When Lisa Price, who started with Starbucks as a barista in 1994, got her first corporate job with the company in 1996, she was a coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Regional office, welcoming store and district managers as they arrived for meetings. One day a store manager came in with a problem. One of her store partners, a single mother, was about to be evicted from her house. “What can we do to help?” the manager asked. This question would drive Price and a group of partners – Rene Suruda, Dixie McCullough and Joan Moffat – to start a fund to help Starbucks partners (employees) in need

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Over the next two years, the team would build a new program from scratch, with each volunteering for a different role to keep it moving forward. Price remembers working with the Starbucks Creative Studio to create a logo and the tri-fold brochure (remember those?) that announced the program. They invited partners to contribute, even as little as $1 per paycheck, and organized bake sales and fundraisers. They named it the Caring Unites Partners Fund –<a href="https://www.starbucksbenefits.com/en-us/home/partner-family-support/caring-unites-partners-cup-fund/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> the CUP Fund</a>. By partners, for partners.

“I was just an office coordinator and working on the CUP Fund wasn’t my full-time job,” Price said. “It was none of our full-time jobs, but it was cool to be able to launch an idea and be supported by the company to do so.”&nbsp;

By 1998, they launched a pilot in the Pacific Northwest region, awarding 15 grants for a total of $13,095. The program quickly grew nationwide across the United States, and would ultimately expand to Canada, Japan and China. In its 25 years, it has helped partners in the aftermath of flooding and fires, catastrophes like <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/starbucks-partner-recalls-the-road-to-recovery-after-katrina/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hurricane Katrina</a> and <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2011/starbucks-coffee-japan-continues-its-dedication-to-japans-relief-and-recove/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Japan’s earthquake and tsunami</a>, and <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-commits-10m-usd-in-covid-19-relief-for-partners-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVID-19</a>. It has also helped partners navigate personal challenges, like unexpected deaths in the family and domestic violence situations. For those working on the program, the reward would be the letters they would receive of thanks from partners they were able to help.&nbsp;

“People would give such heartfelt ‘thank you’s,” Price said. “There was a ton of appreciation for what we were trying to do.”&nbsp;

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While the day-to-day administration of the program would transition from the volunteer committee to a more formal one with the hiring of a full-time administrator, Price would go on to become a leader in the Starbucks partner resources organization in her 20 years with the company (she is now Chief Human Resources Officer at Domino’s Pizza). In addition to continued partner support through payroll deductions and contributions, starting today, May 9, the CUP Fund will receive a boost from contributions to the fund raised from sales of the new partner-created Starbucks® Green Apron Blend™ coffee.&nbsp;

Reflecting on the impact the CUP Fund has made starting with that first partner in need more than 25 years ago, Price said, “It’s amazing to have the opportunity to impact the trajectory of people’s lives. I think that’s just the type of company Starbucks is.”&nbsp;

Since its inception in 1998, the CUP Fund has benefited more than 71,000 partners with more than $51 million in grants, and there is a story behind each one. Three partners share theirs:&nbsp;

Janice Williams-Harp, store manager, Lake Orion, Michigan&nbsp;&nbsp;

Janice Williams-Harp likes to tell her story to every new partner she onboards; it helps set the right tone. It was 2012, and she was two weeks into her role as an assistant store manager in Auburn Hills, Michigan, when her husband came running into her store.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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“We lost everything,” Williams-Harp remembers. “We had the clothes on our body and that was it. We had a small child at the time. What do you need? I didn’t know where to start. Everything.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The very next day, through the CUP Fund, she received a grant for $1,000 that she used to pay first and last month's rent for temporary housing, where her family lived for four months, figuring out what to do next. She and her husband had put most of their savings into the home, which they’d purchased just a few years before.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I hadn’t received a paycheck yet,” says Williams-Harp, who’s been a store manager now for almost 10 years. “That generosity, on the worst day of my life, it speaks volumes to who we are. It defined who this company is to me.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jen Richmann, retail leader recruiter, Fresno, California&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2007, when Jen Richmann was a Starbucks barista, her brother became ill and died unexpectedly. He was a single parent of two girls. They all lived together on the same property.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“In that moment, we were going to pay for the funeral and make sure the girls had what they needed,” Richmann says. “We made the hard decision that we were just going to have to be late on the mortgage (that month). We were all we had and trying to figure out how can we get through this together.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

A couple months later, stressed about not being able to catch up, she confided in her store manager, who recommended looking into the CUP Fund. The grant covered her late payment, paid off some bills, and “It really did allow us to breathe,” she remembers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Richmann advanced in her career, moving up to store manager and in 2021, earning her degree through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, which covers 100 percent tuition at Arizona State University. Later that year, she transitioned into a full-time recruiter role.&nbsp;&nbsp;

And her two nieces? One graduated from college and has a child of her own. The other is a military spouse living at a base in Colorado.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“They’re both grown and thriving,” Richmann says. “I really believe that generosity closed the gap for us to not have to struggle more than what we needed to.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Richard Foland, district manager, Houston, Texas&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2017, Hurricane Harvey flooded Houston, including the first-floor apartment where Richard Foland lived.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Complete destruction. Four-and-a-half-feet of water,” Foland remembers. “When you experience seeing your personal belongings just floating around you – the refrigerator was floating, my couches were floating – it’s the most helpless feeling.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Foland, a 10-year partner who started as a barista, considers himself lucky. He was able to get into temporary housing while the water receded. An expedited CUP Fund check helped him buy groceries, a bag of dog food, and other necessities like extra clothes and towels.&nbsp;

“There’s a responsibility that we have as Starbucks leaders and culture keepers to keep this topic going,” Foland says. “It’s how we pull the green thread through. It’s how we share with each other. It’s partners helping other partners, doing the right thing. That’s us living our mission and values.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Since 1998, the Caring Unites Partners (CUP) Fund, Starbucks employee relief fund, has helped thousands of partners with emergency assistance during times of financial need.

25 years of Starbucks CUP Fund: By partners, for partners

Stories to inspire and nurture the human spirit

Starbucks Stories

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Between April 24 and May 8, 250,000 Starbucks partners at 10,000 stores in North America are meeting during two-hour sessions to focus on the art of connection and reflecting on Starbucks’ new <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/mission/">mission</a>: With every cup, with every conversation, with every community – we nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection. &nbsp;

These gatherings are part of a long tradition of bringing partners together during key moments in the company’s history. Following a successful year-long reinvention and the unique six-month immersion of Starbucks chief executive officer Laxman Narasimhan, partners across thousands of stores are now learning about the important role they’ll play in co-creating the future of Starbucks in a way that honors the company’s heritage while modernizing it for the times.&nbsp;

Below, we’re sharing dispatches and <a href="https://starbucksnewsroom.wistia.com/medias/tkr6mbh0wj">downloadable assets</a> from some of the first sessions to be held during the week of April 24. Go <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2023/coming-together-all-starbucks-partners-in-us-canada-to-participate-in-2-hour-connection-sessions/">here</a> for the official FAQ. All stores are adapting a three-part agenda to fit their individual store’s needs.

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On the evening of April 25, store manager Louis closed his café in Glendale, Arizona three hours early so that more than 20 partners could be present with each other without interruption. For some, it was the first time they’d been able to meet in person with colleagues working opposite shifts.

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“Today is about exploring what connection means to us, among our community and between each other,” he told partners as they enjoyed pizza and casual conversation. “This session is only the beginning. We can and should carry everything we learn forward into our next shift.” 

Louis and assistant store manager Zee laid out the agenda and led the group’s first tasting of Starbucks® Green Apron Blend™, a new and unique Starbucks® Blonde roast consisting of beans sourced from Latin America and Africa, with notes of honeybell orange and graham cracker. Partners smelled, slurped and shared their thoughts aloud whilst pairing the coffee with chocolate croissants and Marshmallow Dream Bars. The crowd reaction? “Citrus!” “Acidic!” “Really good!”

Via the store laptop and portable devices, store partners gathered around each screen to hear a message recorded especially for them from Narasimhan laying out the company’s future, its new mission – and each barista’s role in helping to foster the limitless possibilities of human connection over coffee.&nbsp;

“I like it because it’s very simple,” Louis told his team. “When I’m not having the best day, I can go back to this and know: This is why I’m doing what I do.” 

During the discussion that followed, partners at every level responded to the new mission as well:

"It’s an achievable reality of what we do.” – John, shift supervisor

"And I think that’s the biggest shift that I’ve seen in the last six months to a year – where it feels really inclusive to what connection means to us. In the past, it felt like connection had to mean the same thing all around but now we’re being given the space for us to find how we connect with customers.” – Felicia, an Arizona district manager

“Every Starbucks is different. The experience we have here is infinitely different from experiences we have in other stores. Every single one of those groups of customers is different, which is why I’m grateful to be in the café I’m in.” – Staj, barista

About 30 minutes away in Phoenix, store manager Matty conducted his All-Store Partner Session offsite in a neighboring café that had more space for his team of more than 20 partners to spread out and talk in small groups. He brought in his own television set so that the group could watch Narasimhan’s message on one screen together. Assistant store manager Keith facilitated leveraging a wide-ranging kit filled with connection exercises sent out to stores ahead of the session.

For part 2 of a three-part agenda, the partners bonded around circular tables, got up on their feet to move around, and shared lots of smiles as they reflected on themselves – and shared their answers in a supportive space. Through speed networking and writing, partners responded to numerous prompts, including the following:

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Partners said attending the session helped them to reset their role in the store and, more importantly, their connection with one another.&nbsp;

“Sometimes it‘s connecting with your peers and your partners that, you know, can be difficult or sometimes you're so focused on the customers and so focused on your job that you can neglect each other, it‘s easy to put our needs on the back burner. I think having that time today to connect and get to know each other really was so amazing.” – Sheila, barista

“I learned what their strengths are, and they also kind of helped me see what my strengths are just by working with me for the short amount of time that they have.” – Anna, barista&nbsp;

“And how are they going to be affected by the decisions we make with each other while we're at work. I learned that a lot of us are here for the same reason, and we like being here because we bring each other up.” &nbsp;– Nickolas, barista

Across North America, after the teams got to know each other, they shifted to the final section of the All-Store Partner Session during which they began to talk about connecting with customers. &nbsp;

In Katy, a suburb just outside of Houston, partners in store manager Kirsten’s café gathered late into the evening. Over croissants, conchas and cupcakes – paired with Starbucks Green Apron Blend brewed using multiple methods – the group cheered one another and voiced their commitment to creating the best experience possible for every person who walks through their doors. &nbsp;

Around small tables usually reserved for customers, baristas, trainers and shift managers worked through a variety of exercises together. A card set shared with every store laid out various scenarios they might encounter to generate robust discussions around ways to connect with customers of every profile. Each partner filled out a worksheet asking them to think about cultivating new connections.

As you think about owning your craft of connection, consider: &nbsp;

For many partners who went in thinking the session would be all about training, it was a welcome surprise to hear the new mission directly from the ceo and to focus on the art of connection.

“Some of our regulars, you ask them how their day is going and sometimes they're having a bad day, but sometimes you might be having a bad day. And because you're constantly interacting with people, they want to give back to you. For me, having this two-hour meeting was really important. And, I took with me the fact that people and interactions are really important, and that I want to grow as a person by growing those interactions with people.” – Arousha, barista

“I just want to spark joy. I love walking into a place, feeling welcome. It's nice just recognizing people, making them feel super famous when they walk in one of our regulars every day. It's a chorus of people. Love it.” – Sean, barista

“It's just a beautiful experience. I'm pretty terrible with faces and names, so I'm very excited to see partners give me tips on how to better remember people, their drinks, their names, their faces.” – Teagan, shift supervisor

“Connection means to me bonding on the soul level. Like it goes deeper than just, ‘How's the weather today?’ It goes more into, ‘How are you, who are you as a person’? One cup, one coffee, one neighborhood at a time. It’s all part of trying to relate to someone on a more human level. Today, I committed to focusing more on the little things. The little things matter to me, so I know they must matter to other people.” – Mia, barista

“I found that making connections with not only the customers, but with the people that I work with, it improves the quality of our service and of genuinely just coming into work, knowing that I can come into work and I'll enjoy whoever I'm working with, or knowing that I can have people other than the people at home supporting me.” – Avery, barista trainer

“I do enjoy working with them and it does help me connect better with the customers in the long run.”&nbsp;– Cassandra, barista

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Between April 24 and May 8, 250,000 Starbucks partners at 10,000 stores in North America are meeting during two-hour sessions to focus on the art of connection and reflecting on Starbucks new mission.

Inside Starbucks: A look at how partners across U.S., Canada are connecting over coffee, embracing new mission

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Starbucks has a long history of bringing partners (employees) together for intentional moments of connection and business, brand and culture building. Over the course of the last year, as a part of the company’s focus on reinvention, partners have gathered together in hundreds of listening and collaboration sessions with baristas, shift supervisors, store leaders and support partners across the globe. These most recent sessions have been designed to listen, inspire, train and reset the company in a way that honors its heritage while it modernizes for the future. As a next step in that journey, starting Monday and for the next two weeks, 250,000 Starbucks partners at 10,000 stores across the United States and Canada will take part in sessions on the theme of connection. To learn more, read on: 

What are the store gatherings taking place from April 24 to May 8 and why is Starbucks doing them?

Building upon our Reinvention over the past year, All-Store Partner Sessions are a new moment designed to connect Starbucks partners to each other, our customers and our coffee heritage. These sessions are dedicated time for team building and exchanging ideas among partners through interaction and conversation. &nbsp;

How many stores and partners will participate?&nbsp;&nbsp;

About 250,000 Starbucks partners at 10,000 stores across the United States and Canada will participate. The sessions are designed, with the help of partners, to be relevant for all baristas, regardless of their tenure.&nbsp;&nbsp;

What happens during All Store Partner Sessions?&nbsp;

Store managers will bring all partners together and facilitate a two-hour session grounded in coffee and connection. Each store manager is empowered to design a gathering that meets their team’s needs. For instance, Roni, a store manager in Maryland, has scheduled time with her partners after closing to maximize participation. As a leader who began eight years ago behind the bar as a barista, she is personalizing the agenda with interactive activities so that partners can get to know each other in a meaningful way and get grounded in the importance of this moment in the company’s history. &nbsp;

“I want them to take away the deeper meaning and the root of – what is connection? Connection can mean something different to everyone,” Roni says. “It's a new beginning, a new journey. Everything with reinvention, what are we working on as a company and as partners? This [session] gives us the chance to slow down and really understand the meaning of being with each other and with other people. It’s something that we don’t always have the time to understand or appreciate. It’ll be a moment of fun and learning.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Will stores remain open during the gathering?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Store managers are empowered to create a memorable experience for their partners and to determine the best approach for store operations to ensure uninterrupted time for participation. For some stores, this could mean conducting the meeting during open hours. For others, it could mean holding the meeting after stores close. &nbsp;

What kind of resources are being provided to stores to facilitate these gatherings?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Resources for store managers include a facilitator guide, a planning guide, and poster invitations to be posted in the back of house to build excitement and awareness. Stores will also receive one pack of new Everyday Uplift! Team Connect Cards to use during these sessions. During the sessions, partners can enjoy chocolate croissants and Green Apron Blend, a new coffee blend <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/starbucks-partners-taste-first-sip-of-starbucks-green-apron-blend-a-new-coffee-created-by-partners-for-partners/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">created by partners for partners. </a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Will partners be asked to address operational matters during the sessions? &nbsp;

No, these two-hour sessions are intentionally focused on discussing the art of connection among and between Starbucks partners and customers. However, store managers are always available to their partners to discuss their concerns and questions about logistical and operational matters.&nbsp;

What is the format of these sessions?&nbsp;&nbsp;

What will happen after the sessions end?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Store managers and above will meet to de-brief on any changes, ideas, strategies, intentions and inspirations that surfaced during the All-Store Partner Session. Conversations will continue between all partners during regular partner development meetings. &nbsp;

What is the goal of these sessions?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Starbucks partners will leave every session with three takeaways: 1) Ready to feel a sense of ownership to improve and influence the environment around them at Starbucks. 2) Inspiration to show up to each shift energized and ready to create connections with their team, and 3) Expand their craft and create connections with our customers. 

For Roni, who still fondly recalls the impact of meeting with her fellow partners when she first started as a barista eight years ago, this newest company-wide moment in a post-pandemic era – and under new leadership at the highest levels – is an opportunity to help every partner connect with the Starbucks mission.&nbsp;

“The thing I love about this company so much and why I’ve been here so long is they take the time to give back to the partners and care about us,” she says. “Our baristas – they all just want to be heard. They want to be able to share not only how they’re feeling but how they feel their development is going and how they’ve been dealing with their mental health. I’m very close to my team. I like to be the talker and pull things out of them, but for this, I just want them to create the space for them to share their thoughts so we can generate thoughts and ideas and really get to know each other.”

Between April 24 and May 8, Starbucks partners at 10,000 stores in North America will participate in gatherings focused on connecting partners to each other, customers and coffee heritage.

All Starbucks partners in U.S., Canada to participate in 2-hour connection sessions

Coming together: All Starbucks partners in U.S., Canada to participate in 2-hour connection sessions  

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All Starbucks partners in U.S., Canada to participate in 2-hour connection sessions  

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Between April 24 and May 8, 250,000 Starbucks partners at 10,000 stores in North America will participate in gatherings focused on connecting partners to each other, customers and coffee heritage.

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As we prepare to return to the office a minimum of 3 days beginning next week, I want to share an update on what we’re doing to support your partner experience.&nbsp;First, I want to thank our Modern Workspace team for their fast and tireless work to find solutions in service of all of us.

Over the course of the coming months, we will:

I’m also pleased to share that we will bring more team choice for common days.&nbsp;We will shift our common days in the SSC from Tuesday and&nbsp;Wednesday to one common day for all SSC partners which will remain Tuesday. The additional common day will be either Wednesday or Thursday, defined by your team at the director level. The third day remains flexible, to be determined by agreement between partner and manager.

We will use tomorrow’s SSC Connect to share resources, including team norm setting tools, tips for choosing spaces and navigating the SSC, our full suite of commute options, building amenities, and more to support you through this transition. If you are unable to join us, please be sure to review this week’s SSC Happenings Newsletter for a recap of the tools, resources and information that we’ll cover.

On behalf of the ELT, I want to thank you for the thoughtful questions and feedback you have shared in your town halls since we announced this policy. Your leaders have shared your ideas and they are informing solutions we are building as we move forward.

Your partner, Sara Kelly evp, chief partner officer

As we prepare to return to the office a minimum of 3 days beginning next week, I want to share an update on what we’re doing to support your partner experience.

Message from Sara: Supporting partners as we return to the office

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Two-day gathering designed to build capability and confidence company leaders need to transform their stores and partner (employee) experience

SEATTLE – Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) today welcomed 2,000 retail leaders from across the U.S. and Canada for a District Manager+ Leadership Experience in Seattle, Wa. Designed to build the leadership excellence required for retail leaders to lead their stores and store partner (employees) though the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/starbucks-enters-new-era-of-growth-driven-by-an-unparalleled-reinvention-plan/">company’s Reinvention</a>, this gathering marks the first convening of its kind since 2014, bringing together District Managers, Regional Directors, Regional Vice Presidents from Company-Operated, Licensed Store and Siren Retail businesses in the U.S. and Canada, as well as leaders from the company’s partner resources organization.

Over the course of two days, retail leaders will hear from regional and global leadership, and participate in capability-building forums. In the welcoming remarks, Sara Trilling, executive vice president, Starbucks North America, addressed the opportunity. “We must all think of ourselves as brand new – for the next few days we’ve got to get into a growth mindset... what worked yesterday may not work today,” Trilling said. “We have to think differently. What an incredible advantage we have this diverse and rich mix of partners to tap into it’s the collection of your experiences working side-by-side all together, driving our reinvention and bringing every store and partner along with us.”

The leadership convening is a demonstration of Starbucks continued investment in the company’s partners and signals a defining moment in the Reinvention journey. Specific trainings and conversations will focus on mastering craft, building connections, communicating with impact and problem solving. Leaders will go back to their markets later this week equipped with the clarity, skills and agency they need to lead, inspire and nurture their stores and store partners, and a deep understanding that they are part of something bigger and their accountability to the enterprise priorities.

Earlier this week, Starbucks ceo Howard Schultz shared in a letter to Starbucks partners, “If you’ve been with Starbucks for any length of time, you’ve probably heard me talk about love. I love our partners. I love the culture we’ve built. And I love the purpose we serve as a company. Love and responsibility are the reasons I returned to Starbucks in April. Most companies don’t center their business philosophy on love. But it’s what has always been the core of our company – love not only for our 450,000 partners around the world, but also love for our customers, love for coffee and connection, and love and respect for coffee farmers. I believe it’s what drives our company’s great success. It’s what makes customers choose us, again and again, when they have so many other alternatives. It is built not by a single action but compounding momentum over time. Decision upon decision, action upon action, turn by turn – each loop adding to the collective effect.”

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Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 34,000 stores worldwide, 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 stories.starbucks.com or <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.starbucks.com</a>.

Company leaders are attending a two-day gathering designed to build capability and confidence needed to transform their stores and the partner (employee) experience.

Starbucks Convenes 2,000 Retail Leaders from Across U.S. and Canada to Enable Leadership Excellence as Company Reinvents for the Future

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Zulima Espinel, chief global public policy counsel, shares resources for DACA recipients

We are proud that 250,000 partners across the country reflect the diverse communities we serve. Every day, you create welcoming spaces for each other and our customers and every day we are inspired to extend that sense of belonging beyond the four walls of our stores.&nbsp;

Inclusion is inherent to nurturing the human spirit and this is foundational to our long support for Dreamers, including our partners who are recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA.&nbsp;Earlier this month the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decided DACA is unlawful.&nbsp;While this decision did not immediately end the program for current DACA recipients,&nbsp;the program is at risk as it continues to move through the judicial system, likely up to the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

At Starbucks we will continue to use our voice and resources to support Dreamers and partners who are DACA recipients– <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2017/letter-from-howard-schultz-to-senators-lindsey-graham-and-richard-durbin/">just as we have since 2017</a>. We will continue to offer benefits and support to partners who are DACA recipients. Partners can also connect with an Immigration Advisor – confidentially and at no cost – to help with questions related to navigating the program and any changes to the law.

We will also continue to advocate. Just today, Starbucks joined dozens of businesses to urge Congress to come together and pass bipartisan legislation that will provide a long-term solution and legal path to citizenship for all DACA recipients and the permanent protection they deserve to continue to live and contribute to the United States. You can read the full letter <a href="https://www.coalitionfortheamericandream.us/daca-fifth-circuit-response/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

I know many of you are passionate about this program so here are some tools and resources available:

We will continue to support and advocate for Dreamers so they can live, work, and dream in the country that they call home – not only because it is the right thing to do but because the communities we serve will be stronger for it.

Zulima Espinel, chief global public policy counsel

A letter to Starbucks partners (employees) from Zulima Espinel, chief global public policy counsel, sharing resources for DACA recipients.

Letter to Starbucks Partners: Our Support and Advocacy for Dreamers

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Starbucks hosted its biennial Investor Day on Tuesday; here are some of the day's highlights

Starbucks hosted its biennial Investor Day today at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle, where Howard Schultz, interim chief executive officer, Rachel Ruggeri, chief financial officer, and other members of the Starbucks leadership team showcased the company’s Reinvention plan. They discussed the actions and investments the company is making to enhance the Starbucks Experience for partners and customers and drive accelerated long-term growth.

Highlights shared by the company include:

1. Reinvention plan positions Starbucks for the next chapter of growth

The Reinvention plan is ushering Starbucks into a new era of growth, underpinned by a renewed focus on the foundations of its business – partners, stores and customers. Investing in this powerful “Triple Shot for Growth” will continue to differentiate the Starbucks brand and experience. The company announced today that it expects <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/starbucks-enters-new-era-of-growth-driven-by-an-unparalleled-reinvention-plan/">deliver 10-12 percent net revenue growth</a> and 15-20 percent net earnings growth annually over the next three years, surpassing the 10-12 percent range shared at the last Starbucks Investor Day in 2020. This reflects acceleration in each and every building block of our growth, powered by Starbucks green apron partners around the globe.

2. Starbucks is focused on reinventing the partner experience

Company leaders shared commitments to radically improve the retail partner experience, making changes to focus on helping partners thrive at work, as individuals and together through new tools such as wage innovation, well-being benefits and personalized career mobility. It’s paying off as Starbucks has started to see results with retention rates steadily rising and on track to return to and exceed pre-pandemic levels.

3. The Starbucks brand is building on strength

The Starbucks brand is more relevant and differentiated than ever before with the number one market share and brand affinity. It’s a strong, relevant brand that is poised for growth. Starbucks has the highest brand affinity among Gen Z and multicultural consumers, who also make up more than half of the customer base. And, among multicultural consumers, Starbucks is the market leader on brand affinity, visits and is the first choice among away-from home coffee drinkers that identify as LatinX, African American and Asian American.

4. Going Global: The digital Starbucks experience is coming to all stores

With mobile orders accounting for 25 percent of customer transactions in the U.S., Starbucks is elevating the digital Starbucks Experience, including through providing real-time updates in the app and a dedicated mobile order pick-up lane. By making Mobile Order &amp; Pay more personalized and effortless, Starbucks will continue to drive relevancy for customers and growth in mobile orders.

To meet growing customer demand, Starbucks is committed to expanding its digital Starbucks Experience to all locations, from airports and grocery stores to international markets, and Starbucks Connect is the new technology that is making this possible. With a consistent digital experience across Starbucks entire portfolio of stores, customers will get a holistic Starbucks Rewards experience, including Mobile Order &amp; Pay and a wider arrange of star redemption opportunities, no matter which Starbucks they visit.

5. A purpose-built approach to meeting customer needs

Over the next three years, Starbucks sees continued opportunity for purpose-built store growth as demand for the brand increases. This includes increasing the number of drive-thrus while also expanding the number of stores that are “purpose built,” such as delivery only and curbside pick-up stores. In addition, this design approach will help modernizing physical stores to serve the increasing demand while creating an environment that is inclusive and accessible, through the lens of sustainability. It’s all part of meeting customers whenever and wherever they are.

6. Harnessing global store growth opportunities

Starbucks is rapidly expanding its global footprint and expects to approach 45,000 stores by the end of 2025 (up from nearly 35,000 now) and 55,000 stores by 2030 – this means opening eight new stores a day. Starbucks is already well on its way; in China, Starbucks has increased its footprint nearly 10-fold to 6,000 stores, and is continuing to grow, as it targets increasing store count by 50 percent to reach 9,000 stores by fiscal year 2025.

7. New, innovative equipment will give baristas more time for customer connections

Starbucks is introducing more efficient <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/recipe-for-reinvention-starbucks-unveils-innovations-for-better-customer-barista-experiences/">state-of-the-art equipment</a> putting better tools in the hands of partners and, in turn, driving an improved partner and customer experience. Starbucks has developed a redesigned Cold Beverage Station, which reduces the time and number of steps to make a cold beverage. It has also begun rolling out new Clover Vertica™ equipment, which will freshly grind and brew a cup of coffee, on demand, in 30 seconds.

8. Cold Brew took center stage at the morning coffee tasting

Green apron partners (employees) offered hand crafted, high quality arabica coffee to Investor Day participants, highlighting the coffee and craft at the center of the Starbucks Experience. Attendees tasted Starbucks popular Cold Brew beverage, which has a unique flavor profile that is unlocked by a blending, roasting and steeping process

Photos by Josh Trujillo and Connor Surdi / Starbucks Stories

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Starbucks hosted its biennial Investor Day on Tuesday; here are some of the day's highlights.

What you need to know about Starbucks 2022 Investor Day

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Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelsen, senior vice presidents of U.S. operations, shared this letter to Starbucks partners on creating a safe, welcoming and kind third place.

You’ve been open and honest with us about your experience – from what you need to feel your best at work, to the many inspirational and heartfelt examples of how you are creating memorable moments for one another and our customers. You’re also seeing firsthand the challenges facing our communities – personal safety, racism, lack of access to healthcare, a growing mental health crisis, rising drug use, and more. With stores in thousands of communities across the country, we know these challenges can, at times, play out within our stores too. We read every incident report you file – it’s a lot.

We want you to know that creating a safe, welcoming, and kind third place is our top priority. Because simply put, we cannot serve as partners if we don’t first feel safe at work. The question on our minds is: How do we continue to show up for our communities while protecting our partners?

This is the most important work ahead – and your input directly shapes our policies, programs and benefits to ensure you feel more supported and empowered, including:

We hear the challenges facing you in stores, and we all have a lot more to still figure out – but we know we’ll get there because YOU have shown us, time and again, that our stores can be a place of hope, optimism and community for all. As we move forward, we will continue learning together, and share regular updates on this important work.

Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelsen, senior vice presidents of U.S. operations, shared this letter to Starbucks partners on creating a safe, welcoming and kind third place.

Message to Starbucks partners: Safety in our stores - Starbucks Stories

Message to Starbucks partners: Safety in our stores

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In a letter to Starbucks partners, chief executive officer Howard Schultz shared a set of principles and a new partnership for the reinvention of the next chapter of the company.&nbsp;

The state of the world, the conditions of our stores and communities, and the hopes and dreams and lives of each of our partners are top of mind as I write you this morning. Since my return in April, I have been learning so much through open, honest and often vulnerable conversations and collaboration sessions across stores, manufacturing plants and in the Starbucks Support Center.

It’s clear we’re living in a changing world where economic, societal and operational pressures are colliding. We’re seeing unprecedented cultural division and economic trauma – all while navigating a pandemic, and it seems as though every day there is a new crisis to address.

All of this affects our partners. All of this affects Starbucks as a company. And all of this deeply affects millions of customers who visit our stores every day. Our stores serve as windows into America and through them we see the magnitude of the hardships and the ways in which people’s needs are changing.

It has long been my deep belief that together we can – and do – play an important part in creating positive change, for partners and our communities. However, like so much of the world right now, the Starbucks business as it is built today is not set up to fully satisfy the evolving behaviors, needs and expectations of our partners or customers. It is not designed for the future we aspire to for ourselves and the communities in which we serve.

Today, we find ourselves in a position where we must modernize and transform the Starbucks experience in our stores and recreate an environment that is relevant, welcoming and safe, and where we uplift one another with dignity, respect and kindness. We need to reinvent Starbucks for the future. And to be successful, it will take our collective courage to begin again.&nbsp;

We are now laying the foundation for the next Starbucks – a company even more true to our shared mission: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.

Many teams are already hard at work to build this next Starbucks. We have started gathering over the last weeks to galvanize around significant reinvention efforts designed to improve the experience of partners and customers and tuned to the health of our communities and our business.

Our Reinvention plan begins with five Bold Moves. We will:

Re-envision how we bring our mission to life.

Renew the well-being of retail partners by radically improving their experience.

Reimagine our store experience for greater connection, ease and a planet positive impact.

Reconnect with our customers by delivering memorable and personalized moments.

Redesign partnership by creating new ways to thrive together.

We will unveil specific programs and initiatives to deliver upon this set of Bold Moves in the weeks ahead.

The additional work required will take shape over time and continue be created together – across our stores, our roasting plants and the Starbucks Support Center – between each of us and also with the customers and stakeholders we serve. &nbsp;

Today, I want to share a preview of how we are thinking about the redesigning of partnership at Starbucks – a partnership where we each have voice and agency in bringing forward perspectives and ideas, and shared accountability for our actions and impact.

Our partners’ own stories, experiences and ideas as shared through collaboration sessions, surveys, open forums and direct conversations with their leaders have inspired a set of principles for a new partnership at Starbucks. These are the principles that will guide us forward:

Each of us has an ability each day to put these principles into practice. And we will use the weeks ahead to provide you with greater clarity around the existing and new resources and programs available to you and your leaders for support.

Partners, we have created a great and enduring company that has overcome many challenges over the last 50 years. This rich history is built with a long line of partners who have dared to make Starbucks a different kind of company. With each era, we each make our contribution.&nbsp;

Starbucks Partners

25 years of Starbucks CUP Fund: By partners, for partners

Inside Starbucks: A look at how partners across U.S., Canada are connecting over coffee, embracing new mission

Coming together: All Starbucks partners in U.S., Canada to participate in 2-hour connection sessions

Message from Sara: Supporting partners as we return to the office

Starbucks Convenes 2,000 Retail Leaders from Across U.S. and Canada to Enable Leadership Excellence as Company Reinvents for the Future

Letter to Starbucks Partners: Our Support and Advocacy for Dreamers

What you need to know about Starbucks 2022 Investor Day

Message to Starbucks partners: Safety in our stores

A message from Howard Schultz: The next chapter of Starbucks Reinvention

‘Rise together’: After mass shootings, Starbucks partners gather to grieve, offer support

‘A historic moment’: U.S. store partners at Starbucks respond to raises, new investments

Letter from Starbucks ceo Howard Schultz: Investing in our shared future