Starbucks yesterday announced a new strategy of strategic growth and expanding coffee sales after a disastrous two years of economic downturn. The company’s new plan, announced at the company’s annual shareholder meeting involves expanding sales of Starbucks’ instant coffee brand, VIA Ready Brew, and licensing its secondary brand, Seattle’s Best Coffee, for sale at a variety of fast-food chains, including Burger King, Subway and Taco Bell. The company will also expand its... ...Read more »

As Fairtrade Fortnight concludes in the UK, Ben Cooper takes a look at the way big business has moved into the Fairtrade sector and asks whether this has created reputational risks for the movement.With Fairtrade Fortnight in the UK drawing to a close, those who support the idea of a more ethical marketplace and a fairer deal for farmers will no doubt be pausing to pay tribute to those bastions of the Fairtrade sector – companies like Nestlé, Kraft Foods and Tesco. Not the names you might... ...Read more »

McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast food company, has taken a none-too-subtle swipe at Starbucks in their latest US ad campaign. Starbucks, which had been a phenomenon with sensational growth rates for over a decade, has been symbolic of the downturn with a fall from their lofty heights. In Australia, they cut over two-thirds of their stores in August after announcing the closure of 600 underperforming outlets in the US in July. They still maintain their position as the largest coffee... ...Read more »

The reputation of global coffee chain leader Starbucks has taken a hit in recent months, with declining sales leading to 600 store closures in America and a further 61 in Australia (more than two-thirds of their Australian outlets). The company is by no means in dire straits, quarterly revenue of US$2.57 billion highlights that point, but things certainly don’t look as rosy as they did just a couple of years ago. Starbucks posted their first quarterly loss on Wednesday since going public in... ...Read more »

Starbucks has announced they will close more than two-thirds of their Australian outlets by Sunday August 3. The decision to close 61 of their 84 Australian stores was finalised following a meeting of store managers yesterday afternoon, and comes at the end of a turbulent month for the company. The American coffee giant announced earlier this month that they would close 600 stores in America as part of their “transformation strategy” in the wake of declining sales caused, in part, by... ...Read more »

Starbucks cafés are set to close at 2pm this afternoon for a meeting between managers, which has fuelled speculation the company may close stores in Australia. An email sent to the Sydney Morning Herald last night suggested that store managers were asked to shut up shop at 2pm to attend a 4pm meeting, and rumours are beginning to circulate that the Seattle-based giant may even pull out of Australia. The news comes following the announcement of 600 store closures in the US at the beginning of the... ...Read more »

Starbucks Corporation has announced the next step in its multi-faceted plan to transform the company, with a decision to close approximately 600 underperforming company-operated stores in the U.S. market. The decision followed extensive evaluation of their US company-operated store portfolio and includes the 100 stores targeted for closure in the company’s previously announced plans. In addition, Starbucks now expects to open fewer than 200 new U.S. company-operated stores in fiscal 2009, below... ...Read more »