In “ The Starbucks Experience” author discusses essential business strategies that allowed Starbucks from its establishment in Seattle in 1971 as a single-location coffee shop to go worldwide. Nowadays, Starbucks has more than 11,500 non-franchised locations worldwide with annual sales more than $600 million and has been recognized as one of the best Fortune 500 companies to work for. The Starbucks former CEO and the current chairman, Howard Schultz, implemented the five core Starbucks principles for turning “ordinary into extraordinary”. By following these principles, Starbucks became extremely successful and since 1992 the Starbucks stock has grown a staggering 5,000 percent. The author discusses the five core principles that lead to Starbucks’ success such as: make it your own, everything matters, surprise and delight,
Starbucks is currently the industry leader in specialty coffee. They purchased more high quality coffee beans than anyone else in the world and keep in good standings with the producers to ensure they get the best beans. Getting the best beans is only the first part, Starbucks also has a “closed loop system” that protects the beans from oxygen immediately after roasting to the time of packaging. They did this through their invention of a one-way valve which let the natural gasses escape but keeping oxygen out. This gave them the unique ability to ensure freshness and extended the shelf life to 26 weeks. Starbucks isn’t only about the coffee, it’s also about a place where people can escape to enjoy music, reflect, read, or just chat. It is a total coffee experience. The retail outlet has been responsible for much of Starbucks growth and has contributed substantially to their brand equity.
Unit II Research Project
(Starbucks)
Angelo R. Jones
BBA 3201-Priciples of Marketing
Columbia Southern University
Target Market for Starbucks
Starbucks, a coffee bean sales company did not have much of a marketing plan in place at its inception. Based in Seattle Washington the company began to sell coffee beans to espresso bars and upscale restaurants back in 1982. It took 11 years to progress to that level of production, they originally were a local store vendor at Pike Place Market. The director of marketing brought back the espresso bar idea from his travels in Milan.
Inspired by the book and the movie about Moby Dick, Starbucks first opened as a storefront in Pike Place Market in 1971. It wasn’t until 1984 when Howard Schultz joined the operation as a chairman, president, and chief executive officer, and introduced to Starbucks the new Italian breed of coffee bean and Italian style of coffee drinking; a style that refreshed the idea of socializing and interacting among people of all walks in times that corporate life style was winning over the family and friendly style of living. Such goal was established by officially making it company’s mission statement; “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time” (Starbucks, n.d). After 43 years of business, Starbucks currently operates in 18,000 locations in sixty-two countries (Starbucks, n.d). The annual report released by the company for the year 2013 indicates a total sales/revenue of 14.89 billion dollars, which was 1.5 billion dollars made in 2012 (MarketWatch, 2014).
Introduction
This paper will provide an argument for diversification to be presented to board of directors for Starbucks. A strategy for diversification indicating the products and industries for diversification and how synergies may be gained will be provided. The identification and the discussion of the foreign market Starbucks should enter will be presented, along with the strategy it should use to enter the market. Challenges Starbucks may face in the foreign market will be discussed, as well how it might respond strategically to minimize the impact of these challenges.
Founded in 1971 at Seattle’s Pike Place Market, Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spices, as it was originally called, has been “brewing-up” its famous blends in over 43 countries, including the United States. Now called Starbucks Coffee Company, business isn’t just about the coffee and tea anymore. Starbucks has its own line of bottled water, handcrafted beverages, fresh food, entertainment, merchandise and a Starbucks Card. The company has received numerous awards for their outstanding business practices. Fortune Magazine has ranked them as one of “The Best 100 Companies to Work For” in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2008 (Starbucks, 2008). The Starbucks Experience provides consumers and the general public a direct line a of business communication. From friendly baristas to press releases from CEO Howard Schultz, Starbucks keeps its “partners” informed.
Starbucks is a worldwide company, known for is delicious brews of coffee and seasonal varieties of tasty drinks for any occasion. Starbucks opened with two main goals, sharing great coffee with friends and to help make the world a little better. It originated in the historic Pike Place Market of Seattle, Washington in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker. The creation of Starbucks’ name came from the seafaring tradition of early coffee traders and the romance evoked from Moby Dick. At the time, this individual shop specialized in the towering quality of coffee over competitors and other brewing services enabling its growth to becoming the largest coffee chain in Washington with numerous locations. In the early 1980s, the current CEO Schultz saw an opportunity for growth in the niche market. After a trip to Italy he brought back the idea of a café style environment of leisure and social meetings to the United States we now see in Starbucks locations today. Schultz ultimately left Starbucks to open his own coffee shop, Il Giornale which turned out to be a tremendous success. Fast forward a year later, Schultz got wind that Starbucks was going to sell all their components of Starbucks including their stores and factories, he immediately acquired the funds to buy Starbucks and linked both operations. Within five years he was able to open more than 125 stores starting in New England, Boston, Chicago, and gradually entered California. He wanted Starbucks to be a franchise system based on the mission of telling the truth and emphasize the quality,
There have been some distinguished controllable and uncontrollable elements Starbucks has encountered when entering global markets. The strategies of any company’s goals are vital to its success. This is one area Starbucks has excelled in, just as McDonald’s has in recent years. Starbucks has paralleled its branding with the actions found at any Starbucks across the world. They have an excellent company vision, which they stick to, which in turn assists their brand image. Starbucks’ image has been achieved not only through this and their massive global entrance, but through their ability to provide honest quality service.
The objective of this paper is to perform market research for Starbucks’ President, Charles Shultz to ascertain the possibility of establishing new coffee houses in China. The preliminary research and design for presentation to Mr. Schultz includes: 1) Two to three alternative target customer segments; 2) the types of secondary research used; 3) the problem statement; 4) research questions used to guide the study; 5) major competitors for this market; and 6) the cultural, economic, and political factors that need to be considered in China.
Millions of Americans these days depend on the glorious caffeine rich nectar provided to them daily by the local Starbucks chain store. With it’s humble roots firmly planted in Seattle Washington, this little coffee shop has turned from a novel idea, into a veritable necessity for Americans on the go. The amazing success of Starbucks can be attributed, in part, to tactical planning. It was through tactical planning that the management team behind Starbucks was able to be so wildly successful. By utilizing their strengths, and capitalizing on trends, as well as periodically evaluating weaknesses and threats, this little coffee joint has become America’s most enjoyable place to get coffee.