Starbucks Durham NC

In 1982 Howard Schultz joined the Starbucks team as the head of retail operations and marketing. He had a vision and wanted to change Starbucks into a coffee bar experience that included selling pre-made coffee drinks. The partners weren’t interested and in 1986 Howard Schultz left and began his own coffeehouse chain, II Giornale. In 1987 the original partners sold their Starbucks chain to Howard Schultz’s II Giornale, which was then re-branded as Starbucks and began expanding nationally. By 1992 at the time of Starbucks initial public offering it had grown to over 165 outlets.

Now Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world with over 17,133 stores in 55 countries, including 11,068 inside the United States. Its stocks are traded on NASDAQ under SBUX. The goal is to maintain its company’s culture of the “Starbucks Experience” during growth. The Starbucks experience includes enjoying quality coffee, tea and other beverages in an inviting and comfortable atmosphere you can hold on to or take on the go.

Starbucks takes pride in its corporate responsibility initiatives and community outreach programs. The company makes an effort to be environmentally responsible and purchases renewable energy. Starbucks is part of the Fair Trade concept that supports and empowers small- scale coffee farmers organized in cooperatives without sacrificing quality. Their commitment to taste and quality is evident in their brand.

Starbucks coffeehouses offer a wide variety of specialty drip brewed coffees, espresso-based hot drinks, hot and cold drinks, teas, frappuccinos, smoothies, specially blended coffee beans, salads, hot and cold sandwiches and panini, pastries, snacks and items such as mugs and tumblers. You can also find Starbucks bottled frappuccino drinks, coffee shots, premium ice cream, coffee blends, Tazo teas and VIA instant coffee packets in grocery and retail stores nationwide.

Check out their menu and learn more about their signature and made-to-order drinks, corporate responsibility initiatives, community outreach programs and merchandise from their Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, which markets books, music, and film in store and online at www.starbucks.com.