Comments on: The 1992 Starbucks Corporation Annual Report: The first report online with letter to Shareholders from Howard

By: Melody

Melody — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:47:39 +0000

@Mike – Hi there! Glad you like this. As I kind of mention in the body of this blog entry, my best friend has been a shareholder since the IPO. These documents are hers. She found the next one – the 1993 Annual Report, and so I will put that one up too. Though to be honest the hard part is definitely finding the time to work on this blog! But I just want to let you know the 1993 Annual Report is coming too. Also, isn’t there a way you can get this information from the SEC? Just wondering.
Melody

By: Mike Logsdon

Mike Logsdon — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:46:56 +0000

I just want to thank you for taking the time to post detailed scans of Starbucks Annual Report. Though I come from a different angle of appreciation than the majority of yoru fans, your post allowed me to review Starbucks early financials, something that had frustrated me for days. So again, thank you for all your hard work!

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:16:08 +0000

I can’t believe you have this report! Thank you thank you for posting it! Do you know how rare this is? I challenge you to also find the 1993-1995 annual reports, which you simply cannot find anywhere unless you order a hard copy from the SEC archives for a hefty fee. This is golden, golden!

By: Melody

Melody — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:42:16 +0000

I’m still in awe what a beautiful document this is. Maybe I’m more in awe because I can feel the embossed siren on the cover, and feel the extremely heavy card stock it was printed on. I love this masterpiece, and I’ve definitely never said that about a shareholders’ report before.

By: BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:48:53 +0000

I think that is very inspirational but still very sad. Many partners do not feel as passionate about coffee. How many times, have we walked into a Starbucks with a stale cup of coffee waiting for you?
My store manager stated is more concerned about the P&L sheet than serving the freshest cup of coffee to each customer.
On a side note, has anybody else noticed that there appears to be 1-5 under roasted beans in the Pike Place Roast. When I brew each batch of coffee, I always visually inspect the spoodle and remove anything that seems amiss. So far this week, I’ve encountered over 500 under roasted beans in the Pike Place Roast. This may not seem like a big deal but I’m wondering if York is dropping the ball?

By: Melody

Melody — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:51:23 +0000

(Reply to BayAreaBux) – Always good to see you here at this other, quieter Starbucks blog! LOL. I’ve heard about the Dark Cherry Mocha coming. I’m beaming with pride that I had the right gut intuitions in December, that this beverage would come soon to Starbucks!! (That’s why I posted the Dec 2009 blog entry here at this site, “Should Starbucks bring the Dark Cherry Mocha to the USA?”)

I was going to hold off on doing a post on the Dark Cherry until right before it launches. It seems as though everyone is talking about it now.

You’re right, about the 8 years of change, and 2 years of a bizarre transition to a one-size-fits-all coffeehouse.

I think the entire 1992 Annual Report is such a testimonial to a belief that the business is about coffee beans. The romantic colors, print, art work, and great story of Columbia Narino coffee, reinforces that it’s all about the coffee. These days, people don’t ask even if the promo art and signage reinforces that it’s a coffeehouse?

But on the plus side, I completely agree with you that emphasis on bold coffee and pour over is SUCH a great step for March 2010. Makes me very happy!

There will always be some new syrup to worry about later. It’s not Starbucks Syrup Company.

By: BAYAREABUX

BAYAREABUX — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:14:14 +0000

Melody, did any one tell u get that dark cherry mocha rolls with the next promotion? It’s actually taking a backseat ride with bold coffee being the focus.

Maybe the only thing more dated than that 1992 letter is “Pour Your Heart Into It,” which was written about a completely different company than the one we know today. They just happen to have the same name. In Howard’s “absence” (2000-2008), I think we all witnessed the shift from “Starbucks Coffee Company,” to “Starbucks Corporation,” emphasis on corporation.

The last two years partners have really been the first to get thrown under the bus in the effort to “save the company,” ironic, though, that we had to sacrifice a lot of the things that made us different.

By: CD

CD — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:57:34 +0000

Reply to Starbucks Melody –

Starbucks AND Starbucks Melody have found the key to success in America: Sugar.

As SBUX grew, it discovered the more sugar it provided, the higher its numbers grew.

Unfortunately, they took that growth and ran away from their core instead of along side their core.

Melody, you can offer sugar and substance. And Starbucks can offer sugar and “bold.”

The key to success is to find the right balance and to never forget your core (why you started in the first place).

By: CABarista

CABarista — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:56:04 +0000

Very interesting! Thanks for all your hard work Melody

By: Pam

Pam — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:55:38 +0000

I think Starbucks is facing some heavy competition in my area: Peets and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Those places are all about the coffee. They smell like coffee when you walk in. Their baristas are passionate about the coffee. (Plus they have some interesting teas — real tea, not herbal tisanes.)
It doesn’t appear to be all about the coffee anymore at Starbucks, and that is a shame.