For the first time since taking the helm of Starbucks, chief executive officer Laxman Narasimhan traveled to India to celebrate a slew of exciting <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2024/tata-starbucks-to-accelerate-growth-to-1000-stores-double-employment-in-india-by-2028/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">company announcements</a> in the new year. The two-city visit was especially personal, as Narasimhan was raised in Pune and spent several years working in Mumbai (Bombay) before moving abroad.

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In partnership with India-based Tata Starbucks Private Limited, Starbucks currently operates 390 stores in 54 cities across the country and employs nearly 4,300 partners (employees), with plans to open 1,000 stores by 2028 – the equivalent of one store opening every three days. Reflecting on that upward trend, Narasimhan – who goes by Laks for short – delivered a strong message to partners (employees) throughout his time in country:&nbsp;&nbsp;

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A Vision for Starbucks in India with Coffee and Partners at the Core&nbsp;

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On hand to announce the opening of 1,000 additional stores throughout India over the next four years, Laks reinforced Starbucks ambition to reach new customers in innovative ways, wherever they are. Future store formats will continue to celebrate inclusion and diversity, while also emphasizing third place experiences that foster meaningful human connections over coffee. As part of Starbucks promise to be a bridge to a better future for our partners, the opening of nearly twice as many new stores in country will also mean unprecedented opportunities for them to receive career advancement and development. &nbsp;

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The energy and enthusiasm for these initiatives was evident nearly everywhere Laks traveled, including Mumbai where he engaged with dozens of store partners and helped announce the winners of this year’s Starbucks Coffee Championship. A young barista named Madhav took home the trophy for his region. He says he joined the company a few years ago during a troubling time in his life – and grew to love the culture, his customers and his team. &nbsp;

“When I saw [Laks] go behind the bar – that’s when the term ‘partner’ came alive. He was working with us and knew what we were doing,” Madhav shared while proudly donning the black apron of a coffee master. Not only did he work alongside Laks making drinks for others, but he also gave the CEO some tips he has learned over time for steaming better milk. “That was an experience I will always cherish.” &nbsp;

During a partner open forum, Laks discussed the back story and principles of <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/mission/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks updated mission, values and promises</a>. He also shared memories of growing up in India and his journey from a curious child who loved the game of cricket – India’s favorite sport – to his humble beginning decades later at Starbucks, where the veteran executive immersed himself in store culture and trained to be a barista for six months before succeeding former CEO Howard Schultz. For him, the process of earning his green apron in the field and being trained by retail partners of many backgrounds was a grounding and pivotal experience that set him up for the chief executive position he holds today based at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At a time when the world feels so divided and in conflict, Narasimhan believes Starbucks can provide people with places to come together, to connect and to find common ground while also feeling a sense of belonging and joy. In fact, after touching down in India after a long flight and stepping inside a Starbucks away from crowded streets, he noted that it was the partners in the green aprons who grounded him and brought him into the present.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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“When someone who feels disconnected comes into the store and a partner asks their name and how they can help, it feels great. It starts with a name,” he told the forum audience. “It’s a little overwhelming to say it's great to feel back at home. So, thank you for having me.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fielding questions from partners about the path forward, Laks focused on the importance of reinvigorating company culture and doubled down on his promise to be a partner-centered leader with high ambitions. He referred frequently to the company’s recently unveiled <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2023/starbucks-announces-triple-shot-reinvention-strategy-with-multiple-paths-for-long-term-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Triple Shot Reinvention strategy</a>, which means more opportunity than ever for growth in India’s trillion-dollar economy through elevating coffee experiences – exemplified by the announcement of a second Reserve store to open in market and the forthcoming global release of the locally grown Starbucks Reserve(R) whole bean coffee, Monsooned Malabar. &nbsp;

“Coffee is the heart of this company, and we must all learn and embrace it,” he said. “The promise of India is enormous, but for us to accomplish [our goals], we need to be sure we're building a business that's got great substance, that's got a great core to it, and is differentiated. At our best for our customers in India, we uplift the everyday.” &nbsp;

Remembering Roots, Working Alongside Partners&nbsp;

Since he began his role as CEO, Laks has committed to working at least one shift as a barista in a Starbucks store every month. It’s a key aspect of his goal to remain close to the field and understand frontline store operations from the highest levels of the company.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India took things to a whole new level.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Mumbai, store leader Sunil reported that Laks “was checking in with my entire team, with each and every person. He asked us about the store, he joined us for a coffee tasting – and he talked to partners in Hindi. I was not expecting that. It really touched my heart.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Leaders including Michael Conway, group president for Starbucks International and Channel Development, and Emmy Kan, president of Starbucks Asia Pacific, also joined Laks in-store. Together, they watched firsthand as retail partners worked their magic with customers – displaying pride in their coffee craft through offering tastings and engaging in meaningful conversations.&nbsp;

By the time they reached his hometown of Pune, Laks took the opportunity to go behind the bar of the nearest Starbucks. Wearing his green apron and a localized nametag, he worked alongside partners and interacted with the community that raised him. For some, figuring out this new barista was actually the chief executive of Starbucks inevitably led to requests for photos and autographs. &nbsp;

“He had a happy vibe and a smile all the time,” Preeti, a 10-month partner, said of her temporary shift partner. “It was like talking to an old friend.”&nbsp;

As he does with every in-store visit, Laks asked many questions of store partners, from business fundamentals and how long they’d worked for Starbucks to their best barista tips and their long-term career goals. There were many high-fives – and the consistent sound of laughter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dinesh, a store manager and nearly ten-year veteran of Starbucks in India, says customers and partners alike were delighted to see Laks hand off drinks to customers and even speak in their local language, Marathi.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The global CEO of Starbucks is of Indian origin,” he said. “We are very proud, and he’s a very down-to-earth person. It was a great moment for us. A proud moment for us.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

On his way back to the U.S., Laks shared some of his reflections about the experience as well. He loved seeing up close how partners in India are leveraging the mission of Starbucks and its numerous initiatives with Tata Starbucks Private Limited to build better lives for themselves and their families.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The visit coincides with ambitious new plans to expand Starbucks presence and elevate coffee experiences across one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.

Photo Essay: Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan Comes Home to India - Historias-en

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Historias-en

Photo Essay: Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan Comes Home to India

https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/stories/2024/photo-essay-starbucks-ceo-laxman-narasimhan-comes-home-to-india/

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Photos by Taylor Kelliher, Joshua Trujillo, Connor Surdi

Laxman Narasimhan took the helm of Starbucks as the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2023/laxman-narasimhan-assumes-role-of-starbucks-chief-executive-officer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new chief executive officer</a> on Monday, but before that, he spent almost six months being mentored by Howard Schultz, meeting with hundreds of partners (employees) around the world, earning his barista certification, and diving into the world of coffee. As Starbucks welcomes Narasimhan to his new role as ceo at today’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders, we take a look back at the people he has met across the company and around the world.&nbsp;

“It’s been a remarkable experience for me – from our origins, where we buy coffee from over a half a million farmers, through our roasting plans, our distribution centers, and into our stores,” Narasimhan said. “This immersion has been an incredible journey and a gift.”&nbsp;

Narasimhan was welcomed as incoming chief executive officer of Starbucks with a coffee tasting in the place where it all began – at <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/store-tour-inside-1912-pike-place-seattle-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Seattle’s Pike Place market store</a>. Soon after, he met&nbsp; Starbucks partners <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/incoming-starbucks-ceo-meets-partners-at-open-forum-shares-personal-journey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">at his first open forum</a> on Sept. 8, 2022, three weeks before he officially joined the company Oct. 1. When Schultz, then interim chief executive officer, introduced Narasimhan to partners, he said that “the leader of Starbucks, the future of the company, must be steeped in humility and must have an innate understanding of humanity.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Schultz said as he got to know Narasimhan, he said he was stuck by his experience and leadership qualities. “I know we're going to be in great hands and I can promise you he is going to make us a better company.”&nbsp;

Listening and learning&nbsp;

Narasimhan worked with Schultz to create a unique immersion to learn about the Starbucks culture and the business.&nbsp;

“This time with Howard in stores, in the roasting plants, with partners, with investors, with customers – it's an incredible opportunity for me to be learning from one of the best entrepreneurs in the world,” Narasimhan said.&nbsp;

Narasimhan began immersion as incoming ceo by earning his barista certification with four weeks of in-store training and visits to more than 30 stores around the world – working the drive-thru window, learning the point-of-sale system and perfecting the topping of a Pumpkin Spice Latte.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I thought it was very important for me to put myself in the shoes of the partners and really understand what they do and how they do it,” Narasimhan said. “There were things I learned through experience in all of this. It taught me a lot.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Alli Mendoza, a barista in Houston, was one of the partners who trained Narasimhan on the espresso bar. “People ask me what it’s like to train the ceo, like ‘Really, how was it?’” Mendoza said. “He loved interacting with people, he loves laughing and making people laugh. He just wants to learn and be a ceo who’s there for us.”&nbsp;

Coffee &amp; connection&nbsp;

In his visits to Starbucks stores, Narasimhan sat down with store managers, district managers and regional directors for their input and guidance. He said, “One piece of advice I hope to really live by was actually a question I was asked by a terrific store manager: ‘Did you earn your green apron today?’ It really got me reflective and thinking about how I could end each day in the future with that question, and hope that most days, the answer would be ‘yes.’”&nbsp;

The world of coffee&nbsp;

Narasimhan experienced the journey of Starbucks coffee from the first 10 feet to the last, starting from the fields where coffee is grown (such as Hacienda Alsacia above), to roasting plants in the United States and Europe, and Starbucks stores in London, Amsterdam, Japan, and the United States. Along the way, Narasimhan sipped countless cups of coffee. His favorite? Coffee from Guatemala.&nbsp;

Embracing innovation&nbsp;

Whether it’s hand-delivering a new cold foam blender to baristas in Seattle or testing out the virtual reality training for the new Clover Vertica™ in Minneapolis, Narasimhan has taken a hands-on approach to <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/recipe-for-reinvention-starbucks-unveils-innovations-for-better-customer-barista-experiences/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new technologies to help create a better store experience</a> for partners and customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Celebrating with partners is one of the best part parts of the ceo job at Starbucks. In November, he attended his first <a href="https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/press/2022/starbucks-green-apron-partners-showcase-their-coffee-craft-and-skill-at-the-latin-america-and-caribbean-barista-championship/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Barista Championship</a> at Hacienda Alsacia recognizing Starbucks coffee craft and expertise. In December, Narasimhan traveled to Arizona State University to honor the 850 Starbucks partners in the Fall 2022 graduating class who earned bachelor’s degrees through Arizona State University with the <a href="https://www.starbucks.com/careers/working-at-starbucks/education/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks College Achievement Plan</a>. In February, he spent time with partners in the Milan Roastery for the debut of <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/starbucks-oleato-olive-oil-meets-coffee" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks Oleato</a> beverages.&nbsp;

“On a very personal level, I’m going to be very connected to our partners and to our customers in the experience that we deliver – human connection,” Narasimhan said. 

Annual Meeting of Shareholders

Narasimhan led his first Starbucks Annual Meeting of Shareholders, in Seattle, on March 23, joined by board chair Mellody Hobson (right) and the Starbucks senior leadership team, including Zabrina Jenkins (left) and AJ Jones II (second from left). &nbsp;

“These past six months have enabled me to listen, to learn, and to think about what the future of Starbucks looks like and what we need to do to get there,” Narasimhan said. “As the new ceo&nbsp;of Starbucks, I am confident that I know our business and our people well, but I will continue to learn and I'm excited to continue earning my green apron every day.”&nbsp;

As Starbucks welcomes Narasimhan to his new role as ceo at the Starbucks Annual Meeting of Shareholders, we take a look back at the people he has met across the company and around the world.

Laxman Narasimhan’s immersive training – from Starbucks barista to ceo

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Photos: Laxman Narasimhan’s immersive training – from Starbucks barista to ceo

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BUSTAMANTE, Costa Rica – For Kattya Hidalgo, the chickens came first. Then the eggs. It’s not clear which bring her more joy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hidalgo, 46, is part of a cohort of women farmers who work with <a href="https://www.beanvoyage.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bean Voyage</a>, a Costa Rican nonprofit supported in part by The Starbucks Foundation, that empowers smallholder women coffee farmers with training in farming techniques, climate change, business fundamentals, financial literacy and project management.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After they finish a year-long curriculum, they can apply for seed money to start income-diversification projects.&nbsp;

With $300 last year, Hidalgo bought eight chickens and built a coop.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Hens caught my attention the most because here at home, we rarely eat meat. We prefer to eat eggs,” Hidalgo says. “But eggs are very expensive. We would limit ourselves to one egg a day. If you had eggs for lunch, you had no right to eat eggs at night.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I can’t explain to you the joy of seeing the first eggs, seeing my children – ‘Mommy, eggs!’ – eating eggs produced by me.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Since March 2022, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/the-starbucks-foundation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Starbucks Foundation</a> has awarded 10 grants totaling nearly $3 million to nonprofits working with women in coffee and tea-growing communities across seven countries, including Bean Voyage. This announcement, on International Women’s Day, is part of the Foundation’s continuing <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/the-starbucks-foundation-commits-to-uplift-one-million-women-and-girls-in-origin-communities-by-2030/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">goal to positively impact 1 million women and girls in “origin communities” by 2030</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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“We’re proud to work with nonprofits to reach women in coffee and tea-growing communities like Kattya,” says Alicia Vermaele, executive director of The Starbucks Foundation. “Through our Origin Grants, we’re helping to create opportunities and promote more equitable access to resources that enable women to improve their lives and livelihoods. We know that when we invest in a woman, we uplift not only that woman, but also her family and her community – leading to a brighter future for all.” 

With these grants, The Starbucks Foundation expects to reach an additional 60,000 women and girls over the next three years.&nbsp;

In January, Sunghee Tark, co-founder and CEO of Bean Voyage, visited Hidalgo’s farm to check in on her and her hen project. Tark started the nonprofit in 2016 with her friend, Abhinav Khanal, after they graduated from college, in response to the millions of “invisible” women who work on coffee farms around the world. They chose the name Bean Voyage to help women coffee producers “feel like they’re traveling the world through their coffee,” Tark says.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Because of how the coffee industry has been structured, and then the cultural elements in many parts of the world, including Latin America, a lot of times, the work that women do isn’t necessarily valued the same way as the work that men do,” Tark says.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“As an organization, we believe that if women are provided with the resources and then the right conditions, they will know what to do moving forward. What we do is make those resources available so they can actually go out and build their own future for themselves.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

For 22 years, Hidalgo worked as a legal assistant in San José, the bustling capital of Costa Rica. But then her boss, a lawyer, died. She and her family moved back to the countryside, where she’d grown up, and took over a coffee, fruit and vegetable farm. Though she was enthusiastic, there was a lot to learn. That’s when she heard about Bean Voyage and became intrigued by its mission.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We live not only in a country, but in a world of aggression, where women have always been given very little space,” Hidalgo says. “Here and everywhere, people have always believed that men are the ones in charge, the ones who have to bring food to the table, and that women are only meant to raise children, and it's not like that. We live in times of equality when both you and I can work, and we both can contribute.”&nbsp;

Hidalgo says she’s learned so much from Bean Voyage – not only about better farming techniques but also about being a leader in her community, climate change adaptation and business and entrepreneurship. She sometimes sells her extra eggs to neighbors, which provides additional income. And she hopes to export her coffee one day.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I want to keep learning. I no longer see myself as someone who struggles to learn,” she says. “On the contrary, I want to learn more every day and become even better than what I am.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I love them. You have no idea,” she says, laughing. “My hens will die of old age, but I won’t eat them.”&nbsp;

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The Starbucks Foundation Origin Grant recipients

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Three women smiling outside on a farm, holding a plastic tub of eggs

Here’s what impact looks like. Meet Kattya, a smallholder coffee farmer in Costa Rica, who’s building a better life for her family, one egg at a time.

New round of grants from The Starbucks Foundation will help uplift women and girls in coffee-growing communities

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In 2007, by chance, the book “Put Your Heart Into It“ came into my hands, and after reading it, I was deeply impressed to learn Howard Schultz's vision of making a company led from the heart, developing it with the soul and always placing people in the center. I immediately wondered if a company that puts its partners and clients at the center of its operation was the right place for me. The answer was simple: yes it was.

My journey with Starbucks began in 2008, as District Manager, when I cut the ribbon on store number 29 in Chile. Today, after 15 years working in the company, we are about to open our 300th store in the Southern Cone, and will celebrate our 20th, 15th and 5th anniversaries in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, respectively.&nbsp;

I am passionate about having the possibility to impact different communities and make our stores unique places to work. There are more than 4,000 partners in Starbucks Southern Cone to whom we offer training and real and attractive career development.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Starbucks also allowed me to walk the path towards the exciting world of coffee, being able to see first-hand the entire value chain that exists behind each bean: from planting, maintaining the coffee trees, harvesting and subsequent sale. I had the unique opportunity to be in Costa Rica, and see the support that Starbucks provides to the coffee communities. That experience made me realize the responsibility of honoring each coffee bean that we serve daily, as a show of respect for all families and especially to all the women who are behind its production.

Meet the women at Starbucks who are crucial to the coffee business, every step of the way, around the globe.

Claudia, director of Starbucks South Cone – Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

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Claudia, director of Starbucks South Cone – Argentina, Chile, Uruguay 

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Rina started as a part-time barista in college before taking on different roles in marketing, public affairs, digital strategy and social impact. In 2022, she helped launch the <a href="https://www.ywcakl.org.my/post/starbucks-upcycled-flavorlock-pouch-project-launch-in-starbucks-stores" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks Upcycled Flavorlock Pouch project</a>, where Starbucks works with local seamstresses to help turn whole bean coffee packaging into <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKKVtKwQr8g" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">small lined handbags</a>, giving them a second life. Not only does this save potential trash from the landfill, but for every pouch sold, Starbucks donates money to the YWCA in Kuala Lumpur.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is more than just coffee. I am very fortunate to love what I do and be presented with many interesting opportunities. At Starbucks, every day is an ongoing learning journey and it’s always exciting for me! Inspired by many partners, communities and NGOs that I worked with, my team and I are happy to pay it forward by strategizing sustainable social impact programs that are able to empower and create pathways to the beneficiaries. While it has its challenges, it is undoubtedly a very fulfilling career.

Rina, head of sustainability and social impact – Malaysia

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Rina, head of sustainability and social impact – Malaysia 

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My journey, it’s been full of curiosity, learning new things, and of course, developing myself from a barista to a store manager.&nbsp;

When I started working in an <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-opens-two-all-female-stores-in-india/">all-women store</a>, we were open about everything, like sharing anything with our team. When we have our store briefings, we could talk openly. So that was one thing which I loved the most about an all-women store. And I love how the customers also observed us… it was like, they were surprised. They’ve never seen this thing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

What makes it special is, of course, the development of our women partners. They start building the leadership qualities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Starbucks is a place where new ideas are welcomed. It means working in a positive environment where there are no boundaries to one’s growth and learnings. I always go back to the time when I was new to this organization and I was happy to know that the mission and values are not just theoretical, they also can be seen vividly in our stores.

Sneha, manager, one of 15 all women stores – India

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Sneha, manager, one of 15 all-women stores – India

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I was married in my 20s and a housewife since then. My first part-time job was at age 76 (with Starbucks). When people are almost 80 years old, they are not given much responsibility in society generally. However, when I come to the store, I feel responsible and work on cleanliness as if I am in charge. As a resident of this area for nearly 50 years, I consider it my role to connect the community and my store. I want to be a bridge between artists and my store.&nbsp;

I am happy, rewarded and grateful to be given the responsibility of keeping the store and backyard clean. I am happy to be in a circle of young partners who are as old as my grandchildren and to talk with them.&nbsp;&nbsp;

I thought I can cheer up the elderly in my community through my work. Younger partners will be able to provide customer service that is sensitive to the feelings of younger people. I can understand how elderly people are feeling. When I find someone who looks tired in the crowded store, I call out to him or her and also place a reserved card on a seat and ask him or her to sit and wait.

Katsuko, café attendant – Japan 

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When I was in college, I often went to the Starbucks store nearby. I was always inspired by the relaxing and joyful atmosphere created by Starbucks partners behind the bar. I thought being a barista should be fun, so I joined Starbucks.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The moment I put on my apron, I decided to be a good barista, because I always have role models around me. When I do a heart in latte art, my friends can already do reverse tulip. When I learned tulip, they can do swan... Not just latte art, but other skills as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Our partners are not only diligent in practicing, but also willing to share experiences with me. So, I would love to share my coffee knowledge with more partners. When we share the same interests and beliefs, the way forward is hopeful, full of passion and strength. In the store, when a customer is smiling (because of) satisfying latte art, or reply to our greetings, these kinds of details make me feel that we are doing the right thing with our mission and values.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A small coffee bean holds great energy, and so do we. As long as we keep our faith and keep moving forward, we can certainly inspire the infinite possibilities of coffee and ourselves.

Sylvia, national coffee ambassador, store manager – China

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Sylvia, national coffee ambassador, store manager – China 

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For Starbucks, being people’s "third place" means offering quality coffee and products, but above all, it means creating a space of inclusion in which all people feel safe and respected.

Following our values of acting with courage and finding new ways to grow our company and each other, we work every day to make Starbucks an increasingly diverse and inclusive place for partners and customers alike.

This Pride month, we want to share the initiatives and efforts we actively promote in the region to contribute to greater inclusion in the communities we serve.

Keep on being just who you are

For the third consecutive year, the <a href="https://historias.starbucks.com/br/stories/2020/eu-sou/">EU SOU</a> project in Brazil offers free legal and psychological support for partners who wish to put their real name and gender on their official papers.

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This year a new phase of this initiative began with the employability of trans people in the country added to the project’s goals. The campaign takes a new step to support the LGBTQIA2+ community through job interviews and a training program designed specifically for members of the trans community who apply for jobs at Starbucks.

"Inclusion is critical to Starbucks as a company," said Sandra Collier, director of marketing, loyalty and ESG for SouthRock, the brand's licensee in the country. "With the expansion of EU SOU, Starbucks Brazil confirms its commitment to achieving tangible and lasting change by facilitating the entry of members of the trans community into the workforce."

Added to these efforts is the launch of a very special beverage, the Pride Frappuccino®, which will be available from June 16 to 19 in stores. Starbucks Brazil will donate the net proceeds from the sales to different LGBTQIA2+ advocacy associations as well as to partners participating in the São Paulo Pride Parade that took place on June 19.

More inclusive and more connected

This year, Starbucks Chile was recognized as a Company A within Pride Connection, a network that seeks to promote inclusive workspaces for sexual diversity and to generate alliances to attract LGBTQIA2+ talent to the different organizations that comprise it.

We also obtained the Equidad Chile certification from the Human Rights Campaign for our work promoting the inclusion of the LGBTQIA2+ community.

Starbucks Chile also launched the "Academy of the Future" program in partnership with the Selenna Foundation, the only school for transgender students in the country.

This program is designed to offer training, resources, and a welcoming space for people in the trans community.

The ADS FOR GOOD campaign carries on in Chile ─ and is being expanded to Argentina and Uruguay ─, which calls on university students to make graphic pieces for associations in favor of diversity and inclusion to contribute to raising awareness on the subject.

The final pieces will be exhibited in different stores in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay to bring the theme closer to our clients and give visibility to the foundations.

A third place for everyone

To reinforce Starbucks' commitment to diversity, store and corporate partners in Argentina received training on Human Rights, sexual diversity, and interculturality.

Additionally, Buenos Aires’ stores were recognized by the City Government’s Buenos Aires Convive program with the certificate of Space Committed to Diversity, which distinguishes places that encourage good coexistence and inclusion.

“Starbucks for me is not just a job; it is a space of connection that allows me to transcend beyond the counter,” says Lean, a partner of Starbucks Argentina for 8 years and who today serves as manager of the Bellini store in Buenos Aires. “What I enjoy most about working here is feeling free and being able to express myself as I am. It represents the possibility of being genuine, authentic, and happy. That is why I am proud to belong to this family, where I am respected as I am”.

Still a long way to go

While we are proud of the positive results we have achieved so far in terms of diversity and inclusion in the region, we are aware that there’s still much to be done.

Our mission is and always will be to inspire and nurture the human spirit, which is why we will continue to work towards inclusion and diversity by creating increasingly empathetic and tolerant spaces where everyone feels like they belong.

In Starbucks we celebrate Pride month with different initiatives in the region that seek to promote diversity and inclusion in the communities we serve.

This is how we celebrate Pride in Latin America - Historias-en

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This is how we celebrate Pride in Latin America

https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/stories/2022/pride-in-latam-2022/

(updated September 29, 2022)

The Starbucks Foundation has a 25-year history of investing in communities across the U.S. and globally. In March 2022, The Starbucks Foundation&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/the-starbucks-foundation-launches-global-community-impact-grants-initiative/">announced</a>&nbsp;a $30 million investment by 2030 in its Global Community Impact Grants portfolio designed to drive locally relevant impact in the communities where Starbucks operates around the world.

In the inaugural year of the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2022/supporting-youth-empowerment-hunger-relief-and-refugees-in-emea/">Global Community Impact Grants</a> program, The Starbucks Foundation awarded&nbsp;grants to nearly 90 nonprofits, all of which were nominated by Starbucks international licensees and will reach communities in more than 40 markets. Between grants and co-investment from international licensees, over $3.2 million was awarded in 2022 for causes aligned to The Starbucks Foundation’s community impact goals, including youth empowerment, inclusion &amp; diversity, social services, hunger relief, economic opportunity, and coffee-, tea- and cocoa-growing communities.

In the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), The Starbucks Foundation awarded 31 grants across 14 markets for causes ranging from youth empowerment and hunger relief to promoting inclusion &amp; diversity and advancing economic mobility &amp; opportunity. Grants were awarded to nonprofit organizations in Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/global-community-impact-grants/">Learn more</a>&nbsp;about the program and organizations we are supporting in LAC and across the globe.

Supporting Youth Empowerment, Hunger Relief, and Economic Mobility in Latin America and the Caribbean - Historias-en

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Supporting Youth Empowerment, Hunger Relief, and Economic Mobility in Latin America and the Caribbean

(updated September 29, 2022) The Starbucks Foundation has a 25-year history of investing in communities across the U.S. and globally. In March 2022, The Starbucks Foundation&nbsp;announced&nbsp;a $30 million investment by 2030 in its Global Community Impact Grants portfolio designed to drive locally relevant impact in the communities where Starbucks operates around the world. In the […]

https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/stories/2022/supporting-youth-empowerment-hunger-relief-and-economic-mobility-in-latin-america-and-the-caribbean/

twitter:image

​​Over the last four years, The Starbucks Foundation has partnered with nonprofit organizations around the world to support 250,000 women and girls in coffee-, tea- and cocoa-growing communities including the investment of $14 million in grants. This International Women’s Day, we are pleased to announce our new goal to positively impact 1 million women and girls by 2030.​

In Latin America &amp; the Caribbean, The Starbucks Foundation is awarding eleven new grants to uplift women in coffee communities in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru.​

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/the-starbucks-foundation-commits-to-uplift-one-million-women-and-girls-in-origin-communities-by-2030/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more</a> about the organizations we are supporting in Latin America and across the globe.

Supporting Women in Coffee, Tea &amp; Cocoa Communities  - Historias-en

https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/sites/34/2022/03/HSBUX_LAC_IWD.4.jpg

Supporting Women in Coffee, Tea &amp; Cocoa Communities 

​​Over the last four years, The Starbucks Foundation has partnered with nonprofit organizations around the world to support 250,000 women and girls in coffee-, tea- and cocoa-growing communities including the investment of $14 million in grants. This International Women’s Day, we are pleased to announce our new goal to positively impact 1 million women and girls by […]

https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/stories/2022/supporting-women-in-coffee-tea-cocoa-communities/

Supporting Women in Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Communities 

It can be hard to find the right words to convey the experience of 2021 – another year largely shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic that was full of peaks, valleys and just the day-to-day stresses of the unknown. Things we’d hoped would be normal again by now are still challenging.&nbsp;

But even within that, there were – and are – still so many beautiful moments when we truly see the humanity of the world and what happens when we come together.

Around the world, our partners (employees) once again stepped up for each other, their communities and their customers. They gave back, brought joy and worked hard, knowing that comfort can sometimes be found in a cup and that the ritual of a trip to Starbucks can provide even a little bit of normalcy in a world that can be so unpredictable.

For Starbucks, 2021 also marked our 50th anniversary. From our beginning back in 1971 as a small coffee, tea and spice shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market to today, we are looking forward to our next 50 – bringing people together over coffee, and helping create a better future for our planet and everyone on it.&nbsp;

While it can be hard to find the words to hold all that, sometimes photos can, so today we’re looking back at some of our favorite images from 2021. Reminding us of the powerful moments we have been able to share. And most importantly, inspiring all of us to keep going forward with hope and optimism for what is yet to come.

Our stores are in neighborhoods and towns around the world and our partners represent, support and celebrate those communities. We span a beautiful spectrum, and we honor our diversity. From <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/aapi-heritage-month/">Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month</a> to <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/pride-heritage-month/">Pride Month</a>, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/black-history-month-starbucks-partners-share-what-inspires-them-to-keep-going/">Black History Month</a>, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/starbucks-celebrates-latinx-heritage-month/">Latinx Heritage Month</a>, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/in-disability-pride-month-starbucks-partners-share-their-stories-and-how-others-can-be-better-allies/">Disability Pride Month</a>, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/celebrating-american-indian-and-alaska-native-heritage-month/">American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month</a> and more, we featured partners and their stories of identity, culture and tradition.

Visit our <a href="https://www.instagram.com/starbucks.stories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Instagram</a> to see more stories from our Heritage Month series.

50th anniversary

In 1971, a small coffee, tea and spice shop opened near Seattle’s Pike Place Market with a name out of Moby Dick and an alluring siren as a logo.

In 2021, while we celebrated our 50th anniversary, it was a great time to unbox some of the historic and <a href="https://archive.starbucks.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">archival items</a> that had been gathered and stored at Starbucks headquarters in Seattle – spanning the history of the company.

We found original menus, bags of coffee and tea, our first-ever holiday cup, tokens for free coffee and even unopened bottles of <a href="https://archive.starbucks.com/record/mazagran" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mazagran</a> – a carbonated coffee beverage launched in 1994 that lasted only a brief time but developed a dedicated following.

Store dedicated to the Navajo Nation

Like so many across the world, the Navajo Nation was ravaged by the pandemic. In the early days of COVID-19, Starbucks store manager <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/coming-home-store-manager-brings-covid-19-supplies-to-navajo-nation/">Ty Barbone worked to make sure essential supplies were reaching people in his community</a>. But Barbone wasn’t done. He&nbsp; reached out to Starbucks leadership and became the spark behind the new Indigenous Partner Network – one of 12 partner-led networks across the U.S.

Barbone’s store on the edge of the Navajo Nation in Gallup, New Mexico was remodeled and reopened as Starbucks 22nd Community Store, dedicated to the Navajo Nation and indigenous people.&nbsp;Each Community Store hires local partners, works with local artists and contractors, and teams up with nonprofits, with the goal of becoming a hub of community activity.

In November the store was dedicated in a community ceremony, with dancers from nearby Zuni Pueblo performing a traditional Deer Dance to honor the new gathering space. A hand painted mural by Navajo artist Daniel Josley is a centerpiece of the store, celebrating his heritage.

Stepping up, helping out

Even in the midst of the pandemic, Starbucks partners didn’t sit idly by in 2021. As always, they were getting involved in community efforts around the globe. We continued our work with Feeding America® to address the growing need for food assistance, and partners gave their time in food banks to <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/starbucks-grants-support-equitable-access-to-food/">to help get food to those in need</a>. They also volunteered in homeless shelters and with many other organizations that offer help to those in need.

With grants from The Starbucks Foundation, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2021/starbucks-celebrates-world-water-day/">our partners worked to bring clean, safe drinking water</a> and handwashing stations to communities in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Expanding support for farmers and the planet

Coffee farmer Walquíria Peixoto Correa holds the coffee she saved for her own family after the conclusion of harvest on her family farm in Guaranésia, Brazil.

In 2021, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2021/starbucks-opens-farmer-support-center-in-brazil-for-coffee-growing/">Starbucks opened our first farmer support center in Brazil,</a> our 10th globally, offering resources to farmers like Walquíria. Located in Varginha, Minas Gerais state, the new Farmer Support Center provides open-source agronomy and training on ethical sourcing practices to farmers, regardless of whether or not they sell to Starbucks.

A coffee farming community in the hills near Turrialba, Costa Rica. Costa Rica is home to Hacienda Alsacia, the only Starbucks-owned farm in the world.

The heartbeat of Starbucks

Our partners are truly the heartbeat of Starbucks. Even during this pandemic, they bring joy, care and connection to our customers and each other every day.

In 2021, we were able to feature some of our partners and their real-life stories in everything from <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/meet-gigi-barista-musician-and-star-of-starbucks-new-tv-spot/">ads celebrating our 50th anniversary</a> to storytelling about what these amazing humans are able to accomplish, including those who work hard to earn their bachelor’s degree through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan.

People

Photo Essay: Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan Comes Home to India

Photos: Laxman Narasimhan’s immersive training – from Starbucks barista to ceo

New round of grants from The Starbucks Foundation will help uplift women and girls in coffee-growing communities

Claudia, director of Starbucks South Cone – Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Rina, head of sustainability and social impact – Malaysia

Sneha, manager, one of 15 all-women stores – India

Katsuko, café attendant – Japan

Sylvia, national coffee ambassador, store manager – China

This is how we celebrate Pride in Latin America

Supporting Youth Empowerment, Hunger Relief, and Economic Mobility in Latin America and the Caribbean

Supporting Women in Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Communities

Starbucks 2021: The year in pictures