Things you probably didn't know about Starbucks

From boutique bean shop to coffee emporium

The king of coffee shops, Starbucks is the second biggest fast food chain in the world, with over 38,000 global locations. But although there are now almost as many Starbucks outlets as there are McDonald's restaurants, there was once a time when that famous green logo wasn't ubiquitous, and the start of autumn wasn’t signified by the arrival of pumpkin spice lattes. Founded in 1971 by three university friends, Starbucks started out as an unassuming coffee bean shop in Seattle. So how did that single spot grow into a global empire?

Read on to discover how Starbucks conquered the world – and learn some fascinating facts about the company along the way.

The original Starbucks

You can still visit the first-ever Starbucks shop, opened on the cobblestone streets of Pike Place in Seattle by writer Gordon Bowker and teachers Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegl, who had met at university. Full of character though it may be, the original spot is rather different from the sleek shops we’ve come to associate with the coffee giant, being just 1,000 square feet (93sqm), and with a lack of tables and chairs. However, that doesn’t stop coffee aficionados queuing out the door to throw back a short black at the extra tall espresso bar where it all began.

What’s in a name?

So how did Starbucks get its name in the first place? In an interview with The Seattle Times newspaper, Gordon Bowker explained that it all started when his colleague, Terry Heckler – with whom Gordon owned an advertising agency – suggested words beginning with 'st' were powerful. While looking at a map, Gordon came across Starbo, an old mining town near Mount Rainier, and remembered that the first mate in Herman Melville's famous novel about the white whale was named Starbuck. Gordon explained: “[The novel] didn’t have anything to do with Starbucks directly; it was only coincidental that the sound seemed to make sense.”

An alluring logo

Starbucks' mermaid logo represents the seductive nature of the sea – an ode to the chain's first seaport location. The idea was to lure in customers by playing on coffee's addictive qualities; after all, who could resist a mermaid's tempting siren call? The original logo (pictured) was a little racier, with a topless mermaid, but as the years went by the famous siren grew some flowing hair to cover her assets. Her makeover also included a colour change, from brown to green.

The man who changed it all

In 1982, Howard Schultz became Starbucks' retail operations and marketing director – though he made his biggest impact after leaving the company, in 1985. Disappointed with Starbucks' reluctance to focus on espresso drinks, and inspired by time in Italy visiting Milan's espresso bars, he quit to open his own café, Il Giornale, in downtown Seattle. Brewing coffee with Starbucks' beans, it grew to three locations. Then, in a juicy plot twist, Howard bought Starbucks from the co-founders in 1987, acquiring its six stores (all in Seattle) and adopting the name for his Il Giornale cafés.

Going global

Howard also changed the company's name to Starbucks Corporation and shifted the focus to selling brewed espresso coffees. Business was booming, so he soon decided to take his lattes further north, opening the first Starbucks outside the USA in Vancouver, Canada. The brand would soon expand worldwide. Today, Starbucks has more than 38,000 stores in 80 countries.

Confusing cup sizes

Howard Schultz was so enamoured with Italian café culture after his trip to Milan that he decided to use Italian words to denote Starbucks' coffee cup sizes – though the names often confuse those unfamiliar with the system. He sold drinks in the following sizes: the 8oz (237ml) short, 12oz (355ml) tall, 16oz (473ml) grande and 20oz (591ml) venti. The huge trenta debuted in 2011 for iced drinks only. Its 31oz (917ml) capacity is ever-so-slightly larger than that of the average adult human stomach, making it understandably, controversial.

What's in an apron?

These days, green aprons are worn by Starbucks baristas the world over – except at Christmas, when red takes a festive leading role. Introduced in 1990, black aprons are much rarer, and are worn by specially trained baristas known as Coffee Masters. Purple aprons are rarer still, worn only by World Barista Champions. Every year, only 26 baristas from around the world are deemed skilled enough to win one of these awards.

Embroidered editions

There are a few special embroidered Starbucks aprons too. Aprons emblazoned with an American flag celebrate veterans and military spouses, and graduates of Starbucks College Achievement Plan wear aprons with a mortarboard design. Meanwhile, baristas at Starbucks Signing Stores, which provide employment opportunities for the deaf and hard of hearing, wear aprons featuring the company name in sign language (pictured).

Best served cold

The Frappuccino, one of Starbucks’ most popular drinks, debuted in 1995. Shortly after, the coffee giant introduced bottled versions to its cafés, and in 1996 they were rolled out to grocery stores. Over the years, seasonal Frappuccinos have become a staple on Starbucks menus around the world.

Memento mugs

Besides selling billions in coffee, Starbucks has also nailed the memorabilia market with its signature mugs, launched in 1994. From designs portraying the cities and countries where Starbucks shops can be found to special seasonal editions, they've become collectable items worldwide. These days, the limited-edition reusable tumblers are also much in demand; there are some collectors willing to pay big bucks to call them their own.

One on every corner

People often say that there's a Starbucks on every street corner, and it's not far from the truth – the number of worldwide stores has doubled in the past decade alone. The joke was immortalised in a famous 1998 episode of cult US television show The Simpsons; at the mall, Bart Simpson sees row upon row of shops transformed into Starbucks before his eyes.

Falling flat in Australia

Starbucks landed in Australia, a nation of coffee drinkers, in 2000. Yet, surprisingly, the company racked up huge losses during its first few years on Australian soil, failing to make an impression on the country's already well-established coffee culture. The fact that its stores neglected to serve the flat white, Australia’s signature drink, was the final nail in the coffin, and 61 out of 87 original stores went bust. The remaining shops have survived thanks to Australia’s buzzing tourism industry, but the chain still isn't a favourite with locals.

Spicing it up

Starbucks’ seasonal creations are a huge part of the company's success, and customers wait all year to get their hands on its limited-edition offerings. While the Eggnog Latte was the chain's first ever holiday creation, launching in 1986, it wasn't until the brand released its second, the Peppermint Mocha, in 2002 that these styles started garnering attention. The biggest success came a year later, with the dawn of Pumpkin Spice Latte (or PSL) season. While Starbucks didn't invent pumpkin spice, the chain did help it go viral, prompting an annual pumpkin craze that many other brands have since tried to emulate.

The 'It Girl' drink

Also key to Starbucks’ long-standing appeal is its clever product placement – paid for or not. Its white and green cups are easily recognisable and are synonymous with successful 'It Girls' both in the movies and on TV. Who could forget Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs, dashing through Manhattan while carrying a tray of Starbucks, in 2006 movie The Devil Wears Prada? The cups have also made cameo appearances in Sex and the City, The Office, 13 Going on 30 and even Shrek.

To tea, or not to tea?

In 2012, Starbucks acquired tea company Teavana in a bid to expand its hot drink offering. With locations in the US, Canada, Mexico and the Middle East, the sister company even released Oprah Chai Tea, a collaboration with TV personality Oprah Winfrey, in 2014. However, the success of Teavana stores was short-lived and in 2017, Starbucks announced it was closing them for good. You can, however, still find some Teavana products in Starbucks cafés.

Coffee with a view

Hacienda Alsacia is Starbucks’ first and only company-operated coffee farm, set over 240 sprawling hectares on the slopes of Costa Rica's Poás Volcano. Purchased in 2013, the farm is the headquarters of Starbucks' Costa Rica Farmer Support Center and global research and development team – and it's also home to one of the most stunning Starbucks stores in the world (pictured). Hacienda Alsacia has developed a new academic programme in partnership with Arizona State University, with hands-on and virtual learning opportunities for Starbucks employees, students, researchers and industry leaders.

Fancier coffee shops

In 2014, Starbucks went premium, opening the first of its fancy Starbucks Reserve cafés. Almost a decade later, there are Starbucks Reserve outposts in the US, China, Japan and Italy, all of which come complete with a selection of rare coffees, specially trained baristas, unique menu items and coffee-based drinks. Signature experiences are now offered, too, such as coffee tastings and mixology classes.

A deeper dive into the Starbucks cup

The first-ever Starbucks Reserve Roastery opened its doors in Seattle in December 2014, just nine blocks from Starbucks' original Pike Place store. Not unlike a coffee museum, it delivers an immersive experience that demonstrates Starbucks' coffee's bean-to-cup journey. There are now nine state-of-the-art locations globally, each featuring a unique menu that celebrates the beans that are roasted on site.

Empire State of mind

If you need further proof of Starbucks Reserve's swanky credentials, just check out New York's iconic Empire State Building location. The three-floor store – which opened in 2022 – offers immersive coffee experiences, craft coffee tastings, food and drinks, shopping opportunities, group workshops and more.

Can I get a name?

Starbucks started the trend of asking for customers' names when ordering, writing them out on the cups alongside personalised messages. However, its baristas are famed for misspelling names – which has led to a few theories. In 2014, a comedy video titled Why Starbucks Spells Your Name Wrong was posted on YouTube by an employee named Gale, who confirmed that he deliberately misspelt names to confuse customers. Then, a Starbucks assistant manager revealed in an interview with Cosmopolitan magazine that the misspelling of names is simply a marketing tool; people (including celebrities like Reese Witherspoon, pictured) post their incorrectly labelled cups on social media, boosting brand exposure.

Coffee-loving spies like us

Not only is there a Starbucks on every street corner, but there's also one within the CIA's Langley campus. 'Stealthy Starbucks', as it’s known, requires its baristas to undergo intense background checks. No names are ever given out on the premises to protect agents' identities – while also, as a bonus, saving them from the irritation of having their names misspelt or mispronounced.

All aboard the Starbucks Express

Starbucks opened its first café on a train in partnership with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), in 2013. The two-level train travelled across Switzerland, providing up to 50 passengers with a lounge-like experience – and plenty of Starbucks coffee. However, it must not have run as smoothly as the company hoped; the train has since disappeared, and references to it are scarce.

Status symbols

In 2013, Starbucks issued 1,000 limited-edition rose gold gift cards, which sold for $450 (£350) each. Made from shiny metal, the cards came pre-loaded with $400 (£311) and automatically granted their owners Gold Level Starbucks membership status. As eye-poppingly expensive as the cards were, they sold out in seconds, with some later turning up on eBay for as much as $1,000 (£778).

Worth their weight in gold (and coffee)

Blowing even 2013's rose gold gift cards out of the water, in late 2014, Starbucks created 14 limited-edition gold cards made from 10-carat hammered gold, worth an estimated $5,000 (£3,890) each. Aside from looking pretty, the fancy cards – offered as prizes via an in-store competition – entitled their owners to free Starbucks for life.

From beans to the bank

Starbucks' virtual loyalty programme, Starbucks Rewards, is so successful that more than 30 million customers use it to purchase their drinks, depositing money into their virtual cards. In 2016, it was reported that Starbucks’ virtual cards held more cash than 85% of US banks. The Starbucks app operates as a neo-bank, with fewer regulatory restrictions than most institutions.

Expanding to South Africa

The first Starbucks in sub-Saharan Africa opened in 2016, in partnership with South Africa’s Taste Holdings. The plan was to open up to 200 stores, though the partnership ended in November 2019, and the 13 locations that had launched so far were sold. There just wasn't sufficient capital raised to expand any further. Eventually, the franchise’s new owner, Rand Capital Coffee, changed its modus operandi from launching larger stores to opening smaller kiosk-format locations better suited to the market. There are now more than 50 locations across South Africa.

Chasing the unicorn

Launched in 2017, the shocking-pink Unicorn Frappuccino had mixed success, to say the least. It was made with mango syrup, layered with sour blue powder, then topped with whipped cream and pink and blue sugar sprinkles. Designed for Instagram fame, it went down a storm on social media. Unfortunately, it also led to legal action; coffee shop The End Brooklyn sued Starbucks for trademark infringement, claiming that it had created the drink first. The case was dismissed, but the drink was removed from Starbucks' menu.

Knowledge is power

In a bid to provide its baristas with a broader education, Starbucks opened its Global Academy in 2019. The online platform is available in over 80 countries, with more than 400,000 enrolments to date. The academy focuses on all facets of the bean-to-cup journey, exploring the topics of origin and ethical sourcing, roasting, blending, brewing and crafting.

WFH, Starbucks-style

What makes Starbucks so appealing? Beyond the coffee, the company has succeeded at making its spaces very much suitable for work, at a time when many people are now working remotely. Every shop offers reliable Wi-Fi, as well as plug and USB sockets. In addition, all Starbucks outlets have a mix of comfy chairs, lounging couches, co-working areas and round tables.

The secret to success? Happy employees

The secret to any successful business is treating staff fairly, and the coffee chain is known for its good work culture. Having received many accolades for its tip-top working conditions, Starbucks is renowned for providing its employees with excellent benefits, such as dental and health coverage, retirement saving plans, parental leave, tuition coverage and stocks and discounts, amongst other perks.

New brews

Despite its huge success, Starbucks isn't resting on its laurels, and it continues to innovate. In 2019, it introduced the Nitro Cold Brew, followed by the Shaken Espresso and an instantly popular range of layered cold foams. Then, in early 2023, Starbucks launched Oleato, a selection of coffee drinks infused with Italian olive oil – which apparently gave the beverages a smoother texture and balanced any bitterness.

A drink for everyone

Today, Starbucks offers a whopping 170,000 drink possibilities to its customers – the equivalent of 465 cups a day for a year. The company’s website says there are six standard ways to customise a drink, namely selecting your milk, adding more or less syrup, adding sweetener, asking for less or no whip, making your drink 'skinny' and adding cold foam.

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Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.