Global coffee chain Starbucks sold more cups of coffee than people in China, the Americas and Africa combined.
Comparing people with coffee is sort of apples and oranges. But it highlights why coffee is the 2nd most traded global commodity behind oil. Oil made Rockefeller mega wealthy and it’s the same for Starbucks chairman, president and CEO Howard Schultz.
The chain which started in ’71 recorded its most successful year in 2013 “with $15 billion in revenue and an average sale of $5” according to a March 2014 release about the annual general meeting.
That equates to a very rough estimate of 3bn cups of coffee (Of course starbucks sells more than coffee but that’s its core).
Starbucks made $2.5 billion in net operating income (23 percent growth) in fiscal 2013;
55 percent total shareholder return in fiscal 2013, following a 38 percent return in fiscal 2012 and a 46 percent return in fiscal 2011.
Schultz also spoke of plans to vertically incorporate it’s recently acquired 240 hectare farm in Costa Rica which reaped first harvest under the conglomerate’s ownership.
“The equity of the Starbucks brand has been built by the experience, which comes to life through our partners and the relationships they have with our customers,” Schultz said.
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