By bringing people together over coffee, Starbucks has become one of the world’s best-known and best-loved companies. We purchase, roast and serve award-winning coffee. We also offer Italian-style espresso beverages, cold blended beverages, delicious food, premium teas and selected compact discs through our retail stores.
Our story began in 1971. Back then we were a roaster and retailer of whole bean and ground coffee, tea and spices with a single store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. Today, we are privileged to connect with millions of customers every day with exceptional products and nearly 18,000 retail stores in 60 countrie.
Being a Responsible Company
At Starbucks, we have always believed in the importance of building a great, enduring company that strikes a balance between profitability and a social conscience.
Ethical Sourcing: We take a holistic approach to ethically sourcing the highest quality coffee. This includes responsible purchasing practices, supporting farmer loans and forest conservation programs. When we buy coffee this way, it helps foster a better future for farmers and a more stable climate for the planet. It also helps create a long‐term supply of the high‐quality beans we’ve been carefully blending, roasting and packing fresh for more than 40 years.
Environmental Stewardship: We share our customers' commitment to the environment. And we believe in the importance of caring for our planet and encouraging others to do the same. It is our goal that by 2015, 100% of our cups will be reusable or recyclable. We will also work to significantly reduce our environmental footprint through energy and water conservation, recycling and green construction.
Community Involvement: From the neighborhoods where our stores are located to the ones where our coffee is grown – we believe in fostering thriving communities. Bringing people together, inspiring change and making a difference in people’s lives – it’s all part of being a good neighbor. By 2015, we hope to contribute one million volunteer hours each year to our communities.
