Starbucks

About Us

It happens millions of times each week – a customer receives a drink from a Starbucks barista – but each interaction is unique.

It’s just a moment in time – just one hand reaching over the counter to present a cup to another outstretched hand.

But it’s a connection.

We make sure everything we do honours that connection – from our commitment to the highest quality coffee in the world, to the way we engage with our customers and communities to do business responsibly.

From our beginnings as a single store nearly forty years ago, in every place that we’ve been, and every place that we touch, we’ve tried to make it a little better than we found it.

Our Heritage

Every day, we go to work hoping to do two things: share great coffee with our friends and help make the world a little better.

It was true when the first Starbucks opened in 1971, and it’s just as true today.

Back then, the company was a single store in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. From just a narrow shop front, Starbucks offered some of the world’s finest fresh-roasted whole bean coffees. The name, inspired by Moby Dick, evoked the romance of the high seas and the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders.

In 1981, Howard Schultz (Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer) had first walked into a Starbucks store. From his first cup of Sumatra, Howard was drawn into Starbucks and joined a year later.

In 1983, Howard travelled 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 more than 15,000 stores in 50 countries, 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.

Our Coffees

At Starbucks it always has been and will always be about quality. Our passion for coffee is rivalled only by our love of sharing it.

Whether you’re sipping solo or hosting guests, enjoying coffee at home should be a relaxing, soothing and soulful experience.

With so many options to choose from, it’s not difficult to find that perfect cup.

THE STARBUCKS ROAST™ SPECTRUM

Our coffees are classified by three roast profiles, so you can easily find the flavour and intensity that’s perfect for you.

Lighter-bodied and mellow, Starbucks® Blonde Roast coffees awaken the senses gently and deliver an approachable and flavourful cup with slight hints of roast.

Smooth and balanced, our medium-roasted coffees are perfect for every coffee break.

Fuller-bodied and bold, these coffees feature robust flavours and the characteristic essence of an intense roast.

How To Brew

You might be surprised at how the different brewing methods we use at Starbucks can enhance characteristics in your coffee. Let our expertise help you unlock its full potential – for the perfect cup every time.

Coffee Press

Brewing with a coffee press retains the precious natural oils that paper filters absorb, and extracts the coffee’s full flavour while giving it a consistency that’s thick and rich.

  1. Grind and measure
    Remember, coffee is like produce. Buy it often in small quantities to enjoy it at the peak of freshness.
  2. Add hot water
    To give your coffee the best possible flavour, use filtered or bottled water.
  3. Place plunger and brew
    Put the plunger back on the press without pushing it down, and let the coffee brew for 4 minutes.
  4. Press and pour
    Gently push down the plunger until it reaches the bottom of the press, and enjoy.

Pour-over

Pour-over is a beautifully simple and accessible way to brew a single cup of coffee with clean, fully developed flavour and body.

  1. Measure and boil
    Measure as much water as you’re going to use to brew, plus a little extra for rinsing the filter, and bring it to a boil.
  2. Pre-moisten filter
    Briefly rinse the paper filter with hot water, and discard the rinse water. This will give your coffee the purest flavour possible.
  3. Measure and grind
    Next, measure your coffee. For pour-over, use coffee ground for a paper cone. It’s a relatively fine grind that looks like granulated sugar. Measure 2 tablespoons of coffee per 6 ounces of water.
  4. Pour and pause
    Use hot water that’s just off the boil and fill the cone halfway to saturate the grounds. Pause for 10 seconds and let the coffee bloom. This allows the coffee to hydrate evenly and begin to develop flavour.
  5. Complete the pour and enjoy
    To make your pour-over more consistent, use a timer. It should take about 3 minutes to make a cup.

Iced Pour-Over

Iced pour-over is a simple and approachable way to make rich, full-flavoured iced coffee one pitcher at a time.

  1. Pre-moisten filter
    Briefly rinse the paper filter with hot water, and discard the rinse water. This will give your coffee the purest flavour possible.
  2. Choose the right grind
    For pour-over, use coffee ground for a paper cone. It’s a relatively fine grind that looks like granulated sugar.
  3. Measure
    Iced pour-over is brewed at double strength and diluted with ice, so measure 4 tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of hot water.
  4. Pour and pause
    Use hot water that’s just off the boil and fill the cone halfway to saturate the grounds. Pause for 10 seconds and let the coffee bloom. This lets it hydrate evenly and begin to develop flavour.
  5. Complete the pour
    Slowly add the rest of the water, pouring in small, steady circles to cover all the grounds.
  6. Add ice
    African coffees are popular for iced pour-over because of their superb juicy body, and tangy, sparkling citrus notes.

Coffee Brewer

Drip coffee is a convenient way to make great coffee. With the right grind and pure water, you can brew a fantastic cup of coffee in a coffee brewer.

  1. Choose the right grind
    For a flat bottom filter, use a medium grind that resembles sea salt. Cone filters use a finer grind that resembles granulated sugar.
  2. Measure
    Use 2 tablespoons of freshly ground coffee for every 6 ounces of water.
  3. Brew and enjoy
    Brewed coffee is always best fresh, so make as much as you’ll enjoy in a sitting. Reheating coffee can dull the flavour.