Abstract
Found in 1971, Starbucks Corporation is the leader in the coffee shops industry, with a turnover of $9,411.5 million in 2007 (source: Datamonitor). Its main activity is to manage coffee shops (85% of its turnover) and to sell licenses (10,9%), but Starbucks has also diversified its activity (4,1%) by selling new products (food, machines, tools…), buying subsidiaries in the catering sector (Tazo Tea Company, Seattle's best coffee), selling its products out of coffee shops (airlines, hotels, outlets…) and even has an activity out of the coffee sector with Hear Music, its record label.
Since 1987, Howard Schultz, who is the current CEO, has owned the company. With him at the head of the firm, it became international. Nowadays, even if its main market is clearly in the USA, Starbucks is known worldwide, having more than 8500 coffee shops under its name and more than 6500 licensed shops.
