Taking its name from a character of the book Moby Dick, Starbucks specializes in coffee retailing. It is currently the most important chain in the coffee industry.
When Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, an English teacher, Zev Siegel, a history teacher, and the writer Gordon Bowker, it was a business specialized in coffee.
In 1987, the founders sold their company to Howard Schultz, who named it Starbucks Corporation. The firm became international by opening and buying stores in many countries. As a proof of being a leader in its market, Starbucks Corporation is quoted on the Stock Exchange.
The main activity of Starbucks is to manage coffee shops. However, Starbucks Corporation also develops its own brand in a roasting activity.
The turnover of the firm is, according to Datamonitor, $9,411.5 million in the financial year ended 2007.
[...] Source: Datamonitor, Starbucks Corporation Company Profile, published on November 3rd 2008 [online] In France, there is a crisis in the catering sector which benefits to the fast-food industry. Indeed the latter has known a growth of between August 2007 and August 2008. Source: La restauration touchée par la crise, Agroalimentaire News [online] Threats The market of coffee stores is growing; the concept attracts more and more competitors. The US market, where Starbucks realizes the most of its turnover, is saturated. [...]
[...] Indeed, according to Philip Sanchez, director of the French subsidiary, they might develop a concept of catering without being a fast food, and a concept around relaxation around tea and well-being. The firm targets to bring the number of Starbucks stores to 200 in France, from the current 46. Source: Starbucks to step up development in France, French News Digest [online] and Les Echos [online] Swot analysis Strengths Starbucks is the market leader in the sector of coffee shops; its financial performance is robust. The increase was especially due to the opening of new stores and comparable store sales growth. [...]
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