TOPIC

/ company

Starbucks

Starbucks is a global coffee company founded in 1971 in Seattle, Washington, as a roaster and retailer of whole bean and ground coffee, tea and spices. Today it is the largest coffeehouse company in the world. Starbucks Corporation's common stock is listed on NASDAQ, under the trading symbol SBUX.

Chairman / President

Mellody Hobson

CEO / Managing Director

Laxman Narasimhan

CFO / Finance Director

Brian Niccol

Industry

Coffee shop

Website

starbucks.com

Headquarters address

2401 Utah Avenue South, Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Stock Code

NASDAQ:SBUX

Year founded

1971

Customers flock to the opening of the first McDonald’s restaurant in Xining, the capital of northwest China’s Qinghai province, on December 21, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

China trade

Opinion | From tea to TikTok: the middleman’s return is reshaping China trade

The old Canton system is re-emerging in a new guise as the likes of TikTok and Starbucks look to middlemen to navigate a divided global economy.

16 Jan 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

China economy

Opinion | China’s new property pivot is coming. Expect full stabilisation ahead

14 Jan 2026 - 5:43PMvideocam

Mergers & Acquisitions

Johnnie Walker maker Diageo mulls options for China assets including sale: sources

13 Jan 2026 - 5:48PM

Social media

At 75, Snoopy has conquered the Gen Z market. How did the beagle do it?

Snoopy’s enduring appeal continues to boost Peanuts’ brand now – it has more than 1,200 licensees around the world.

4 Jan 2026 - 7:15AMvideocam

A view of characters from the Peanuts comic strip at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in the United States. Snoopy remains as popular as ever. Photo: TNS

Singapore

How Singapore’s unforgiving food scene can go hot and cold on brands

Over 3,000 eateries shut their doors last year, the highest since 2005, in one of the world’s most competitive dining markets.

21 Dec 2025 - 1:41PM

China consumption

Flash in the pan: how China’s plant-based meat craze fizzled

The closure of Beyond Meat’s China business, despite heavy financing and marketing, underscores challenges that scuppered many vegan meat firms.

6 Dec 2025 - 7:00PMvideocam

Fame and celebrity

Who plays Stranger Things’ Karen Wheeler? Meet prolific actress Cara Buono

The actress behind ‘Karen wine ‘em down Wheeler’ has appeared in Mad Men and The Sopranos, among over 80 other acting credits – she is also a Columbia grad.

2 Dec 2025 - 6:00PMvideocam

Cara Buono at the world premiere of Stranger Things’ fifth season in Los Angeles, in November. Photo: AP

China consumption

Why do Chinese no longer feel the need to boycott Japanese products?

A seismic shift in the market has resulted in people preferring Chinese fashion, locally branded appliances and domestically made cars.

30 Nov 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

Trending in China

Explainer | What is ‘second-hand fried chicken’; how snack became popular in Philippine slums

Videos of Chinese bloggers sampling recooked, seasoned leftovers in run-down Filipino neighbourhoods go viral on social media.

30 Nov 2025 - 11:08AMvideocam

Food and Drinks

From chains to viral cafes, Shanghai is a city that loves coffee a latte

Artisanal brews, lattes in naan cups, experimental flavours – Shanghai’s coffee culture makes the city a must-explore for caffeine lovers.

7 Nov 2025 - 5:15PM

The inside of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery along West Nanjing Road in Shanghai. The city is fast becoming the world’s most compelling coffee city. Photo: Shutterstock

China economy

Starbucks seals deal to sell 60% of China business to private-equity firm

Deal ends months of speculation about whether US company would divest itself of its cooling mainland business.

4 Nov 2025 - 1:18PM

Customers sit in a Starbucks store in Beijing on May 10, 2019. Photo: AP Photo

Tourism

Seoul’s Gwangjang Market has become hip. Where to eat and shop there

From Starbucks to Kodak to The North Face, big brands are opening in the century-old Seoul market, attracting a new generation of shoppers.

25 Oct 2025 - 7:15AM

South Korea

Starbucks South Korea bans outside food to make stores ‘more pleasant’

Baby food is exempt from the rule aimed at reining in customers misusing store space and causing inconvenience to others.

15 Oct 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

Icons and Influencers

Explainer | Meet Caitlin Covington, the woman synonymous with ‘Christian girl autumn’

The woman behind the meme has given us yearly autumn content since 2019 – and she is neither Republican nor homophobic, as the internet believed.

14 Oct 2025 - 6:00AM

Caitlin Covington, the face of “Christian girl autumn”, in a season-ready outfit in 2022. Photo: @cmcoving/Instagram

Trending in China

China’s Yunnan cafe launches unique latte made from prized mushrooms for US$3 a cup

Detractors describe specially blended caffeine drink as ‘a waste of good food’ while others say it is simply ‘delicious’.

15 Sep 2025 - 2:00PM

A coffee shop in China has launched a penny bun mushroom latte, made from a rare mushroom and priced at US$3 a cup. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/RedNote

Malaysia

‘Do you want a boycott?’: Malaysia’s top mall rolls dice with flag ban

Pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for a mass gathering at the KLCC complex within the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

12 Sep 2025 - 7:09PMvideocam

Banking & finance

Starbucks China valued at about US$5 billion by bidders, sources say

Most bids value Starbucks China at about 10 times expected Ebitda of US$400 million to US$500 million in 2025, sources say.

5 Sep 2025 - 12:33PM

China consumption

As megacities slow, China’s smaller counties lead as new consumer hotspots

Survey last year found that nearly 80 per cent of consumers in China’s third- and fourth-tier cities were optimistic about the economy.

15 Aug 2025 - 8:41AMvideocam

Coffee

Starbucks China attracts over 20 suitors amid 8% quarterly revenue jump

Coffee chain is working to identify a strategic partner with a like-minded vision and values to capture opportunities in China, CEO says.

30 Jul 2025 - 3:40PM

Mergers & Acquisitions

Starbucks draws interest for controlling stake in China unit

Company is sifting through proposals and shortlisting a group of potential investors for a next round of bidding, sources say.

9 Jul 2025 - 3:47PM

North Korea

Bean there, done that? Starbucks’ Korean border outlet proves a smash hit

Despite the security checkpoints and limited opening hours, word of mouth is driving brisk business to this caffeinated frontier curiosity.

8 Jul 2025 - 2:10PMvideocam

Since opening in November, the Starbucks outlet with a view of North Korea has become a magnet for weekend visitors. Photo: Reuters

China consumption

‘Not cool’: why China is falling out of love with foreign ice cream

As in many other areas, young Chinese are turning away from global brands like Häagen-Dazs in favour of cheaper, nimbler local rivals.

29 Jun 2025 - 5:00PMvideocam

Global ice cream brands are losing market share in China as consumers opt for cheaper, more innovative local varieties. Photo: Shutterstock

Mergers & Acquisitions

Starbucks denies it is considering a full sale of its China operations

‘We see significant long-term potential … and are evaluating the best ways to capture the future growth opportunities,’ coffee chain says.

24 Jun 2025 - 2:54PM

United States

Opinion | Why US exceptionalism, export of crassness are losing their shallow appeal

America’s inevitable decline proves that nations thrive by prioritising their needs and working with others, not seeking economic dominance.

2 Jun 2025 - 8:32AM

China trade

President Xi messages Danish businesses ahead of foreign minister’s China visit

First such letter to a foreign business community since 2021 shows how China is trying to expand its circle of friends amid a trade-war truce with the United States.

15 May 2025 - 8:00PMvideocam

President Xi Jinping is encouraging Danish businesses to invest in China and serve as a bridge between China and Europe. Image: Shutterstock

Mergers & Acquisitions

Starbucks is said to kick off process to sell stake in China business

Starbucks sent out letters via a financial adviser to several potential investors this week to solicit views on the China business and how to grow it, sources said.

15 May 2025 - 11:34AM

A Starbucks Reserve cafe in Beijing on April 9, 2025. Photo: AFP

South Korea

South Korea’s Starbucks bans use of presidential candidates’ names in orders

Customers cannot use the names of all seven presidential candidates in the ‘Call My Name’ service until after the nation’s June 3 snap polls.

14 May 2025 - 5:09PMvideocam

Food and Drinks

Like Texas but sandier, Saudi Arabia’s embrace of American culture is tight

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a country long open to American cultural influence, US chains fill the malls and US pickup trucks clog the streets.

12 May 2025 - 11:39AM

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Starbucks

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | From tea to TikTok: the middleman’s return is reshaping China trade

The old Canton system is re-emerging in a new guise as the likes of TikTok and Starbucks look to middlemen to navigate a divided global economy.

Opinion | China’s new property pivot is coming. Expect full stabilisation ahead

Johnnie Walker maker Diageo mulls options for China assets including sale: sources

At 75, Snoopy has conquered the Gen Z market. How did the beagle do it?

Snoopy’s enduring appeal continues to boost Peanuts’ brand now – it has more than 1,200 licensees around the world.

How Singapore’s unforgiving food scene can go hot and cold on brands

Over 3,000 eateries shut their doors last year, the highest since 2005, in one of the world’s most competitive dining markets.

Flash in the pan: how China’s plant-based meat craze fizzled

The closure of Beyond Meat’s China business, despite heavy financing and marketing, underscores challenges that scuppered many vegan meat firms.

Who plays Stranger Things’ Karen Wheeler? Meet prolific actress Cara Buono

The actress behind ‘Karen wine ‘em down Wheeler’ has appeared in Mad Men and The Sopranos, among over 80 other acting credits – she is also a Columbia grad.

Why do Chinese no longer feel the need to boycott Japanese products?

A seismic shift in the market has resulted in people preferring Chinese fashion, locally branded appliances and domestically made cars.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Explainer | What is ‘second-hand fried chicken’; how snack became popular in Philippine slums

Videos of Chinese bloggers sampling recooked, seasoned leftovers in run-down Filipino neighbourhoods go viral on social media.

From chains to viral cafes, Shanghai is a city that loves coffee a latte

Artisanal brews, lattes in naan cups, experimental flavours – Shanghai’s coffee culture makes the city a must-explore for caffeine lovers.

Starbucks seals deal to sell 60% of China business to private-equity firm

Deal ends months of speculation about whether US company would divest itself of its cooling mainland business.

Seoul’s Gwangjang Market has become hip. Where to eat and shop there

From Starbucks to Kodak to The North Face, big brands are opening in the century-old Seoul market, attracting a new generation of shoppers.

Starbucks South Korea bans outside food to make stores ‘more pleasant’

Baby food is exempt from the rule aimed at reining in customers misusing store space and causing inconvenience to others.

Explainer | Meet Caitlin Covington, the woman synonymous with ‘Christian girl autumn’

The woman behind the meme has given us yearly autumn content since 2019 – and she is neither Republican nor homophobic, as the internet believed.

China’s Yunnan cafe launches unique latte made from prized mushrooms for US$3 a cup

Detractors describe specially blended caffeine drink as ‘a waste of good food’ while others say it is simply ‘delicious’.

‘Do you want a boycott?’: Malaysia’s top mall rolls dice with flag ban

Pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for a mass gathering at the KLCC complex within the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

Starbucks China valued at about US$5 billion by bidders, sources say

Most bids value Starbucks China at about 10 times expected Ebitda of US$400 million to US$500 million in 2025, sources say.

As megacities slow, China’s smaller counties lead as new consumer hotspots

Survey last year found that nearly 80 per cent of consumers in China’s third- and fourth-tier cities were optimistic about the economy.

Starbucks China attracts over 20 suitors amid 8% quarterly revenue jump

Coffee chain is working to identify a strategic partner with a like-minded vision and values to capture opportunities in China, CEO says.

Starbucks draws interest for controlling stake in China unit

Company is sifting through proposals and shortlisting a group of potential investors for a next round of bidding, sources say.

Bean there, done that? Starbucks’ Korean border outlet proves a smash hit

Despite the security checkpoints and limited opening hours, word of mouth is driving brisk business to this caffeinated frontier curiosity.

‘Not cool’: why China is falling out of love with foreign ice cream

As in many other areas, young Chinese are turning away from global brands like Häagen-Dazs in favour of cheaper, nimbler local rivals.

Starbucks denies it is considering a full sale of its China operations

‘We see significant long-term potential … and are evaluating the best ways to capture the future growth opportunities,’ coffee chain says.

Opinion | Why US exceptionalism, export of crassness are losing their shallow appeal

America’s inevitable decline proves that nations thrive by prioritising their needs and working with others, not seeking economic dominance.

President Xi messages Danish businesses ahead of foreign minister’s China visit

First such letter to a foreign business community since 2021 shows how China is trying to expand its circle of friends amid a trade-war truce with the United States.

Starbucks is said to kick off process to sell stake in China business

Starbucks sent out letters via a financial adviser to several potential investors this week to solicit views on the China business and how to grow it, sources said.

South Korea’s Starbucks bans use of presidential candidates’ names in orders

Customers cannot use the names of all seven presidential candidates in the ‘Call My Name’ service until after the nation’s June 3 snap polls.

Like Texas but sandier, Saudi Arabia’s embrace of American culture is tight

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a country long open to American cultural influence, US chains fill the malls and US pickup trucks clog the streets.

Opinion | From tea to TikTok: the middleman’s return is reshaping China trade

Explainer | What is ‘second-hand fried chicken’; how snack became popular in Philippine slums