TOPIC

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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

An activist smashes Starbucks tumblers and mugs during a protest against its “Tank Day” campaign on May 21. Photo: Yonhap/Reuters

South Korea

Starbucks’ South Korean staff to receive history lesson after ‘Tank Day’ blunder

The coffee giant will close all stores for half a day so employees can ‘receive education in historical awareness and social sensitivity’.

15 Jun 2026 - 11:59AM

Mergers & Acquisitions

China’s fast-changing consumers force MNCs to adapt via local alliances

10 Jun 2026 - 8:06AM

China’s private sector

China market is the ‘world’s toughest gym’ for global brands: McKinsey

8 Jun 2026 - 2:21PM

US-China relations

How Chinese drink chains are testing the limits of soft power

New tea and coffee brands from China are winning customers across America, but their broader influence remains unclear.

6 Jun 2026 - 8:18AMvideocam

China’s private sector

The big scoop: lemon tea chain to revamp Haagen-Dazs’ struggling China business

General Mills is offloading the ice cream brand’s mainland China stores, as foreign businesses revamp models amid heated domestic competition.

4 Jun 2026 - 11:48AMvideocam

South Korea

‘My fault’: tycoon takes blame to quell fury over Starbucks Korea ad blunder

Chung Yong-jin’s apology came as backlash deepened over the coffee chain’s marketing campaign mocking South Korea’s pro-democracy history.

26 May 2026 - 12:03PMvideocam

South Korea

Video | Starbucks Korea boss sacked as Tank Day promo misfires

Sohn Jeong-hyun was fired after the campaign caused public outrage for evoking painful memories of the Gwangju Uprising.

20 May 2026 - 9:02PM

00:59

South Korea

Starbucks Korea boss loses job after ‘Tank Day’ promotion misfires

Sohn Jeong-hyun was fired following public anger over the campaign that was seen as mocking the anniversary of the Gwangju uprising.

20 May 2026 - 9:06PMvideocam

Food and Drinks

Viral ube drinks and desserts are taking over South Korean cafes

Ube, a vibrant purple yam, is the latest craze in South Korean cafes. Here’s where to go for lattes, cakes, shakes, ice cream and more.

25 Apr 2026 - 3:15PM

China’s private sector

Chinese coffee brands need more than low prices to compete globally: analysts

Luckin, Lucky Cup, Cotti and Nowwa are expanding quickly overseas, but analysts warn success depends on consumer experience and quality.

31 Mar 2026 - 7:30AM

A Luckin Coffee outlet in Manhattan, New York. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

Singapore

How Southeast Asia’s coffee chains are brewing cross-border success

Home-grown brands such as Zus Coffee are betting on cultural fluency, halal positioning and digital tools to make further inroads.

5 Mar 2026 - 4:47PM

A Kenangan Coffee outlet at a shopping centre in eastern Singapore. The Indonesian chain has opened about 10 outlets in the city state. Photo: Kenangan Coffee

China’s private sector

Luckin’s 30,000th store milestone adds buzz to China’s brewing coffee battle

Xiamen-headquartered chain pushes to integrate supply network worldwide and accelerate growth in markets from Asia to the US.

9 Feb 2026 - 7:04PM

China’s private sector

How Western brands are adapting to China’s changing consumer landscape

Starbucks’ China stake sale signals a seismic shift, as global firms retreat amid rising competition, price wars and evolving consumer tastes.

7 Feb 2026 - 10:07AM

Art

The unicorn has been revered for 4,000 years. It still has us under its spell

From ancient Indus Valley seals to Starbucks cups, the unicorn has long served as a symbol of magic and hope.

6 Feb 2026 - 10:59AM

Posties 27 Feb 2013. Features_Fantasy landscape with unicorn and a big moon Shutterstock Stock Photo: Image ID: 106687580 __One time use only

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

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 economy

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

As property curbs to boost spending hit practical limits, a push to stabilise assets is now being seen as a prerequisite for consumer confidence.

14 Jan 2026 - 5:43PMvideocam

Mergers & Acquisitions

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

Goldman Sachs and UBS are reviewing Diageo’s operations and are sounding out interest from local strategic buyers and private equity firms.

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

A customer at a Pokemon pop-up store, featuring toys based on the Japanese animated series, in a Beijing shopping centre on November 18. Photo: Reuters

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

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

Three friends from Taiwan visit Gwangjang Market in Seoul. The market, which has well over 100 years of history, has begun to attract a new generation of shoppers. Photo: Korea Times

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

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Starbucks

Starbucks’ South Korean staff to receive history lesson after ‘Tank Day’ blunder

The coffee giant will close all stores for half a day so employees can ‘receive education in historical awareness and social sensitivity’.

China’s fast-changing consumers force MNCs to adapt via local alliances

China market is the ‘world’s toughest gym’ for global brands: McKinsey

How Chinese drink chains are testing the limits of soft power

New tea and coffee brands from China are winning customers across America, but their broader influence remains unclear.

The big scoop: lemon tea chain to revamp Haagen-Dazs’ struggling China business

General Mills is offloading the ice cream brand’s mainland China stores, as foreign businesses revamp models amid heated domestic competition.

‘My fault’: tycoon takes blame to quell fury over Starbucks Korea ad blunder

Chung Yong-jin’s apology came as backlash deepened over the coffee chain’s marketing campaign mocking South Korea’s pro-democracy history.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | Starbucks Korea boss sacked as Tank Day promo misfires

Sohn Jeong-hyun was fired after the campaign caused public outrage for evoking painful memories of the Gwangju Uprising.

Starbucks Korea boss loses job after ‘Tank Day’ promotion misfires

Sohn Jeong-hyun was fired following public anger over the campaign that was seen as mocking the anniversary of the Gwangju uprising.

Viral ube drinks and desserts are taking over South Korean cafes

Ube, a vibrant purple yam, is the latest craze in South Korean cafes. Here’s where to go for lattes, cakes, shakes, ice cream and more.

Chinese coffee brands need more than low prices to compete globally: analysts

Luckin, Lucky Cup, Cotti and Nowwa are expanding quickly overseas, but analysts warn success depends on consumer experience and quality.

How Southeast Asia’s coffee chains are brewing cross-border success

Home-grown brands such as Zus Coffee are betting on cultural fluency, halal positioning and digital tools to make further inroads.

Luckin’s 30,000th store milestone adds buzz to China’s brewing coffee battle

Xiamen-headquartered chain pushes to integrate supply network worldwide and accelerate growth in markets from Asia to the US.

How Western brands are adapting to China’s changing consumer landscape

Starbucks’ China stake sale signals a seismic shift, as global firms retreat amid rising competition, price wars and evolving consumer tastes.

The unicorn has been revered for 4,000 years. It still has us under its spell

From ancient Indus Valley seals to Starbucks cups, the unicorn has long served as a symbol of magic and hope.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}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

As property curbs to boost spending hit practical limits, a push to stabilise assets is now being seen as a prerequisite for consumer confidence.

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

Goldman Sachs and UBS are reviewing Diageo’s operations and are sounding out interest from local strategic buyers and private equity firms.

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.

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.

Video | Starbucks Korea boss sacked as Tank Day promo misfires

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