Starbucks Bean Stock

Why we call our employees “Partners”

The landmark program, which offers company stock to full-time and part-time employees, was the first of its kind in the retail industry.

Two female Starbucks baristas wave and smile at an open drive thru window.

Barista in a green apron pours cold brew from a tap handle

A Starbucks partner at the Seattle Support Center scoops freshly roasted coffee for another partner at a roasting event.

Starbucks partner in a green apron sits in a cafe on a laptop

In 1991, on the day Starbucks opened its 100th store, founder Howard Schultz stood before the company’s employees at the roasting plant in Seattle and introduced Bean Stock.

It was a retail industry first: shares of company stock awarded to every employee, both full-time and part-time.

“It is my hope that this reality of partnership deepens our sense of pride, of mutual support and of shared vision for Starbucks,” Schultz said at the time. “No matter where you are in the company – the roasting plant, the stores, the office – every person will have a stake in the success of the company.”

1.5M+

Partners who have received shares through Bean Stock since 2010

From the archives

Founder Howard Schultz presents Bean Stock to partners in 1991

Starbucks founder Howard Schultz stands at a podium announcing Bean Stock to partners in 1991.

A banner at the announcement of Bean Stock reads, "Partners in Growth"

Bean Stock is why we call our employees “partners,” because we believe success is best when it’s shared. It’s one of the many industry-leading benefits we provide, a foundational piece that makes Starbucks one of the best jobs in retail.

Grants are awarded every fall. And partners around the world have used them in ways big and small to make a real difference in their lives, whether it’s buying a dream home or investing in the stock market for the first time or going on a big vacation.

By The Numbers

21

Countries where Starbucks partners work and receive Bean Stock
$2.4B

In pre-tax gains awarded to partners in Bean Stock since 2010
230K

Number of partners receiving Bean Stock grants in 2024

“I sold stock to buy my dream car, a green 1970 Porsche 911 named ‘Bean’. I’m not sure what that stock would be worth today if left untouched, but it certainly would not have given me and my family the thrills and memories that ‘Bean’ has!”
Brad, global master roaster who was with the company during the original announcement in 1991

Here’s what partners have done with their awards

Barista in a green apron stands at a counter smiling to greet a customer.

For some, it’s a way to pay for a wedding, make a down payment on a home or a car, or get through an emergency. But for everyone who works for Starbucks, it’s also what makes them a partner in the company.

Read their stories