15 Things You Didn’t Know About Starbucks

A latte to love at Starbucks

It isn’t by chance that Starbucks has grown from a single store in 1971 that roasted and sold coffee beans into the java giant it is today with as many 22,519 stores across 66 countries as of June 2015.

As you will see in the following slides, the company’s success is the result of relentless

product innovation, risk-taking, strong branding and a bit of Greek mythology.

A rewarding track record from the beginning

• Starbucks hit the public market on June 26, 1992 at $17 per share

• The stock closed its market debut at $21.50 per share

The stock is up roughly 16,000% since its IPO in 1992.

Howard Schultz inspired by trip to Italy

• Now the visionary CEO of Starbucks, Schultz joined the company in 1982 as director of retail operations

• Inspired by a trip to Milan in 1983 he saw the potential to create a coffeehouse culture in Seattle.

What’s in a name?

• Starbucks gets its name from the first mate in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick

• The logo is a twin-tailed siren inspired by Greek mythology

Starbucks dropped the word “coffee” from its logo in 2011.

A history of putting employees first• In 1991, Starbucks

became the first privately owned company in U.S. to offer a stock option program that included part-time employees

• Today the company offers its employees free college education through Arizona State’s online program

Attracting tech-savvy customers

• Using Wi-Fi and magnetic fields instead of electrical currents, customers can wirelessly charge their devices at select Starbucks locations

• Starbucks is rolling out more of these in 2015

Starbucks teamed with Powermat in 2012 to offer wireless charging.

Free education for all

• Starbucks’ College Achievement Plan now offers 100% tuition coverage for all eligible full and part-time employees

• Starbucks commits to at least 25,000 graduates by 2025

Starbucks puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to education.

Catering to local markets

• Every year designers in Starbucks’ creative studio create dozens of one-of-a-kind gift cards that reflect the local heritage of cities around the world

Starbucks will create 200 unique gift cards for 30 countries this year.

As patriotic as they come

• As of July Starbucks had hired 4,200 veterans toward its goal

• Starbucks distributes patriotic aprons to employees to recognize their service to this country

Starbucks plans to hire 10,000 veterans and military spouses by 2018.

Limited edition gift cards

• Starbucks has created special limited edition gift cards crafted from 10K gold, stainless steel, jewelry-quality sterling silver, and birch wood

Artists and fashion designers have teamed with Starbucks to create unique gift cards.

Sizing up Starbucks’ semantics • Howard Schultz and

his first employee Dawn Pinaud reportedly decided on the Starbucks cup sizes: tall, grande, and venti instead of small, regular, and large during a brainstorming session in 1986

Starbucks for Life

• In 2014, the java giant gave 10 lucky winners a custom engraved 10K gold gift card that entitles them to one free Starbucks food or beverage item everyday for the next 30 years. Cue the customer loyalty

Taking customers into the digital era

• Beginning in 2016, My Starbucks Rewards Members will get access to daily news from The New York Times free through the Starbucks mobile app

Starbucks inks first-of-its-kind partnership with the New York Times

Partners in design contest

• 3 Starbucks baristas will have their artistry featured and sold on reusable Starbucks cups later this year, after winning the first ever design contest for employees

Starbucks is as much about beautiful design & branding as it is coffee.

Support and equality for all people• In 2013, Starbucks

added coverage of transgender reassignment surgery to its employee health benefits

• Last year, Starbucks flew the pride flag atop its headquarters to show support

CPG business may one day rival retail stores

• Starbucks’ consumer packaged goods items are now available at grocery stores and retail outlets in 40 countries

• There are more than one million places outside of Starbucks stores where customers can find its products today

The Next Big Thing to Come Out of Silicon Valley