Our Company

Our Heritage

Our story begins in 1971 along the cobblestone streets of Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. It was here where Starbucks opened its first store, offering fresh-roasted coffee beans, tea, and spices from around the world for our customers to take home. Our name was inspired by the classic tale, “Moby-Dick,” evoking the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders.

Ten years later, a young New Yorker named Howard Schultz would walk through these doors and become captivated with Starbucks coffee from his first sip. After joining the company in 1982, a different cobblestone road would lead him to another discovery. It was on a trip to Milan in 1983 that Howard first experienced Italy’s coffeehouses, and he returned to Seattle inspired to bring the warmth and artistry of its coffee culture to Starbucks. By 1987, we swapped our brown aprons for green ones and embarked on our next chapter as a coffeehouse.

Starbucks would soon expand to Chicago and Vancouver, Canada, and then on to California, Washington, D.C., and New York. By 1996, we would cross the Pacific to open our first store in Japan, followed by Europe in 1998 and China in 1999. Over the next two decades, we would grow to welcome millions of customers each week and become a part of the fabric of tens of thousands of neighborhoods all around the world. In everything we do, we are always dedicated to Our Mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.

Let's talk coffee

Whether you're searching for something new to warm your mug, seeking the best brew method for your favorite blend or exploring our rarest offerings, you’ve come to the right place.

Find your favorite at-home coffee
From K-Cup® Pods to Starbucks VIA® packets to our packaged coffee, we’ve compiled a wide selection of blends and beans to fill your cup. Browse our coffee.

Still undecided? Our coffee masters have created a simple three-question quiz to help you find a Starbucks® coffee you’re sure to love. Take our coffee quiz

The rarest, most extraordinary coffees Starbucks has to offer
Exceptional coffees from around the world. Sourced for the season, roasted at Starbucks Reserve® Roasteries, and crafted with care.

Explore Starbucks Reserve.

How to brew
Whether you’re a coffee novice or a seasoned pro, we have all the tools you need to bring your brewing game to the next level.

Learn to brew your perfect cup.