Story

How it begins

In 1981, Howard Schultz (Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer) first walked into a Starbucks store. From his first cup of Sumatra, Howard was drawn into Starbucks and joined a year later.The following year, in 1983, Howard traveled to Italy and became captivated with Italian coffee
bars and the romance of the coffee experience. He had a vision to bring the Italian coffeehouse
tradition back to the United States. A place for conversation and a sense of community. A third place between work and home. He left Starbucks for a short period of time to start his own Il Giornale coffeehouses and returned in August 1987 to purchase Starbucks with the help of local investors. From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company. One that not only celebrated coffee and the rich tradition, but that also brought a feeling of connection.Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighbourhood at a time

Today, with stores in more than 75 markets, Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. And with every cup, we strive to bring both our heritage and an exceptional experience to life.