Food & Drink | DESSERT WATCH Oct 19, 2019
Don't dread the red of Starbucks's new Halloween Masquerade Party lineup
by Patrick St. Michel
Starbucks Coffee Japan's new trio of treats brings the Halloween spirit with blood-red berries.
Asia Pacific Sep 30, 2019
Starbucks has emerged as the latest brand to fall foul of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters after a family member of the local restaurant chain that owns the local franchise spoke out against demonstrators. Multiple branches were covered with graffiti over the weekend as the city ...
Business / Corporate Jun 26, 2019
Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd. said Tuesday that it will start a new service to allow customers to order and pay through its smartphone app without waiting in line. The service, called Mobile Order & Pay, started at its 56 stores in Tokyo on Wednesday. Starbucks aims ...
Food & Drink | THE HIGH GROUNDS Mar 9, 2019
Starbucks' Reserve Roastery Tokyo is a 'coffee wonderland'
by Claire Williamson
Starbucks' 3,000-square-meter Reserve Roastery Tokyo goes above and beyond in embracing local Japanese design and aesthetics, not to mention an unwavering commitment to coffee.
Business / Corporate Feb 27, 2019
Starbucks Corp. said Wednesday it is opening a four-story, high-end roastery in central Tokyo featuring a bar and lounge, its fifth such outlet worldwide. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo is set to open Thursday in the capital's trendy Nakameguro district. Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, well-known ...
Business Jan 29, 2019
At Starbucks, Howard Schultz pushed envelope on social issues but also shows signs of 'red' leanings
In building Starbucks into a global behemoth, Howard Schultz has embraced a range of difficult, occasionally polarizing social debates that companies often try to dodge. The former Starbucks chief executive, who is weighing a run for U.S. president as an independent, has been unwavering in ...
Business Jan 25, 2019
Local upstart Luckin Coffee takes on U.S. rival Starbucks in China
When Starbucks came to China two decades ago, it promised to open a new store every 15 hours. Now a homegrown rival, Luckin Coffee, plans to build a high-tech shop every 3½ hours to dethrone the U.S. giant. The Chinese upstart is burning through millions ...
Food & Drink | DESSERT WATCH Jan 12, 2019
Simplicity rules in Starbucks' seasonal sesame creations
by Patrick St. Michel
Starbucks Japan's "Japan Wonder Project" offers a nice snapshot of the nation's soft-power campaigns in general. This campaign, which has been going on for over a year now, celebrates Japanese flavors. The range is mostly consumed, though, by Japanese people, already familiar with the ...
Business Nov 12, 2018
Analysis of 100 major firms shows most are failing to pass U.N. human rights test
Most big companies operating in sectors at high risk of labor abuses are failing to meet human rights standards set by the United Nations, according to an analysis of 100 major companies published Monday. From tackling child labor to ensuring equal treatment for women, U.N. ...
Business / Corporate Nov 8, 2018
Starbucks to speed up digital services roll-out, CEO says during visit to Japan
by Kazuaki Nagata
Starbucks plans to accelerate the roll out of digital services in Japan by introducing preorders and deliveries via smartphones, as well as cashless payments, visiting CEO Kevin Johnson said Thursday. "If you think about consumer behavior today globally, the mobile internet and the explosion of ...
Business Jul 24, 2018
China's caffeine war: Fast-growing Luckin brews up a threat to Starbucks
by Pei Li and Adam Jourdan
Qian Zhiya may be Starbucks' worst nightmare. The 42-year-old Chinese entrepreneur says she is betting that her fledgling Luckin Coffee brand will eventually have more cafes in China than Starbucks, and she has Singapore's sovereign wealth fund and other investors bankrolling her plan. Luckin, which only ...
Business Jul 11, 2018
American Airlines to go bamboo, eliminate plastic straws from cabins and lounges
American Airlines on Tuesday said it plans to no longer offer plastic straws and stir sticks in its lounges and onboard its flights, amid a broader global push to abandon one-time use plastics. Starting this month, American said drinks in its airport lounges will no ...