Starbucks Coffee Company

What Starbucks Coffee Company does

Starbucks Coffee Company is a publicly traded (NASDAQ: SBUX) global coffeehouse operator headquartered in Seattle, USA, with regional headquarters in London (EMEA) and German operations run by AmRest Coffee Deutschland. The company runs 30,000+ stores across 80+ countries, serving 100+ million customers weekly through a combination of company-owned and licensed retail locations, joint ventures (notably the 50/50 Tata Starbucks joint venture in India operating 457 stores across 70 cities with a 1,000-store target by 2028), and franchise arrangements.

Its core offering spans espresso-based hot drinks, iced beverages, Frappuccino blended beverages, Matcha and Refresha lines, breakfast and bakery items, sandwiches, and snacks, complemented by the Starbucks Reserve premium sub-brand and Clover brewing technology. The digital layer is anchored by the Starbucks App (iOS/Android) providing Mobile Order & Pay, integrated payment via Apple Pay, Google Pay, and the stored-value Starbucks Card, real-time store locator, and the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program (3 stars per €1 spent, free drink at 150 stars, Gold tier at 450 stars/year with free syrups, birthday drinks, and refills). Delivery is operated through partnerships with Uber Eats, Wolt, and Lieferando.

Revenue is generated through in-store beverage and food sales (transaction-based across company-owned and licensed stores), Starbucks Card stored-value loading and gift card sales, third-party delivery commissions, and a transaction-based rewards subscription mechanism that drives repeat visit frequency. The company invests heavily in ethical sourcing via the C.A.F.E. Practices verification program (covering 400,000+ farmers in 30+ countries in partnership with Conservation International since 2004), 10 global Farmer Support Centers, the Hacienda Alsacia R&D farm in Costa Rica, the 100 Million Trees program, and a $100M Global Farmer Fund. Sustainability is operationalized through DIN CERTCO-certified compostable hot beverage cups, a €0.50 reusable cup discount, free plant-milk alternatives, and a Too Good To Go surplus food partnership.

Name

Starbucks Coffee Company

Legal name

Starbucks Coffee Company

Website

https://starbucks.de

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Starbucks Coffee Company is a publicly traded global coffeehouse operator running 30,000+ stores in 80+ countries, serving over 100 million customers weekly with beverages, food, and a digital loyalty ecosystem anchored by the Starbucks App, Mobile Order & Pay, and Starbucks Rewards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Retail

NAICS

Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee retail
• Coffeehouse beverages
• Mobile food ordering
• Loyalty rewards program
• Ethical coffee sourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Muenchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee House Sales: In-store beverage and food sales across company-owned and licensed Starbucks Coffee Houses globally. Customers pay via cash, card, mobile payment, or Starbucks Card.
2. Starbucks Card / Gift Cards: Prepaid stored-value cards (physical and digital) loaded with funds for use at participating stores. Cards can be loaded up to €250/month, max €5,000 lifetime. Gift cards sold up to €150.
3. Delivery Services: Third-party delivery partnerships with Uber Eats, Wolt, and Lieferando, aggregating orders for a selective beverage and food menu delivered to customers.
4. Starbucks Rewards Subscriptions: Free loyalty program driving repeat visits and higher basket sizes through star accumulation (3 stars per €1) redeemable for free drinks at 150 stars and premium Gold tier benefits at 450 stars annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Starbucks Coffee Company operates a global coffeehouse retail platform selling handcrafted espresso-based beverages, brewed coffee, tea, blended Frappuccino drinks, Refreshers, and a range of food items including breakfast pastries, bakery goods, sandwiches, and snacks. The company also runs the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program, the Starbucks App with Mobile Order & Pay, Starbucks Card stored-value payments, and home delivery through partnerships with Uber Eats, Wolt, and Lieferando. Sales occur across company-owned and licensed coffee houses worldwide.

Product overview

Starbucks Coffee Company operates a multi-channel coffeehouse and food service platform offering hot and cold beverages, food items, and branded merchandise across company-owned and licensed retail locations. The core product portfolio includes espresso-based hot drinks, iced beverages, Frappuccino blended beverages, Matcha drinks, and Starbucks Refresha fruit drinks, complemented by food categories spanning breakfast pastries, bakery items, sandwiches, and snacks. The company maintains a digital ecosystem centered on the Starbucks App, which enables Mobile Order & Pay functionality for ahead-of-time ordering and in-app payment via Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Starbucks Card. The Starbucks Rewards loyalty program drives customer retention through a star-earning mechanism (3 stars per 1 EUR) with tiered Green and Gold membership benefits. Delivery services are offered through partnerships with Uber Eats, Wolt, and Lieferando. Starbucks' ethical sourcing operations are anchored by the C.A.F.E. Practices verification program, supported by 10 Farmer Support Centers worldwide, the Hacienda Alsacia research farm in Costa Rica, a 100 Million Trees Program, and a $100 million Global Farmer Fund. The company also offers reusable drinkware products to support sustainability initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starbucks Rewards: Starbucks loyalty and rewards program enabling customers to earn stars on purchases and redeem them for free drinks and other benefits. Operates with Green and Gold tiers.
• Starbucks Card
• Starbucks Mobile Order & Pay
• Starbucks Delivers

Products and services

• Hot Drinks

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% ethically sourced coffee through C.A.F.E. Practices verification
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tata Consumer Products / Tata StarbuckscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Starbucks and Tata Starbucks announced Farmer Support Partnership to empower 10,000 Indian coffee growers by 2030 through global agronomy best practices and digital training. Initiative includes model farms in key Indian states and donation of one million high-yield Arabica seedlings over five years to improve crop quality and profitability.
• Conservation InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2004 for C.A.F.E. Practices (Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices) - a verification program evaluating economic, social, and environmental criteria across the coffee supply chain. Program has grown to include 400,000+ farmers in 30+ countries.
• Transcend Packaging LtdcoreTechnology or IntegrationEuropean production partner for new compostable hot beverage cups and paper lids. Based in Ystrad Mynach, South Wales, and considered a pioneer in sustainable single-use packaging.
• QwarzocoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of mineral-based (silica) coating technology for new compostable cups and lids, replacing plastic linings with food-safe, home-compostable alternatives.
• Metsä Group / Metsä BoardcoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of board materials for new hot beverage cups, manufactured with traceable wood fibers from PEFC/FSC-certified Nordic forests.
• Uber EatsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery aggregator partner for Starbucks Delivers in Germany, enabling home delivery of selected menu items.
• WoltminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery aggregator partner for Starbucks Delivers in Germany, enabling home delivery of selected menu items.
• LieferandominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery aggregator partner for Starbucks Delivers in Germany, enabling home delivery of selected menu items.
• Too Good To GominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood waste reduction partnership through Surprise Bags app offering unsold food items at less than 1/3 of original price.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Blue Bottle Coffee: Third-wave specialty coffee chain (Nestlé-owned) competing for premium and design-conscious consumers with direct-trade sourcing and minimal-ambiance café model, taking share from Starbucks Reserve.

Broad incumbents

• McCafé (McDonald's): Coffee program inside the largest global QSR chain; competes directly on espresso beverage price and convenience, leveraging drive-thru and breakfast scale that Starbucks lacks.
• Lavazza (Luigi Lavazza S.p.A.): Italian coffee brand with both retail packaged coffee and café/bar operations (including the acquired Espresso Yourself chain); overlaps with Starbucks in packaged coffee retail and European café footprint.
• Nespresso (Nestlé): Premium at-home coffee brand within Nestlé competing for Starbucks' packaged and at-home consumption occasions via proprietary pod systems and branded boutiques.

Direct peers

• Tim Hortons: Global coffee-and-donut chain with similar mass-market coffeehouse positioning, loyalty program (Tim Rewards), and mobile ordering competing for the same daily-frequency occasion.
• Costa Coffee: Global coffeehouse chain competing head-to-head with Starbucks across the UK and Europe with similar espresso-based menus, in-store seating, and loyalty programs.
• Dunkin' (Inspire Brands): Coffee-and-baked-goods chain with parallel loyalty (DD Perks), mobile ordering, and breakfast daypart — a classic direct competitor to Starbucks' core beverage-plus-food proposition.
• Caffè Nero: European specialty coffee chain with comparable espresso-bar café model, sit-in ambiance, and loyalty app, directly overlapping with Starbucks' UK and German footprint.
• Pret a Manger: UK-founded urban café chain offering premium coffee plus fresh food with similar store ambiance, digital ordering, and loyalty subscription model — a direct rival for the daily coffee + breakfast occasion.
• Peet's Coffee: Specialty coffee chain with a stronger single-origin/third-wave positioning, comparable café retail model, and packaged coffee retail business overlapping with Starbucks Reserve and packaged coffee.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StarbucksDeutschland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starbucks-ce
• Instagraminstagram.com/starbucksde
• TikToktiktok.com/@starbucksde

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Starbucks Coffee Company