News Blog

3 min read

June 12, 2025

Leading Forward from LE25

Jessica E., Store Manager in Illinois

After 17 years with Starbucks, I’ve seen a lot — store closures, transformations and everything in between. But LE25 was something special. It wasn’t just a celebration of where we’ve been; it was a launchpad for where we’re going. And I’m leaving inspired, energized and ready to lead forward.

What stood out most to me over these two days was the clarity of purpose. There’s no secret formula to success here — it’s about living our values, showing up for each other and creating a space where both partners and customers feel seen. That’s what I’m bringing back to my store in Illinois.

One of the most powerful moments for me was hearing Mellody Hobson speak. Her story — her presence — was deeply moving. As a woman and a person of color, her journey from not having a seat at the table to becoming a leader who’s always had partners at heart reminded me that anything is possible. She’s been with us through so much, and her commitment to this company is inspiring.

And then there was Howard. Seeing him on stage alongside Brian Niccol, both aligned in their message, was incredibly grounding. It reminded me that we don’t need to reinvent who we are — we just need to lead with connection and care. That alignment gave me confidence that we’re on the right path.

Being on stage as part of the Starting Five was surreal. I never imagined I’d be in that position, representing the work we’ve done and the direction we’re heading. It was an honor to stand beside other store managers and leaders like our coo Mike Grams, who truly listens and cares about what’s happening in our stores. That moment wasn’t just about recognition—it was about showing what’s possible when we stay close to the work and lead with intention.

I’ve already started doing the work with my team — owning our business, setting clear expectations and building a culture of accountability. But now, I’m thinking about how to elevate that. I plan to connect with every partner one-on-one and share what I experienced. I want them to know how important they are to our success and how much I need them with me on this journey. We all have to be all in.

Green Apron Service helped us see what’s possible when we focus on excellence at every point of connection. With the right labor and the right mindset, we created a better partner experience, which led to a better customer experience. It wasn’t about doing more — it was about doing what matters, with intention. LE25 reminded me that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being present, staying curious and creating space for others to grow. That’s what I’m taking back to my store. I’m not just leading a team — I’m building a community where everyone feels empowered to deliver their best.

We’re moving forward with purpose. And I’m ready.

3 min read

June 11, 2025

Day Two at LE25 Changes the Game

Ed M, a store manager in California

I just came out of a general session at our Leadership Experience, and I’ve got to say — it hit home in a big way.

This session brought me back to the heart of the “Back to Starbucks” movement. Hearing Howard Schultz and Brian Niccol speak reminded me why we do what we do. It’s not about selling coffee. It’s about creating connection. That’s what makes this leadership experience different from anything else I’ve experienced. We’re not just talking about strategy. We’re talking about soul.

Howard talked about exceeding expectations not only for customers, but for our partners first. That’s the kind of leadership that sticks. When we invest in our people, they turn around and create unforgettable moments for our customers. That’s how we reclaim our brand — no gimmicks, just purpose.

Brian’s vision of ‘two chairs’ — one for the partner and one for the customer — perfectly aligns with our mission. We’re not just in the coffee business. We’re in the people business. And when those two worlds collide with intention, the impact is powerful.

When Mike Grams talked about Green Apron Service today, I took away the importance of making connections personable while being able to show up and be who you truly are; focusing on customers through every channel while making our role as leaders more simplified to make it easier to service our customers. Partners and customers are at the forefront of our mind with decision-making, which leads to consistency with customers every day in every store. Doing the right thing for the customers through doing the right thing for our partners, which finally leads to connecting with our customers in ways that will keep them coming back. Hospitality truly is green apron service.

Then came Will Guidara, who reframed everything with one simple idea: “Generosity given is generosity received.” As a store manager, that resonated with me. Every touchpoint matters. Every moment is a chance to be generous, to be intentional, to build something lasting.

As LE25 comes to a close, perhaps Howard said it best: “Hospitality is about being creative and intentional in the pursuit of continuous relationships.” That’s what this experience is about. It’s not just a conference — it’s a call to lead differently.

And that’s what makes this leadership investment industry-leading. It’s not just about what we learn — it’s about how we live it, every day, in every store, with every partner and customer.

2 min read

June 11, 2025

The first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Champion

After three days of intense competition at the Starbucks Global Barista Championship, focusing on craft, quality and connection, and in front of a crowd of more than 14,000 Starbucks partners (employees) in Las Vegas, it was an electrifying moment on stage with Nobuki Shimode representing Japan being crowned the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Champion! Nobuki delivered a winning performance, showcasing their world-class skills leading coffee tastings, sharing coffee knowledge and stories of connection as well as crafting a signature beverage, the Blooming Yuzu Espresso.

To deepen the impact in the community of each contestant, The Starbucks Foundation will be awarding a $10,000 grant to a nonprofit organization in each of the 12 contestant’s regions. As the winner of the Starbucks Global Barista Championship, Nobuki will receive the opportunity to experience the six Starbucks Reserve Roasteries around the world (Chicago, Milan, New York City, Seattle, Shanghai and Tokyo). He will also have the unique opportunity to co-create a beverage for Starbucks coffeehouses to be released in the near future.

For more than a decade, Starbucks partners around the world have been competing in regional competitions. This was the first year for a global championship, celebrating what Starbucks baristas do every day—from building community and working together to creating connections with customers, to crafting high-quality coffee.

Check out highlights from the final competition here.

3 min read

June 10, 2025

Day One at LE25 Reminded Me Why I’m Here

Melina V., 20-Year Partner and Store Manager Trainer in California

Day one of Leadership Experience? I don’t even have the words. It was so moving—so gratifying. It reminded me that I’m in the right place, doing the right work. After COVID, I think a lot of us questioned everything. Am I doing the right thing? Should I still be here? But today, I felt it in my bones: I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

I’ve been with Starbucks for 20 years. I’ve seen a lot. But what never changes is the feeling you get when you reconnect—with the mission, with your peers, with your purpose. Today, I ran into Josefina, a partner I hired years ago. And Dustin—I didn’t hire him, but I sat in on his first sip as an ASM. Seeing them here, growing, thriving—it’s the most rewarding part of this journey.

When [our ceo] Brian talked about connection, it hit me. That’s what leadership is. It’s not just about operations or schedules—it’s about the moments. Like when my DM quoted a song I didn’t even know she knew and said, “That’s my roller skating song.” Those are the moments that build trust, that build culture. You don’t always get them in the day-to-day, but you get them here at LE.

And then Mike spoke about the coffeehouse experience and Green Apron Service. What really stuck with me was the idea of turnaround. I just took over a new store three weeks ago. It’s been a challenge with staffing, Back to Starbucks culture not quite where it should be. But we’re turning it around. Last Friday, during peak, my supervisor—our peak play caller—told me, “This is the best peak I’ve had” We hit a 47-seconds out-the-window. That’s what turnaround looks like. That’s what leadership looks like.

Regarding the new assistant store manager role coming to most stores? I love it! I think it’s an awesome thing. I remember when I first joined Starbucks, I had two ASMs and that helped create a great culture in the store, so I’m excited for where that’s going. It means having someone on your team working toward the same goal and vision.

What made me emotional today were the partner stories. As managers, we know those stories. We live them every day. Every partner is going through something, and we’re their support system. That’s our responsibility. But it’s also our joy. We love what we do. It comes naturally.

So thank you — for this experience, for this reminder, and for the chance to showcase my team. Day one of LE25 was everything I needed and more.

3 min read

June 10, 2025

Empowering Coffeehouse Leaders: Starbucks expands Assistant Manager Role across the U.S.

Sara Kelly, chief partner officer

We’re strengthening our coffeehouse teams and taking an important step toward our goal of growing talent internally and hiring 90% of retail leaders from within.

At Starbucks, we often talk about the importance of human connection — how a single moment can transform someone’s day. From a warm smile to handcrafting a beverage, these moments are made possible by the leaders who support and guide the many partners who wear the green apron. In fact, our coffeehouse leaders are more than operational store managers—they are the heart of the Starbucks Experience, shaping teams, building culture, and delivering the customer connection that defines who we are.

As we continue to grow and support the next generation of coffeehouse leaders at Starbucks, we’re announcing an important step to ensure they have the time, tools, and support they need to lead effectively and create the Starbucks Experience as we drive our “Back to Starbucks” strategy forward.

Beginning this fall, Starbucks will add at least one dedicated, full-time Assistant Store Manager (ASM) in most company-operated stores in the U.S.

This isn’t just about adding the role in more stores — it’s about evolving how we support our customers and green apron partners. The ASM will serve as a true partner to the coffeehouse leader – ensuring consistent leadership presence during more operating hours and helping run the business, guide teams and serve customers.

For many, it will also be a meaningful first step into coffeehouse leadership, supporting Starbucks goal to develop talent, support internal career growth, and hire 90% of retail leadership roles from within.

A New Chapter in Coffeehouse Leadership

Currently, about 20% of our coffeehouses have an Assistant Store Manager (ASM), and the role tends to be short-term and varies by location. With this change, it will evolve to a full-time, dedicated role in most coffeehouses, helping to drive the business alongside the coffeehouse leader, who they will report to. The ASM will help provide consistent leadership support throughout more of the store’s operating hours. This change also allows coffeehouse leaders — who typically oversee multi-million-dollar businesses and lead teams of around 18 partners, on average — to focus more on developing talent, creating the Starbucks Experience, and building community. With a strong ASM by their side, they can lead with intention, not just react to the day-to-day.

Piloting in 2025, Scaling in 2026

We’ll begin with an initial phase in September 2025 in six U.S. company-operated districts. We will take learnings from these pilots and scale to the majority of our U.S. company-operated coffeehouses in 2026. And in Canada we will similarly learn from these pilots, and begin to scale in the summer of 2026.

Making Starbucks the Best Job in Retail

For us, it goes back to a simple belief: to exceed the expectations of our customers, we must first exceed the expectations of our partners. It’s why Starbucks provides more than competitive pay — we provide equity in the company, 100% tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree, flexible scheduling tools, up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave, and more, which together average over $30 per hour for baristas.

Today’s announcement is one more step in this journey. Because when we invest in our partners, we invest in the future of Starbucks — and in the moments of connection that bring our mission to life every day.

2 min read

June 10, 2025

Meet Green Dot Assist: Starbucks Generative AI-Powered Coffeehouse Companion

Deb Hall Lefevre, evp chief technology officer

Technology at Starbucks is designed to enable human connection in our coffeehouses. Earlier today at our Leadership Experience event, we announced our first generative-AI powered solution to support green apron partners—a bold innovation that will unlock new possibilities for the coffeehouse leaders who serve customers around the world.

Green Dot Assist is a virtual assistant built to help baristas in real time. Instead of flipping through manuals or searching for answers, partners can now ask questions on in-store iPads and receive instant, conversational responses. With this new solution, we’re simplifying access to essential information in the flow of work for partners, making their jobs a little easier while they build confidence and expertise. For example, if a barista needs a quick reminder of the ingredients for a seasonal beverage, Green Dot Assist provides guidance in seconds—helping partners feel confident in delivering exceptional customer service.

This marks a significant step forward in our commitment to streamlining operations, reducing friction, and giving partners more time to focus on crafting beverages and connecting with customers.

We’re proud to pilot Green Dot Assist in 35 of our coffeehouses, with more on the way. This is a new era of innovation at Starbucks—one where AI enhances the partner experience and strengthens the connection between baristas and customers. Because when we invest in our partners, we’re investing in the future of our Starbucks experience.

2 min read

June 9, 2025

Back to Starbucks, Back to Us

Sarah H., Store Manager in Canada

I’ve been with Starbucks for over 17 years, and if there’s one thing that’s kept me here, it’s the people. The connections we build—with our partners, our customers, and each other—are what make this place feel like home. That’s why Leadership Experience (LE) is so special to me.

I went to my first LE in 2019, in Chicago. I didn’t know what to expect, but from the moment I got to the airport, I was surrounded by partners. We were strangers but instantly connected by the green apron. That first gathering—thousands of us in one space—was overwhelming in the best way. It was the first time I truly felt the scale of commitment to help us grow as people, not just as employees.

LE reminded me that I’m not just a store manager — I’m a partner too. It helped me see how I could show up differently for my team and my community. After LE19, we focused more on building relationships—with each other, with our customers, and with our neighborhood. That mindset carried us through the pandemic, when connection felt more important than ever.

Now, heading into LE25 in Las Vegas, I’m excited to reconnect with old friends, new peers, and the heart of who we are. I’m looking forward to the stories, the coffee tastings, and the shared moments that remind us why we do what we do. I know I’ll come back inspired, with fresh ideas and a renewed sense of purpose.

To any store manager attending for the first time: expect to feel seen. Expect to learn, to laugh, maybe even cry. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of what it means to lead at Starbucks—and how powerful it is when we rise together.

Because at the end of the day, LE isn’t just about leadership. It’s about coming back to who we are. Back to Starbucks. Back to us.

3 min read

June 4, 2025

Message from Brian: Organizational Changes to Accelerate Back to Starbucks

Partners,

As I shared during our last Quarterly Connect and, on the earnings call, our performance isn’t yet where we want it to be. We’re making the changes necessary to get back to Starbucks, and I’m encouraged by our progress. I feel the momentum in our coffeehouses, hear it from our partners and customers, and see it in the results of our pilots.

We’re on the right path, but we need to move faster. We’re making additional organizational changes to help bring teams closer together, strengthen leadership accountability and allow teams to move with even greater clarity and urgency.

Here are the changes:

Mike Grams will step into the role of chief operating officer. In addition to leading our North American coffeehouses, he will now oversee global coffeehouse development and global supply chain. Meredith Sandland, evp and chief development officer, and Sanjay Shah, evp and chief supply chain officer, will now report to Mike. I’m excited to bring these functions together and to see the impact of Meredith, Sanjay and Mike working more closely to elevate the design, build and operations of our coffeehouses and to deliver a world-class supply chain that empowers our green apron partners and delights our customers.
We’re bringing the Global Coffee and Sustainability team and the Global Brand team together. Coffee is at the heart of Starbucks, and this change will further cement coffee at the core of our menu, product innovation and marketing. It will also help us further embed sustainability in our products, packaging and operations. Michelle Burns, evp, Global Coffee and Sustainability will report to Tressie Lieberman, evp, global chief brand officer.
Deb Hall Lefevre, evp, chief technology officer, will now report to Cathy Smith,evp, chief financial officer. Delivering world class technology that enables our partners to craft high-quality beverages and spend more meaningful time with customers is a priority. It’s an important area of investment and I know that working together Deb and Cathy will help us accelerate this work.

Deb, Meredith, Michelle and Sanjay will continue to serve on our Executive Leadership Team (ELT), alongside my direct reports: Brady Brewer (ceo, International), Dominic Carr (evp, chief communications and corporate affairs officer), Mike Grams (chief operating officer), Sara Kelly (evp, chief partner officer), Brad Lerman (evp, chief legal officer), Tressie Lieberman (evp, global chief brand officer), Molly Liu (ceo, China), Cathy Smith (evp, chief financial officer).

Separately, Brad Lerman, evp, chief legal officer, and I have been talking about what makes sense for him and for our legal team and Brad will be leaving Starbucks in the coming months. We’re beginning a search for a new chief legal officer, and Brad will both assist with the search and continue to lead our legal team until a successor is in place. We’ll recognize Brad’s contributions to Starbucks before he leaves but for now, I’ll just say how much I appreciate everything he’s done and the wise counsel he offers me, the board and leaders across the company.

Across our U.S. coffeehouses, the SSC and around the world we’ve driven significant change in the last few months. We’re getting back to Starbucks. I deeply appreciate all the work everyone is doing. We’re refocusing on the customer, supporting our green apron partners and acting like owners. We’re testing, learning and moving quickly. I’m confident these organizational changes will help us go even faster.

On we go,

Brian Niccol
chairman and chief executive officer

1 min read

June 4, 2025

Announcing Starbucks Global Barista Championship

In celebration of Starbucks baristas who embody our commitment to community, connection and craft, for the first time in company history Starbucks will host the Starbucks Global Barista Championship in Las Vegas, June 9-11. This is a significant milestone in Starbucks company history – where our shared love for serving the world’s finest coffee will be center stage, brought to you by some of Starbucks most skilled baristas.

The Starbucks Global Barista Championship is the culmination of regional competitions spanning over a year where more than 84,000 baristas competed for the chance to participate in the global championship. The 12 contestants are the 2024 regional Barista Champions from China, Japan, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America/Caribbean, as well as the six Barista Champions from each of the Starbucks Reserve Roasteries. During the competition, baristas will lead coffee tastings, craft beverages, share coffee knowledge and stories of connection as they compete to be crowned the first Starbucks Global Barista Champion.

Get to know the contestants and learn more about the three-day competition – including how to watch the event live.

2 min read

May 30, 2025

Starbucks Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is already the drink of the summer

Starbucks newest seasonal beverage, the Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, is quickly becoming a breakout hit.

Launched in cafes on May 20, the drink has outperformed all previous seasonal Iced Shaken Espresso beverages launches by a staggering 44% – a notable milestone for a beverage platform that’s only been around since 2022.

“Summer and Starbucks go hand-in-hand,” said Tressie Lieberman, Starbucks global chief brand officer. “Our fans are crazy for the new Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, so we are seeing success continuing to build for the platform with much more innovation possible.”

The beverage is made with Starbucks® Blonde Espresso which provides a light, smooth, and subtly sweet profile that pairs well with the new horchata syrup to create a fusion of warm cinnamon, sweet vanilla flavor and subtle nutty notes of toasted rice flavors shaken together with ice and topped with oatmilk. 

Starbucks Iced Shaken Oatmilk Espresso on a beige background

Ricky Gonzalez, one of the minds behind the new beverage, says the flavor is versatile. “The Iced Shaken Espresso combines the horchata flavor with our beautiful Starbucks ® Blonde Espresso, and the Horchata flavor is also delicious in a matcha latte or Frappuccino® blended beverage. There’s a lot of ways to enjoy this new flavor.” 

Starbucks is unveiling some of those new ways to explore the flavor via the “not-so-secret menu” broadcast channel on Instagram including Iced Matcha Latte (The recipe (for a venti) is Iced Matcha Latte, No Classic, 1 Pump of Vanilla Syrup, 4 Pumps of Horchata Syrup, Horchata Cream Cold Foam, Cinnamon Powder) and Iced Chai Latte (The recipe (for a grande) is Iced Chai Latte, 1 Pump Horchata, 3 Pumps Chai, Cinnamon Powder, Strawberry Cream Cold Foam) Fans can visit to Starbucks official Instagram profile and tap the link in the headline to order these beverages.

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