in-store and through more personalized digital relationships, we constantly challenge ourselves to find new ways to give back more than we take, using our power at scale to create a better society in which we all live.”

Scheduled to open in December 2021 on ASU’s Tempe campus, the ASU-Starbucks Center will be built on the same principle as the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/inside-the-tryer-center-the-starbucks-lab-where-anything-is-possible/">Starbucks Tryer Center</a> – bringing ideas to action – supported by ASU’s applied research and on-campus test store ecosystem. The Tryer Center, located on the bottom floor of the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle, is an incubation lab where partners (employees) can quickly test, learn, and adapt ideas for more rapid decision making. This space represents a mindset of innovation embraced across the organization, which will further propagate at the ASU-Starbucks Center for the Future of People and the Planet.&nbsp;

“ASU and Starbucks are aligned in our missions to be of complete service to the communities we serve and build a better future for both people and the planet,” said ASU President Michael M. Crow. “Through this new center, ASU will provide unique value in terms of research and transdisciplinary expertise in order to collaborate with Starbucks to develop, test and validate strategies that can ultimately be scaled to stores and communities globally.”

Composed of a dedicated team of scientists, researchers, and support staff, including subject-matter experts from Starbucks and ASU, the center’s objective is to positively impact the future of our planet.

ASU is a leader in transdisciplinary research on pathways towards a future that allows life to thrive on a healthy planet. The recently launched Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory is the focal point of these efforts and the home of the new center. Initially, more than 15 faculty and staff from across the university will support the ASU-Starbucks Center activities. As the center expands, its scope and capacity will increase leveraging ASU's broad expertise and strength in innovation.

This project builds on a shared belief by Starbucks and ASU that the two entities have the power and the responsibility to forge a better future for both people and the planet. In the first year, the work will focus on:

The Starbucks-ASU partnership is founded on a shared belief to uplift the communities we serve.

The relationship began in 2014, when Starbucks and ASU came together to develop the <a href="https://starbucks.asu.edu/">Starbucks College Achievement Plan</a> (SCAP), which creates an opportunity for benefits-eligible Starbucks U.S. partners to earn their first-time bachelor’s degree through ASU’s top-ranked online degree program. More than 18,000 partners are participating in SCAP, and nearly 6,000 have graduated since the plan began.

Since then, Starbucks and ASU have launched additional initiatives including <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2017/starbucks-asu-pathway-to-college-admission/">Pathway to Admission</a>, <a href="https://www.starbucksglobalacademy.com/#/default">Starbucks Global Academy</a>, and a Sustainability Fellowship Program, which provides opportunities for ASU sustainability majors through SCAP to complete their required internship capstone experience in Seattle at Starbucks headquarters. In the last four years, the SCAP Sustainability Fellowship has hosted 13 partners (employees) from the SCAP program with the next program offering being planned for fall 2021.

The ASU-Starbucks Center for the Future of People and the Planet will focus on initiatives aimed to deliver scalable impact towards Starbucks aspirational 2030 goals and beyond.

Starbucks announces new planet and people positive research facility in partnership with ASU

Starbucks announces new planet and people positive research facility in partnership with Arizona State University

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This year marks the 50th&nbsp;anniversary of Starbucks. From the beginning, Starbucks has sought to be a different kind of company, one that inspires and nurtures the human spirit, and brings people together over coffee to create a better future. Starbucks vision for the future is to remain focused on connections over coffee, being a resource positive company, and&nbsp;creating a better future for its partners (employees) and the communities it serves.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As Starbucks looks to the future, the company is focused on its aspirations to give more than it takes from the planet and help create a sustainable future for coffee growing communities. Starbucks&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-solidifies-pathway-to-a-planet-positive-future/">Planet Positive initiative</a>&nbsp;is a multi-decade commitment to become a resource positive company, including goals to reduce its carbon, water, and waste footprints by 50 percent by 2030.​&nbsp;Also, as part of its Planet Positive initiative, Starbucks recently announced a new goal to achieve <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/starbucks-announces-coffee-specific-environmental-goals/">Carbon Neutral Green Coffee</a>&nbsp; and conserve water usage in green coffee processing by 50% by 2030.

During April, Starbucks is highlighting its Planet Positive initiatives and inviting customers to participate in several ways. Starbucks is introducing the new Starbucks Earth Month Game to its loyalty members as an opportunity to share details about its Planet Positive efforts and progress. Customers can support reusability with a selection of tumblers, hot cups and cold cups that feature recycled materials; and, in honor of the next 50 years of coffee, Starbucks recently introduced Starbucks Odyssey BlendTM crafted from three coffee regions that embody the innovative and responsible ways in which the farmers in the regions grow, cultivate and process coffee.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;new Starbucks Earth Month&nbsp;Game&nbsp;gives Starbucks® Rewards members a chance to win more than 2.5 million prizes, cast a vote towards tree reforestation projects, and learn more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-solidifies-pathway-to-a-planet-positive-future/">Starbucks Planet Positive</a>&nbsp;commitment to become a resource positive company.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Starbucks Earth Month Game

The <a href="https://www.starbucksearthmonthgame.com/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=stories.starbucks.com&amp;utm_campaign=emg21" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new game</a> is a combination of an instant win game called “Choice &amp; Chance” and puzzle game called “Play &amp; Plant”. Starbucks Rewards members can earn plays on eligible transactions at participating Starbucks stores. Members must pay using a Starbucks Card or linked payment method, or by scanning the Starbucks app prior to checkout to earn a play. (Limit two plays per day).

Throughout the game, players will earn additional “plays” by participating in weekly activities&nbsp;– from saying&nbsp;“no”&nbsp;to single-use plastic straws and trying meatless breakfast choices, to voting for their favorite nondairy beverage or reading articles about combatting food waste.

In the “Choice &amp; Chance” portion of the game, players can select an item for a chance to win prizes ranging from coupons for free non-dairy beverages to money off select food items and reusable merchandise. There will also be the chance to enter a sweepstakes to win grand prizes such as an electric bike prize package from Rad Power Bikes and nondairy drinks from Starbucks for a year. *&nbsp;

In the “Play &amp; Plant” puzzle game, as players complete each level, they have the chance to vote on which One Tree Planted reforestation effort in the U.S. Starbucks donation of 250,000 trees will go towards. Players will be able to select between four reforestation projects:

To learn more about the One Tree Planted reforestation projects visit <a href="https://onetreeplanted.org/pages/starbucks">onetreeplanted.org/pages/starbucks</a>.

A link for the Starbucks Earth Month Game will be available for Starbucks Rewards members in the Starbucks app starting April 1; the game will end on April 30, 2021.

Starbucks Odyssey Blend Coffee

On March 30, Starbucks introduced its newest blend of whole bean coffee, Starbucks Odyssey Blend.&nbsp;Starbucks is focused on a more sustainable future for the coffee industry and continuing support for coffee farmers and their communities,&nbsp;Starbucks Odyssey Blend was created to highlight&nbsp;this work and to&nbsp;celebrate coffee,&nbsp;people,&nbsp;and planet.&nbsp;

Starbucks Odyssey Blend is crafted from beans sourced from West Java, Rwanda and Peru,&nbsp;all specifically chosen for how they embody&nbsp;the&nbsp;key pillars of&nbsp;coffee, people&nbsp;and&nbsp;planet,&nbsp;as well&nbsp;the innovative and responsible ways in which&nbsp;the&nbsp;farmers in the region&nbsp;grow, cultivate and process coffee.&nbsp;

“This is our love letter to coffee – 50 years in the making. The three&nbsp;distinct&nbsp;origins that make up Odyssey Blend&nbsp;were&nbsp;chosen for the trailblazing way&nbsp;the coffee&nbsp;was grown,&nbsp;cultivated,&nbsp;and&nbsp;processed. The three coffees create a blend that charts a new path.&nbsp;This&nbsp;is a complex medium roast&nbsp;that&nbsp;displays&nbsp;expressive citrus notes&nbsp;of tangerine zest,&nbsp;a&nbsp;sweet and syrupy body and a&nbsp;wild-honey&nbsp;floral finish.” Sergio Alvarez, Starbucks Coffee Developer.

Printed on each bag of Starbucks Odyssey Blend is a QR code that directs customers to the <a href="https://traceability.starbucks.com/#/">Starbucks Traceability</a> page, where customers can learn more about the coffee’s journey from bean to cup and the people and places behind Starbucks coffee.&nbsp;

In addition to being available for purchase as a whole bean coffee for a limited time,&nbsp;Starbucks Odyssey Blend&nbsp;will also be offered as brewed coffee in most Starbucks stores in the U.S. April 5-11.&nbsp;

Customers can support reusability by selecting from a variety of merchandise items. The new merchandise includes a to-go hot and cold cup, as well as a reusable tote made with post-consumer recycled materials. This smart (and stylish) collection is available in Starbucks stores for a limited time while supplies last.

Starbucks is also offering a collection of drinkware made from recycled materials that are available in Starbucks stores in the U.S.&nbsp;throughout&nbsp;the year.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (D.C.) 18 AND OLDER AND WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE STARBUCKS® REWARDS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;LOYALTY PROGRAM AT THE TIME OF ENTRY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Participating stores only. Promotion ends&nbsp;4/30/21.&nbsp;For Official Rules, how to enter without purchase, prizes, and odds, visit&nbsp;https://www.starbucksearthmonthgame.com. Sponsor: Starbucks Corporation, 2401 Utah Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98134.&nbsp;

Non-Dairy&nbsp;Drinks for a Year will be fulfilled as a daily credit for one free item for one (1) year, which can be redeemed at participating stores.&nbsp;

Entrants&nbsp;can&nbsp;receive&nbsp;a maximum&nbsp;of 2 plays per day, plus,&nbsp;bonus opportunities to earn additional plays.&nbsp;

Game plays may be earned on eligible transactions at a participating Starbucks store. You must pay with your registered Starbucks Card&nbsp;or linked payment method, or by scanning your Starbucks App prior to checkout.&nbsp;Purchases of alcohol, Starbucks Cards and Starbucks Card reloads are excluded. See <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__starbucks.com_terms&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=pBpWB3g5lxYDsRBNURdZrQ&amp;r=BUXnsjr738FuvTANqNRXQtHG2HD4ythXhvP-19v9rGQ&amp;m=ToKnbn6ddutGJJLIMsJZkRe0uwsWmLpzG4DN9uB-2H8&amp;s=3Ti3pXNgBpXTeRtMmmmHFHo8cI4c-MSpTBboKfbUDL4&amp;e=" target="_blank">starbucks.com/terms</a> for details.&nbsp;

Starbucks vision for the future is to remain focused on connections over coffee, being a resource positive company, and creating a better future for its partners (employees) and the communities it serves.

Celebrate Planet Earth with New Starbucks Earth Month Game, Odyssey Blend, and Merchandise

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Starbucks affirms commitment to resource positive future with new investments in eco-friendly operations, regenerative agricultural practices, and&nbsp;an&nbsp;environmentally friendly menu.&nbsp;

Earlier this year, Starbucks shared its multi-decade commitment to become a&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-announces-multi-decade-aspiration-to-become-resource-positive/">resource positive company</a>&nbsp;by storing more carbon than it emits, eliminating waste,&nbsp;and replenishing more&nbsp;freshwater than it uses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today,&nbsp;at its&nbsp;2020 Biennial Investor Day,&nbsp;Starbucks president and ceo Kevin Johnson reaffirmed Starbucks Planet Positive Future. Now the company&nbsp;has&nbsp;formalized&nbsp;its 2030 environmental goals&nbsp;to cut its&nbsp;carbon, water, and waste&nbsp;footprints by half.

These global goals are rooted in science, grounded in Starbucks Mission and Values, and informed by comprehensive market research and trials.&nbsp;Since January,&nbsp;the company&nbsp;has expanded&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/plant-based-menu-innovation-at-starbucks/">plant-based menu options</a>,&nbsp;found better ways to manage waste with&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-strawless-lids-now-available-across-the-u-s-and-canada/">greener cups and lids</a>,&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-furthers-commitment-to-sustainability-goals-by-joining-transform-to-net-zero/">joined arms with others across industry</a>&nbsp;on its journey to be a more sustainable company.&nbsp;

“Our Planet Positive initiatives have a central role in our long-term business strategy, and directly address what our customers are asking for,” said Kevin Johnson, Starbucks chief executive officer. “We are moving toward a more circular economy, and we are doing so in a very intentional, transparent, and accountable way.”&nbsp;

The now confirmed 2030 goals will not only reduce the company's environmental impact but also strengthen the entire supply chain from agriculture practices, to how stores are powered, and an environmentally friendly menu.&nbsp;

Diversified Renewable Energy Portfolio&nbsp;

Starbucks has sourced 100% renewable energy for its more than 9,000 U.S., Canada and EMEA company-operated stores since 2015. The company has rapidly expanded its roster of renewable energy projects in the United States, supporting the growth of green energy onto the grid&nbsp;close to the stores that use the energy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today,&nbsp;Starbucks&nbsp;announced new&nbsp;investments&nbsp;around the country including&nbsp;the company’s&nbsp;first next generation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHqF_ysJqPY/">on-site solar store in California</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As&nbsp;Starbucks&nbsp;embarks&nbsp;on the next chapter of&nbsp;its&nbsp;renewable energy strategy,&nbsp;the company will&nbsp;use&nbsp;its&nbsp;scale to drive innovation across the energy sector, applying a climate justice&nbsp;lens&nbsp;to new&nbsp;investments.&nbsp;

Sustainable Coffee&nbsp;

Over the past five years, Starbucks has donated nearly 50 million coffee trees that are resistant to coffee rust diseases to farmers as part of its 10-year, 100 million tree commitment.&nbsp;In addition, this past year Starbucks launched pilots in Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Rwanda, and Kenya to reduce water usage by up to 80% in coffee processing through investments in new mills.

Today,&nbsp;Starbucks&nbsp;announced&nbsp;further&nbsp;support&nbsp;to help ensure a sustainable, profitable future for coffee farmers globally by&nbsp;increasing&nbsp;its&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/starbucks-more-than-doubles-global-farmer-loan-commitment/">Global Farmer Fund&nbsp;</a>to $100 million, which represents an&nbsp;additional $50 million&nbsp;investment&nbsp;in this program.&nbsp;Coffee growers&nbsp;can use these funds to renovate and strengthen their farms and farming practices to be even more productive and sustainable.&nbsp;

Looking&nbsp;toward&nbsp;to&nbsp;the company’s resource-positive future,&nbsp;Starbucks&nbsp;will continue&nbsp;seeking advancements to&nbsp;reduce&nbsp;its&nbsp;carbon and water footprint in green coffee.&nbsp;

Sustainably Sourced Dairy&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just as with its coffee, Starbucks goal is for the products it sells to be produced under high quality and ethical standards. Recognizing this responsibility, Starbucks looks for opportunities to collaborate with suppliers to address changes at the industry level.&nbsp;

Today, Starbucks made two announcements to help propel the dairy industry's progress toward a more sustainable future.&nbsp;

Starbucks announced intent to support the Dairy Net Zero Initiative, a partnership of the U.S. dairy community seeking to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions and improvements in water quality on farms. This collaborative effort is intended to provide farmers in Starbucks supply chain access to effective environmental and economically viable practices and technologies from feed production, to manure handling, cow care, and on-farm energy efficiency.&nbsp;

“We share Starbucks commitment to creating a more sustainable planet for future generations and look forward to partnering with them to reach net zero carbon emissions for dairy,” said Mike Haddad, chairman, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “This partnership reinforces the critical role dairy plays in sustainable diets, and Starbucks participation in the Net Zero Initiative will help enable, advance and scale new technologies on dairy farms of all sizes across the country.”

Starbucks is also joining the Farm Powered Strategic Alliance as a founding member,&nbsp;repurposing&nbsp;food waste in Starbucks supply chain&nbsp;into renewable energy via&nbsp;farm-based&nbsp;anaerobic digesters.&nbsp;The process produces low carbon fertilizer that host farms use to support regenerative agriculture practices, while Starbucks, in turn,&nbsp;helps contribute to a low carbon economy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Introducing&nbsp;Oatmilk&nbsp;in US&nbsp;

Starbucks continues to introduce new&nbsp;plant-based&nbsp;drinks and food to menus globally.&nbsp;&nbsp;Following a successful regional rollout across the United States, Starbucks will&nbsp;launch&nbsp;oatmilk&nbsp;in all stores&nbsp;in the U.S. this coming&nbsp;Spring 2021.&nbsp;Customer interest in plant-based foods continues to see rapid growth with reports that the $5 billion industry has grown 29% over the past two years according to The Good Food Institute*.&nbsp;&nbsp;

More news and stories on Starbucks pathway to a planet positive future can be found <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/planet/">here</a>.

Starbucks affirms commitment to resource positive future with new investments in eco-friendly operations and regenerative agricultural practices.

Starbucks solidifies pathway to a planet positive future

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Starbucks affirms commitment to resource positive future with new investments in eco-friendly operations, regenerative agricultural practices, and an environmentally friendly menu.

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