Latest news with #GlobalBaristaChampionship
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Starbucks names first global barista championship winner
"She smiled and said, 'Well done, so far. I'm so proud of you,'" he said. "That coffee wasn't perfect, but it was the best cup I've ever had. Why? Because it made me feel warm. Even after I drank it, something stayed with me." That experience influenced Shimode's performance at Starbucks' inaugural Global Barista Championship, a three-day competition in Las Vegas where 12 employees from around the world showed off their skills in latte art, storytelling and more for the chance to be crowned champion. Shimode said he wanted to create a coffee that gives his customers the same warm feeling he found in his mother's coffee. Shimode, who was named global champion on June 11, had just eight minutes during the final competition to craft two lattes topped with art, pour four cups of coffee from a French press and craft his signature beverage for a panel of judges. All the while, a crowd of roughly 14,000 cheered him on, including more than a dozen friends, family members and co-workers waving a banner and customized signs. Shimode's said his signature drink - the Blooming Yuzu Espresso - is a "very refreshing beverage" with citrus notes and a long, sweet aftertaste, perfect for both coffee lovers and coffee-averse customers. "(It's) a drink that makes people say, 'I would love to have that again," he said. As global champion, Shimode will have the opportunity to co-create a beverage to be sold at Starbucks stores across North America "in the near future," according to the company's website. Shimode and the 11 other baristas were narrowed down from 84,000 employees who competed in regional competitions, with one representative for each of the company's six regions (North America, China, Japan, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and each Reserve Roastery location (Seattle, Chicago, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Milan). The baristas faced a number of challenges throughout the event, such as making the perfect latte art tulip or guessing the correct coffee roast based on taste and smell alone, with contestants noting flavors like a "rich molasses and caramel" or "hints of nuts and dried fruit" after each slurp. A number of competitors told USA TODAY the blind tasting was their most challenging test, including Chico Gu from the Reserve Roastery in Shanghai. Gu said it took a while to mail the six microblends in the competition to China, and he had just two weeks to memorize each flavor. "I spent a lot of time preparing for this competition," Gu said through a translator. "This is a milestone, and also I think a highlight of my life, talking from the moment I was born to now." Ivan Diana, representing the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan, said he trained at least three times a week for two hours in the months leading up to the competition, practicing latte art and store rush challenges. Cali Hegeman from the Chicago Reserve Roastery trained at least four hours each week and dyed her hair a deep red to match her signature drink, a layered drink with espresso and cold milk called the Undertow. Hegeman's creation, which was inspired by cherry pie flavors, was dubbed the "Fun-dertow." Shimode, who was married in April, pushed back his honeymoon to give himself time to prepare for the competition. He also spent three months avoiding spicy curries - his favorite food - to cleanse his palate for the blind taste test. "That was the biggest challenge for me," along with writing his script in English, Shimode told USA TODAY through a translator. Starbucks hiring content creators: Starbucks job offering up to six figures to travel, drink coffee Now, as the first global barista championship winner, Shimode will have plenty of opportunity to catch up on travel. His grand prize as the winner includes a trip to all six Starbucks Roastery Reserves. Shimode said he's most looking forward to visiting Milan. But first, he plans to return to his store in Japan. "I want to go back to my store and work with my colleagues at my store as soon as possible," he said. "Being away from them for three months, I should have given them more support and helped them a lot more. But it was me who was supported by them." (This story was updated to include video.)
USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
Starbucks CEO pushes 'Green Apron' service changes to all North American stores by summer
Starbucks CEO pushes 'Green Apron' service changes to all North American stores by summer Show Caption Hide Caption See the winner of Starbucks' first-ever barista championship Starbucks hosted the inaugural Global Barista Championship in Las Vegas featuring baristas from around the world. Starbucks SBUX.O CEO Brian Niccol told Reuters on Tuesday that he would accelerate the rollout of the coffeehouse chain's new staffing and service model, aiming for all North American stores by summer's end, rather than the initial plan for just a third of U.S. stores by fiscal year-end. The plan applies to the more than 11,000 company-owned stores in North America, rather than the roughly 18,000 combined company-owned and licensed stores, Starbucks said. Niccol says the model is a foundational element of his turnaround strategy for the company, as he bets on an improved in-store customer experience to reclaim the sales growth that has eluded Starbucks in recent quarters. Niccol said early tests of the model have sped up service times and grown sales, without providing specifics. 'We've learned, and now we know what we need to do, so let's scale it,' he told Reuters at the company's three-day leadership summit in Las Vegas on Tuesday. The Green Apron model includes in-store technology to more efficiently sequence orders, as well as a dedicated barista for drive-through orders. Starbucks rolled out the service changes to 700 stores initially. During the company's April 29 quarterly earnings call, Niccol said it would be introduced in a third of U.S. stores by fiscal year-end. Niccol took over as Starbucks CEO in September with a plan to return the chain to its coffeehouse roots, focusing on the in-store experience and away from a reliance on mobile and to-go orders, in what the company calls "Back to Starbucks.' The goal is to get baristas to get customers their orders in four minutes or less. He did not share any financial figures about the cost of the Green Apron model's deployment, but said the company would host an investor day in 2026. The Las Vegas summit, the company's first since 2019, is hosting more than 14,000 managers and other company leaders. Analysts and investors have wondered how long Niccol will need to turn the company around. Shares have gained 11% over the last five years, compared with an 88% rise in the broad-market S&P 500. TD Cowen recently downgraded its rating of Starbucks to "hold" from "buy", saying in part that it believed Niccol's turnaround would take longer than expected to deliver results. Niccol said the transition will take time. Starbucks has not issued annual guidance, and Niccol told investors in an earnings call earlier this year that earnings-per-share 'shouldn't be used as a measure of our success' at this stage, instead pointing to in-store metrics like average wait times for orders. He said the transition's effect on earnings would be temporary. On Tuesday, he emphasized his goal isn't to achieve short-term performance solely through cost reduction. As Starbucks increases investments in its labor and elsewhere, Niccol said he would be "ruthless" in cutting expenses not related to the company's turnaround. 'We have to be critical of where we're spending if it's not driving toward the Back to Starbucks strategy and growth programs.' Reporting by Waylon Cunningham; Editing by Lisa Shumaker
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Starbucks names global barista champion after latte art, blind tasting challenges
Starbucks names global barista champion after latte art, blind tasting challenges Nobuki Shimode, a Starbucks store manager in Japan, said his favorite cup of coffee was poured by his mother. It was the morning before an important test at school, and Shimode's mother walked into his room with a fresh cup of coffee to get him ready for the day. "She smiled and said, 'Well done, so far. I'm so proud of you,'" he said. "That coffee wasn't perfect, but it was the best cup I've ever had. Why? Because it made me feel warm. Even after I drank it, something stayed with me.' That experience influenced Shimode's performance at Starbucks' inaugural Global Barista Championship, a three-day competition in Las Vegas where 12 employees from around the world showed off their skills in latte art, storytelling and more for the chance to be crowned champion. Shimode said he wanted to create a coffee that gives his customers the same warm feeling he found in his mother's coffee. Shimode, who was named global champion on June 11, had just eight minutes during the final competition to craft two lattes topped with art, pour four cups of coffee from a French press and craft his signature beverage for a panel of judges. All the while, a crowd of roughly 14,000 cheered him on, including more than a dozen friends, family members and co-workers waving a banner and customized signs. Shimode's said his signature drink – the Blooming Yuzu Espresso – is a 'very refreshing beverage' with citrus notes and a long, sweet aftertaste, perfect for both coffee lovers and coffee-averse customers. '(It's) a drink that makes people say, 'I would love to have that again,' he said. As global champion, Shimode will have the opportunity to co-create a beverage to be sold at Starbucks stores across North America 'in the near future,' according to the company's website. Shimode and the 11 other baristas were narrowed down from 84,000 employees who competed in regional competitions, with one representative for each of the company's six regions (North America, China, Japan, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and each Reserve Roastery location (Seattle, Chicago, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Milan). The baristas faced a number of challenges throughout the event, such as making the perfect latte art tulip or guessing the correct coffee roast based on taste and smell alone, with contestants noting flavors like a 'rich molasses and caramel' or 'hints of nuts and dried fruit" after each slurp. A number of competitors told USA TODAY the blind tasting was their most challenging test, including Chico Gu from the Reserve Roastery in Shanghai. Gu said it took a while to mail the six microblends in the competition to China, and he had just two weeks to memorize each flavor. 'I spent a lot of time preparing for this competition," Gu said through a translator. 'This is a milestone, and also I think a highlight of my life, talking from the moment I was born to now.' Ivan Diana, representing the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan, said he trained at least three times a week for two hours in the months leading up to the competition, practicing latte art and store rush challenges. Cali Hegeman from the Chicago Reserve Roastery trained at least four hours each week and dyed her hair a deep red to match her signature drink, a layered drink with espresso and cold milk called the Undertow. Hegeman's creation, which was inspired by cherry pie flavors, was dubbed the 'Fun-dertow.' Shimode, who was married in April, pushed back his honeymoon to give himself time to prepare for the competition. He also spent three months avoiding spicy curries – his favorite food – to cleanse his palate for the blind taste test. 'That was the biggest challenge for me,' along with writing his script in English, Shimode told USA TODAY through a translator. Starbucks hiring content creators: Starbucks job offering up to six figures to travel, drink coffee Now, as the first global barista championship winner, Shimode will have plenty of opportunity to catch up on travel. His grand prize as the winner includes a trip to all six Starbucks Roastery Reserves. Shimode said he's most looking forward to visiting Milan. But first, he plans to return to his store in Japan. "I want to go back to my store and work with my colleagues at my store as soon as possible," he said. "Being away from them for three months, I should have given them more support and helped them a lot more. But it was me who was supported by them."
National Post
4 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Leadership Experience 2025: Starbucks Rallies 14,000 North America Coffeehouse Leaders to Accelerate its 'Back to Starbucks' Strategy
Article content LAS VEGAS — This week, Starbucks is hosting over 14,000 coffeehouse leaders from across North America at Leadership Experience 2025 (LE25) in Las Vegas—its largest leadership gathering ever and the first under chairman and ceo Brian Niccol and coo Mike Grams. Article content 'Getting 'Back to Starbucks' means refocusing on what has always set us apart — a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas,' said Niccol. 'We are bringing together our coffeehouse leaders from across North America to celebrate, empower and equip them to accelerate our transformation. The coffeehouse experience defines the Starbucks brand, and these leaders and their teams bring that experience to life for millions of customers every day.' Article content A New Era of Leadership and Customer Experience Article content LE25 is an important milestone for Starbucks. Over three days, coffeehouse leaders will engage in immersive workshops, connect over new ways of working, hear directly from company leaders, and experience the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Championship, celebrating craft, connection, excellence at its best. Article content The event will accelerate Starbucks turnaround—centered on exceptional service, simplified routines, and deeper customer connections. Leaders will explore new innovations, clearer customer service standards, and a renewed focus on hospitality, including a goal of four-minute wait times – without compromising the warmth and connection that define the Starbucks Experience. Article content 'This isn't just a reset—it's a recommitment to who we are when we are at our best,' said Grams. 'LE25 is our moment to recommit to a culture of hospitality and excellence. We're making progress, have real momentum with our 'Back to Starbucks' plan and are on the right track to turn the business around.' Article content Since launching its Back to Starbucks strategy nine months ago, customers are already feeling the difference, with welcoming spaces, more confident baristas, faster service, and the return of small but meaningful touches like ceramic mugs, handwritten notes on cups, a more consistent dress code, and a much-loved customer favorite: the condiment bar. Article content 'Our turnaround is rooted in listening—to partners and customers—and taking action on what we hear,' added Grams. 'We're listening and testing in the coffeehouse, and then applying our learnings to scale quickly and enhance the customer and partner experience.' Article content Leading with Partners, Winning with Customers Article content Starbucks continues to lead the industry in partner (employee) care, offering industry-leading pay and benefits that average more than $30 per hour for baristas. Benefits for eligible partners include 100% tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor's degree from Arizona State University, up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave, equity in the form of stock, and more. As part of its focus on making Starbucks the best job in retail, the company now also has a goal to hire 90% of retail leaders from within, fostering a culture of growth and opportunity. Article content Since launching Back to Starbucks, Starbucks has seen strong early results: shift completion rates are at record highs, turnover is at a record low—less than half the industry average—and partner engagement scores continue to rise. In a recent internal survey, 84% of U.S. store partners—over 160,000 baristas and coffeehouse leaders—shared their feedback, marking the highest participation rate to date. The results show a strong upward trend in partner engagement, with strong and growing majorities of both coffeehouse leaders and baristas recommending Starbucks as a great place to work. Article content 'We believe a great partner experience fuels the customer experience,' said Grams. 'We always have more work to do, but our partners are rallying behind Back to Starbucks and telling us they like what they see. When our partners feel supported, our customers notice the difference too.' Article content Coffee and Craft Take Center Stage Article content LE25 kicks off today with Starbucks largest-ever coffee tasting, featuring a first taste of the new Starbucks 1971 Roast™, available in the U.S. and Canada this Winter. The company is also celebrating the impact of its investment in the Global Farmer Fund, supporting long-term sustainability across Origin communities. Article content LE25 will also spotlight the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Championship— a celebration of Starbucks baristas who embody the company's commitment to community, connection and craft. Over the three-day competition, 12 baristas from around the world will showcase their coffee passion and expertise through a variety of skills and knowledge-based competitions. Article content 'We're returning to what made us iconic: handcrafted coffee, human connection, and a relentless focus on excellence,' said Niccol. 'We're reigniting the soul of Starbucks, together.' Article content Giving Back in Las Vegas Article content This week, Starbucks is demonstrating how major events can be designed with sustainability and community in mind. LE25 is powered by 100% renewable electricity sourced within 500 miles of Las Vegas. Starbucks will donate any surplus food to its FoodShare partner Three Square Food Bank, divert food waste and coffee grounds from the event to local farms, and plant 10 trees per attendee to support reforestation efforts in South American coffee-growing communities. The Starbucks Foundation will invite attendees to vote for five local Las Vegas organizations to receive grants, with an estimated $100,000 to be donated to causes like hunger relief, homelessness, youth empowerment and more. The Starbucks Foundation is also donating a $10,000 Neighborhood Grant to each Barista Championship contestant's chosen nonprofit. Article content To follow along and learn more about the highlights from this week's events, follow us on Article content Instagram Article content and Article content TikTok Article content ) Article content About Starbucks Article content Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 40,000 stores worldwide, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
