On his second day, Brian Niccol, chairman and chief executive officer, announced a plan to get Back to Starbucks. This morning, he shared a message with partners reflecting on two years of progress and what’s next.

Read the full letter, below: 

Partners,

Two years ago, I made a commitment. We would get Back to Starbucks. That commitment gave us focus and helped us get back to what has always set Starbucks apart — a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas.

We had real work to do. Our coffeehouses needed to feel warmer. Our service needed to be more consistent. Our business needed to be simpler and move faster. Our green apron partners needed more support. And we needed to give customers more reasons to choose Starbucks.

Since then, we’ve worked the plan. We’ve executed with terrific focus. And it’s working. Starbucks is back. And the progress we’ve made is showing up in real and visible ways:

• Our coffeehouses feel like Starbucks again. We brought back cup writing, condiment bars, ceramic mugs and free refills. We announced standards that make it easier for customers to sit and stay. Uplifts are bringing back seats, warmth and personality to our cafés. And we are making sure every coffeehouse earns its place.
• Customers can feel the difference. Green Apron Service is our operating standard. We invested in bigger rosters, better staffing and smarter scheduling. We launched Smart Queue and improved routines to meet clear service-time goals across café, drive-thru, mobile order and delivery. And our partners are delivering exceptional service with a moment of connection.
• Partners have more support and more opportunity. We doubled paid parental leave for hourly partners, launched weekly pay, expanded tipping options and introduced a quarterly Best of Starbucks incentive. We are hiring thousands of coffeehouse coaches and creating more paths to grow from within. And more than 20,000 partners have now graduated college at no cost through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan.
• Our brand is showing up in culture with confidence. We reduced discount-driven offers and invested in marketing that reminds people why they love Starbucks. We brought innovation to our menu with protein, Energy Refreshers, artisanal baked goods and new twists on iconic favorites. New merchandise and new collaborations are inspiring brand love. And we reimagined Starbucks Rewards to be more rewarding and personal.
• The shine is back on Starbucks around the world. We have done the work to position our International markets for growth, including a new JV structure in China. And we are bringing Green Apron Service and the GROW system to more markets, so the best of Starbucks can show up in every coffeehouse we operate.

As a result of this work, our business has made the turn. We have returned to growth, delivered positive global comps and improved margins. We have positioned Starbucks to perform for the long term. Partners in our coffeehouses, roasting plants, distribution centers and support centers made this progress possible. You stayed focused. You took ownership. And you are making Starbucks better for customers and one another every day. Thank you.

Where we go from here

Now we raise the bar to define our next chapter. Back to Starbucks started as a turnaround plan. It helped us refocus the company, fix what needed fixing and rebuild the operating foundation of the business. Today, it is our roadmap to deliver the very best of Starbucks for every customer, partner and shareholder. The same six ambitions will guide how we grow and what we believe we can achieve:

• Be the world’s greatest customer service company. A place where every customer feels seen, welcomed and valued on every visit. Where every drink is crafted with pride, customized to taste and handed to the customer with care. Where we win the morning and the afternoon with speed, hospitality and consistency. We will make Starbucks the standard for service customers measure others against.
• Offer the best job in retail. A place where partners are proud to wear the green apron, supported on every shift and able to build a career. Where opportunity is real, development is clear and leaders are accountable for creating great partner and customer experiences.  We will make the green apron a symbol of opportunity by helping our partners grow further and faster at Starbucks and beyond.
• Be the community coffeehouse. The sights, sounds and aromas of the coffeehouse should come together to create a distinctive third place for communities to gather and connect. Our coffeehouses should reflect the neighborhoods around them, feel rooted in daily life and contribute positively to the communities we serve. We will make Starbucks the world’s most trusted and meaningful third place, wanted in every neighborhood we serve.
• Be visible, relevant and loved everywhere. A brand that leads with coffee, moves at the speed of culture and gives customers new reasons to choose us again, and again. We will define how the world experiences coffee through bold menu innovation, culture-shaping marketing and a brand people love.
• Accelerate growth around the world. Bring the best of Starbucks closer to more customers around the globe, with coffeehouses that feel welcoming, locally relevant and unmistakably Starbucks. We will bring the world’s most loved local coffeehouse to thousands of new communities around the globe.
• Deliver on our commitments and create shareholder value. Grow with discipline and world-class execution. Invest with purpose. Create lasting value for every stakeholder. And do more good as we grow. We will make Back to Starbucks our foundation for consistent performance, durable growth and lasting value creation.

This next chapter will require the same discipline, drive and focus that got us here. Stay close to the coffeehouse. Act like an owner and get things done. Keep it simple and customer focused. Listen to partners. Scale what works. Fix what doesn’t. And keep winning, together.

Our mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit — one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. That mission matters more today than ever. Connection is a human need. Starbucks has always created a place for it. We bring coffee, craft, connection, community and culture together in a way no other company can.

That is the opportunity ahead. And it will take all of us.

To our green apron partners, thank you for bringing this work to life every day. To our support partners, thank you for helping us move faster, simplify the business and keep the coffeehouse at the center of every decision. To our customers and shareholders, thank you for your trust and belief in Starbucks.

We have made real progress. We have strong momentum. And we are just getting started.

On we go, and proud to be your partner.

Brian Niccol
chairman and chief executive officer