Hi partners, 

Earlier this year, I shared with the Starbucks Technology team that we are planning to open a technology hub in India in FY27. Today, I shared with the team that Chennai, India has been selected as the location. My message to the Technology team, with more details, is below. 

This hub will support our global business and work closely with technology and business teams in the U.S. and across the company. It will also allow us to bring more work currently performed by third-party service providers, in-house over time, strengthening the capabilities and talent needed to support our partners, coffeehouses and customers around the world.  

I look forward to sharing more as this work progresses. 

Thank you, 

Anand 

Below is the full letter to partners

Team,

Earlier this year, I shared that Starbucks Technology was taking the next step in our multi-site strategy by planning for a new Technology Hub in India. At the time, we were still evaluating the location and committed to sharing more once that decision was finalized. 

Today, I’m pleased to share that we have selected Chennai, India as the location for this office. 

This is an important milestone in how we continue to build a more flexible and globally connected Technology organization. Our teams already work closely with technology vendors in India and other countries. Establishing a Starbucks Technology hub in India gives us the opportunity to build a more partner-centric organization which will be created by bringing capability inside Starbucks over time and creating stronger connections to the work, priorities and culture of our business. 

The selection of Chennai was informed by several factors, including access to a deep pool of technology talent, a reputation for strong talent retention, the ability to support our long-term business needs and alignment with the ways our teams work across Seattle, Nashville, London and Hong Kong. As we move forward, this office will become part of our broader Technology footprint, not a separate or standalone team. The intent is to strengthen how we deliver for Starbucks partners, coffeehouses and customers by building teams that are connected across sites and focused on shared priorities. 

We are still in the early stages of this work. Over the coming months, we will begin planning for local hiring, office readiness and the operating rhythms needed to support the new hub. We expect recruiting to begin in Q1, with additional details to come as plans are finalized. 

I recognize this is a meaningful change in how we organize and grow our Technology teams. A multi-site model requires clarity, intentional connection and strong leadership across locations.  We will continue to communicate openly as this work progresses and make sure teams understand what is changing, what is not changing and how this supports our broader Technology strategy. 

Thank you for your continued focus and partnership. 

Anand Varadarajan