Starbucks Marketing Case Study

4450 Words18 Pages
Abstract Starbucks is one of the world’s most powerful and recognizable brands. Since its creation in 1987, Starbucks has managed to revolutionize the coffeehouse industry by marketing expensive, high quality coffee. However, while the company faced significant growth in the early 2000s, Starbucks has recently started experiencing difficulties, as some of its stores face saturation both in the domestic and in the international market. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the reasons that have led to these problems; to identify the key factors that distinguish the company as an international giant, as well as to explore different options that could be undertaken in order for the company to further establish its position as a leader in the coffee industry. Introduction Starbucks is a Seattle based company that has grown to an international leader, operating in over 50 countries with 17,651 stores worldwide (Starbucks, 2012). Starbucks has been able to gain such a large share of the market by catering specifically to a well-defined target audience and by offering unique experience. The history of Starbucks and its expansion is a model for other businesses to look up to. From only one store more than 30 years ago in Seattle to its still growing empire today with thousands of outlets in the United States and in foreign countries, the Starbucks Coffee Company is without a doubt a well-known success story all over the world. Starbucks sells whole bean coffee, a variety of cold blended beverages, freshly brewed coffee, premium teas, various food and pastry items, beverage related equipment and accessories, as well as a line of CDs. The growth and success of Starbucks Starbucks owns nearly one-third of America’s coffee bars. Almost all of

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