Good morning. As Starbucks tries to evoke nostalgia for its brand, the company is undergoing a major restructuring, including corporate layoffs and costly changes as part of its turnaround plan. This move highlights the importance for companies to stay focused on what customers love, or risk losing ground to competitors.
The Starbucks board approved a $1 billion restructuring plan this week that will close underperforming coffeehouses and reshape its corporate support organization under the “Back to Starbucks” strategy, according to an SEC filing. About 90% of these expenses will come from its North American business, and most costs will hit in fiscal 2025.
The plan includes closing at least 100 North American cafes and remodeling over 1,000 locations. Starbucks expects its company-operated store count in North America to decline by about 1%, according to a letter from CEO Brian Niccol to employees on Sept. 25. The company had 18,734 stores as of June 29.
Starbucks will eliminate about 900 non-retail partner roles and many open positions. Affected employees will be notified on Sept. 26 and offered severance and support packages, including extended benefits.
The company’s goal is to put resources “closest to the customer so we can create great coffeehouses, offer world-class customer service, and grow the business,” Niccol wrote. Starbucks is pivoting from mobile-only “pickup” stores, which it thought would appeal to customers, especially younger generations. There’s now an effort to recreate a “third place”—a location between home and work to spend time, which once fueled Starbucks’ popularity.
