Statement of the Problem
Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty
coffee in the world. The goal of Starbucks is to establish the company as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining the organization's uncompromising principles. In addition, Starbucks wants to develop its brand beyond being the preferred outlet from which to purchase coffee to becoming the preferred consumer brand.
The coffee company has capitalized on the new found popularity of specialty coffee with its addition of coffee bars globally. Starbucks Common Stock increased from $3.31 per share in 1994 to $10.00 per share by the mid 1990's. Despite the success of Starbucks, the company is faced with many challenges to continue the growth of its business. The key strategic problem that Starbucks faces is maintaining the quality of their brand while leveraging the brand image and going into different sales and distribution channels.
Twenty-five years ago, I walked into Starbucks first store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, and from that day forward we have taken the road less traveled. Working with an exceptional group of people and summoning all the courage we could muster, we created a new kind of place – one that served the kind of coffee that most people had never tasted, an environment that didn’t look like any other store, and hiring people who were fanatically passionate about coffee and celebrated their interaction with customers. To do this, we focused every ounce of our beings on creativity and innovation.
Over the years, together we have built one of the most recognized and respected brands in the world. When we went public in June 1992, we had 119 stores. We now have ...