Starbucks Evolving with Consumers

Every food retailer in the world should spend more time studying the history of Starbucks. Founded 47 years ago Starbucks is a perennial food industry leader when it comes to year over year same store sales, unit growth.  Regular reader of this blog know that Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® has on three different years named Howard Schultz food merchant of the year. 

Schultz cultivated a culture of intense customer focus, product innovation, and employee respect, platform that today under the current CEO Kevin Johnson continues. Recently Starbucks in acknowledging consumer migration to the grocerant niche announced to combat a seismic shift in the retail environment it would shift its focus as well.

Starbucks said its plans to expand digital relationships with customers, add more stores in China, and introduce premium experiences through its Reserve cafes and food program.  “We’ve got to push for reinvention and innovation,” CEO Kevin Johnson said.  Yes, 47 years in business and reinvention and innovation.  We what is your company doing to continue to evolve with consumers?

Starbucks executives said mobile devices have become the biggest technological disruptors in the industry, and that the chain needs to pounce on consumer demand for speed and convenience. Roz Brewer Starbucks COO and group president stated  “The growth of mobile order and pay has transformed how we run our stores,” “We want to serve the customers in the many ways that they want to interact with us.”

At Starbucks currently, more than 30 percent of all transactions in the U.S. are paid using a mobile app.  “We want to reach millions of more customers digitally,” Johnson stated.  Today your nearest location to any customer is in the palm of the consumer’s hand. 

Millennials are in a constant quest to discover new foods and hand held food for immediate consummation it at the top of that list according to our Grocerant Guru® and Starbucks is going to assist millennials discover new food at Starbucks by focusing on food innovation. In fact Starbucks pledged to dedicate resources to improve and expand popular menu programs. Specifically, the company said it would double its food business by 2021. 

After 47 years of success Starbucks platform looks as if it will continue to lead the foodservice industry for many more year.   Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.