2024Positioning
Back to Starbucks
Ceramic mugs, handwritten names and a calmer menu return.
Starbucks
Food & Beverage
A bean shop named after a sailor that sold Italy’s coffee bar to the world.
- Owner
- Starbucks Corporation, listed on Nasdaq
- CEO
- Brian Niccol
- Known for
- Coffeehouses, the siren, Frappuccino
The Brand in Brief
Starbucks sold coffee beans, not drinks, for its first years. Howard Schultz saw Milan’s espresso bars, bought the company in 1987 and built a “third place” between home and work. The siren lost her ring of words in 2011 and now stands alone. The brand has been reset three times by its leaders: Schultz’s return in 2008, the racial-bias training day in 2018, and “Back to Starbucks” under Brian Niccol from 2024.
Recent Brand Moves
- 2024Back to Starbucks
Ceramic mugs, handwritten names and a calmer menu return.
- 2018Nestlé takes over packaged coffee
Starbucks sells the right to sell its coffee in supermarkets.
- 20188,000 stores close for bias training
A store incident leads to a nationwide pause.
- 2014Reserve Roastery opens in Seattle
A premium experience above the everyday store.
Where it ranks · BTC Observatory · Sep 2026
Each list is ranked on its own; positions in different lists are not comparable.
Turning points
The Decisions that Made the Brand
2024Positioning
8,000 stores close for bias training
A store incident leads to a nationwide pause.
2011Identity
The siren stands alone
The words “Starbucks Coffee” leave the logo.
Positioning
Schultz returns; 7,100 stores close for an afternoon
The brand stops to retrain baristas in public.
Positioning
Schultz buys Starbucks
The Italian coffee bar idea becomes the brand.
Timeline
Every Brand Decision
Niccol era2024 to now
After Schultz2017 to 2024
Schultz returns2008 to 2017
Global growth2000 to 2008
The third place1987 to 2000
Bean merchants1971 to 1987
2024
Back to Starbucks
Ceramic mugs, handwritten names and a calmer menu return.
2018
Nestlé takes over packaged coffee
Starbucks sells the right to sell its coffee in supermarkets.
2018
8,000 stores close for bias training
A store incident leads to a nationwide pause.
2014
Reserve Roastery opens in Seattle
A premium experience above the everyday store.
2011
The siren stands alone
The words “Starbucks Coffee” leave the logo.
2008
Schultz returns; 7,100 stores close for an afternoon
The brand stops to retrain baristas in public.
1996
First store outside North America, Tokyo
The brand proves it can travel.
1995
Frappuccino
A blended drink becomes a brand of its own.
1987
The green siren
Brown becomes green and the siren is redrawn more modestly.
1987
Schultz buys Starbucks
The Italian coffee bar idea becomes the brand.
1971
Starbucks opens at Pike Place
A bean shop named after a character in Moby-Dick.
Niccol era2024 to now · 1 moment
Back to Starbucks.
- 2024Back to Starbucks
Ceramic mugs, handwritten names and a calmer menu return.
After Schultz2017 to 2024 · 2 moments
Mobile ordering, drive-thru growth.
- 2018Nestlé takes over packaged coffee
Starbucks sells the right to sell its coffee in supermarkets. - 20188,000 stores close for bias training
A store incident leads to a nationwide pause.
Schultz returns2008 to 2017 · 3 moments
Retraining, Roastery, the siren alone.
- 2014Reserve Roastery opens in Seattle
A premium experience above the everyday store. - 2011The siren stands alone
The words “Starbucks Coffee” leave the logo. - 2008Schultz returns; 7,100 stores close for an afternoon
The brand stops to retrain baristas in public.
The third place1987 to 2000 · 4 moments
Schultz builds the coffeehouse.
- 1996First store outside North America, Tokyo
The brand proves it can travel. - 1995Frappuccino
A blended drink becomes a brand of its own. - 1987The green siren
Brown becomes green and the siren is redrawn more modestly. - 1987Schultz buys Starbucks
The Italian coffee bar idea becomes the brand.
Bean merchants1971 to 1987 · 1 moment
Beans and equipment only.
- 1971Starbucks opens at Pike Place
A bean shop named after a character in Moby-Dick.
Moves like this
The Same Decision, Other Brands
The founder comes back
2 other brandsThe public reset
2 other brandsStores as the brand
2 other brandsDropping the descriptorAlso AppleA system others run
3 other brands
A founder returns to lead and resets the brand.
2 other brandsThe public resetA visible pause, recall or apology to repair trust.
2 other brandsStores as the brandThe shop becomes the main brand experience.
2 other brandsDropping the descriptorThe brand drops the category word once the name can stand alone.
Also AppleA system others runThe brand is run day to day by bottlers, franchisees or licensees.
3 other brandsName & identity
How It Got Its Name and Its Look
The Name
Co-founder Gordon Bowker liked names starting with “st”. The team nearly chose Pequod, the ship in Moby-Dick, before settling on Starbuck, its first mate.
What the Name DidA literary name with a seafaring past suited a port city coffee trader.
Logo
1971Brown siren from a Norse woodcut- 2011Siren alone, current
Colour
- NowStarbucks Green
- 1987Green replaces brown
- 1971Coffee brown
Words & Type
Back to Starbucks.
2024Race Together.”, withdrawn after criticism
2015
- Sodo Sans and Lander, the brand type families2011
Ownership & architecture
Who Owns It, and How Its Brands Fit Together
Owned byStarbucks Corporation
ThroughListed on Nasdaq
StarbucksMaster brandBrands it owns
- Seattle’s Best Coffeebought 2003
- Teavanabought 2012
Run in the region by
- GulfRun by Alshaya Group under licence since 1999
- ChinaA majority of the China retail business was sold to Boyu Capital in 2025
Products
Starbucks- Starbucks Reserve
- Frappuccino
Services
- Starbucks Rewards
- Mobile Order
Retired names
- Teavana stores
- La Boulange
How the names are built · Master brand
TiersEveryday store, Reserve bar, Reserve Roastery
Many markets are run by licensees. Nestlé sells Starbucks coffee in supermarkets under a 2018 deal.
Leadership
Who Leads It, and Who Shaped It
BN
Brian NiccolChairman and CEO
Chief Executives
2024 to now
Brian NiccolBack to Starbucks
2023 to 2024
Laxman NarasimhanReinvention plan
2017 to 2022
Kevin JohnsonMobile and drive-thru
2008 to 2017
Howard SchultzReset and Roastery
1987 to 2000
Howard SchultzBuilt the coffeehouse
Brand Builders
TH
Terry HecklerDesigner, 1971
Drew the first siren.
GB
Gordon BowkerCo-founder
Chose the name.
HB
Howard BeharPresident, North America
Built the store culture.
Campaigns
The Work that Carried the Brand
Did you know?
Less Known Facts
Positioning1984
Starbucks sold only beans and equipment until it tested an espresso bar in 1984.
Naming1971
The name was nearly Pequod, the whaling ship in Moby-Dick.
Reset2008
In 2008 every US store closed for three and a half hours to retrain baristas.
Ownership2018
Nestlé paid about $7 billion for the right to sell Starbucks coffee in shops.
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Compiled by the BrandTheChange editors from company records, filings, archives and press. Suggest a correction · Image credits