Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Says Brian Niccol’s Back-to-Basics Plan Will Fix Slumping Sales At The Coffee Giant – CoffeeTalk

Brian Niccol, the new CEO of Starbucks, has been backed by Howard Schultz, the former CEO and chairman emeritus. Schultz, known as the “Ray Kroc of his generation,” has been instrumental in the company’s rapid expansion. He first became CEO in 1986 and then left in 2000. In 2022, he returned as interim CEO. During his tenure, Starbucks grew from 11 stores to 35,000 locations worldwide.

However, Starbucks continues to struggle to attract customers, with traffic declining across all distribution channels and revenue down 3% from the prior year. The company’s stock is down over 3% compared to last year. Niccol’s plan is to return to Starbucks’ core identity and consistently deliver a great experience, introducing a condiment bar and a Sharpie era where baristas hand-wrote customer names on iconic white and green cups.

Despite Schultz’s two previous stints as CEO, he has told Fortune that he will not reprise his role again. Niccol’s new back-to-basics strategy has earned the support of Schultz, who has always been available to offer advice or guidance.

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