When someone hears the word instant coffee, their mind immediately drifts to Starbucks. Coffee lovers have the brand engrained in their minds. It was founded by Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bower, and Zev Siegl in 1971. Starbucks opened its first shop near Historic Pike Place in Seattle. Today, it will have an estimated 35,711 stores by 2023. But do you know everything about the company? In this blog, we will tell you some astonishing facts about the history of Starbucks that you probably did not know.
1. Starbucks Was Starbuck Originally
It’s true – Baldwin, Bowker, and Siegl were influenced by Herman Melville’s Moby Dick when they were naming their company. They initially considered naming it Pequod (after the ship in the book) or Cargo House. However, their brand consultant came across an old map from the 1800s that featured a mining town called Starbos. He was inspired to propose the name Starbucks, which came from Starbucks, the initial mate of the Pequod. This naming decision was a significant moment in the history of Starbucks
2. Howard Schultz Popularized Starbucks
Starbucks started with just four stores in the US, but it wasn’t until Schultz joined the company in 1982 that it became a global brand. In 1983, he traveled to Milan for an International Housewares show and came back inspired with a vision to make Starbucks a national brand. In 1985, Schultz left to establish Il Giornale. Two years later, when there was no progress at Starbucks, the founders decided to sell the company to Schultz. Between 1993 and 2007, Starbucks opened over 100 shops across the country and expanded globally.
3. Starbucks Logo Was a twin-tailed siren.
In 1971, the company designed its first logo, a twin-tailed siren. Sailors were believed to be attracted by Sirens. Similarly, Starbucks aimed to attract customers. The logo was an earthy brown and round shape. By 1987, the logo had been redesigned by Schultz, focusing entirely on the siren. In 1992, the emblem zoomed in on the siren, and only her upper half was visible. The round shape was still there. By 2011, They had modified the siren’s facial features to be more symmetrical and painted it green.
4. The First Latte Was Introduced 13 Years After Its Foundation
Thanks to Howard Schultz, Starbucks introduced its first Latte 13 years later, in 1971. In 1983, Howard Schultz was fascinated by the Italian coffee culture. He found himself immersed in an Italian cafe. That’s when Schultz learned about the cafe latte. Later, when he returned, he wanted to include the item in the menu list as he thought it would give the impression that Starbucks was embracing international culture. Howard convinced the founders to test the coffeehouse concept in Seattle, where the first Latte had been served. Luckily, he succeeded. This was a positive step in the history of Starbucks.
5. The Frappuccino was introduced to Starbucks in 1995
In 1994, PepsiCo and Starbucks formed the North American Coffee Partnership. Pepsi and Starbucks established a joint venture to distribute ready-to-drink products under the Starbucks brand through Pepsi’s global network. The Frappuccino was the joint venture’s first product. The Frappuccino made its grand entry in 1995 at Starbucks. Starbucks added it to the menu in 1996 and began selling its bottled versions in stores. In 1998, the drinks became available in grocery stores.
6. Starbucks Has Its Own Musical Album
Starbucks’ first own musical album was an iconic moment. In 2004, Starbucks partnered with Concord Records to market and co-produce an album with the legendary Ray Charles. Legendary guest artists, including Norah Jones, Diana Krall, James Taylor, and Elton John, were paired with Charles. The album was so famous that it won several awards, including Grammy Awards, Album of The Year, and Record of The Year. It was certified multi-Platinum with worldwide sales of 5 million plus copies.
7. The 1971 Apron System Still Exists
Did you know Starbucks makes different colored aprons and embroidery aprons that symbolize different meanings? Since 1971, this concept has been followed. Some of them are as follows:
- American Flag Embroidered Apron: This apron was to celebrate army veterans and their spouses.
- Black Apron: Designed for people who have been certified for their knowledge of coffee. They are also known as coffee masters.
- Red Apron: These aprons exist to signify the holiday season.
- Starbucks Reserve and Roastery Aprons: These aprons are a token of appreciation for the Roastery partners, unharmed by the labor and care needed to roast coffee.
- Motorboard Embroided Aprons: These aprons are worn by employees whose tuition costs have been 100% covered by the company.
- Blue Aprons: for happy hours, to signify discounts or sales.
- Purple: For barista champions.
8. The Starbucks Chain Has Banned Employees From Using Scents in Every Store
Starbucks bans perfumes, deodorants, colognes, and other scents because they affect the taste and aroma of coffee. Authorities have forbidden smoking since the 1980s. According to the 56 dress code, “perfume, cologne, lotion, deodorants, shaving cream, or highly fragrant powders are not allowed as they affect the taste and aroma of the coffee.” They have also refused to sell chemically flavored coffee beans. Strong-smelling goods such as these are also off the menu. The only smell allowed is coffee.
9. Chantico Was An Untold Flop
In 2005, Starbucks released a new menu item called Chantico. It retailed between $2.65 and $2.95. They presented the product as a drinkable dessert. The coffee was to mimic European hot chocolate. While many people loved the product, many more did not. The reason for the product’s failure was that it could not replicate European hot chocolate. Others claim it was cumbersome, i.e., too rich and creamy. After this, Starbucks removed the product from the menu list in 2006.
10. Starbucks Was Sued Twice in 2016
In 2016, two citizens of North Carolina accused Starbucks of serving low-quantity lattes. They claimed that baristas were instructed to underfill lattes to save money. Additionally, a Chicago woman filed a lawsuit claiming she was served too much ice and too little caffeine. However, the judge dismissed these cases due to a lack of evidence. Starbucks won both cases. This was a massive setback in the history of Starbucks. Recently Starbucks has had up to 500+ lawsuits.
11. Each Starbucks Cup Has a Different Meaning
The espresso drinks at Starbucks had Italian names. Schultz’s trip to Italy inspired these names. He thought of using Italian words to identify the size of the cups. Each size-Tall, grande, Venti, etc.- represents a size in ounces. Demi is 3oz, the smallest drink size available on the chain. Short is 8 oz, Tall is 12 oz, and the difference between a Tall drink and a Short one is 4 ounces, Grande is 16 oz, and a Starbucks Grande essentially falls right in the middle., Venti is 20 oz, and Trenta is 30 oz, only available for iced drinks.
In conclusion, Starbucks has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1971. From a small coffee shop in Seattle to a global coffee giant with over 30,000 stores in over 80 countries, Starbucks has become synonymous with coffee. Throughout the history of Starbucks, it has faced many challenges on its path to success, but it continues to be one of the best-selling coffee brands in the world. We hope that you have gained a lot of valuable knowledge about Starbucks through this blog. For more such content, keep reading The USA Leaders.
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