<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3N3VHi_0vRV40Lu00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3N3VHi_0vRV40Lu00" width="1920" height="1080" ><figcaption>Starbucks' new CEO started Sept. 9, 2024. (Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>New <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/08/13/starbucks-chipotle-ceo-brian-niccol">Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol</a> is outlining a plan to bring the company back to its roots, acknowledging that the chain has lost its way.Why it matters: The former <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/25/chipotle-burrito-portion-size-shrinkflation">Chipotle</a> boss is under pressure to deliver a turnaround at Starbucks with <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/08/27/restaurant-meal-deals-mcdonalds-starbucks-wingstop-cava">the coffee giant</a> reeling from a <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/05/01/starbucks-struggling-morning-demand">slowdown in sales</a> and facing pressure from activist investors.<ul><li>Long wait times and supply chain issues have been dogging Starbucks in the post-Howard Schultz era.</li></ul>Driving the news: Niccol released a letter Tuesday outlining his plans for Starbucks in his first 100 days and detailing what he views as the company's missteps before he joined.<ul><li>The letter comes during his first week as chairman and CEO after leaving from Chipotle and previously leading Taco Bell. He replaces <a href="https://www.axios.com/pro/retail-deals/2024/08/13/starbucks-ceo-chairman-brian-niccol-chipotle">Laxman Narasimhan</a>, who had a short tenure though he was handpicked by Schultz.</li><li>"Today, I'm making a commitment: We're getting back to Starbucks," Niccol wrote Tuesday in a <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2024/back-to-starbucks/">letter</a> to employees, customers and stakeholders.</li><li>"We're refocusing on what has always set Starbucks apart — a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas," he wrote.</li><li>"In some places — especially in the U.S. — we aren't always delivering," he said. "It can feel transactional, menus can feel overwhelming, product is inconsistent, the wait too long or the handoff too hectic."</li></ul>Zoom in: Hailed by restaurant analysts as an industry savant, Niccol led the Chipotle to a sales rebound after a crisis stemming from an outbreak of food-borne illnesses.<ul><li>He implemented new safety protocols, modernized the chain's ordering, introduced new ingredients and opened new locations.</li></ul><h2>Starbucks turnaround plan</h2>The intrigue: Niccol outlined four key areas to focus on in U.S. Starbucks locations, which he said "I need to focus my time initially."<ol><li>Empowering baristas to better serve customers on a personal level.</li><li>Focusing on improving morning service and "on time, every time."</li><li>"Elevating the in-store experience" by "ensuring our spaces reflect the sights, smells and sounds that define Starbucks" and investing in "comfortable seating, thoughtful design and a clear distinction between 'to-go' and 'for-here' service."</li><li>"Telling our story" — likely in the form of a marketing campaign — by "reminding people of our unmatched coffee expertise, our role in communities and the special experience that only Starbucks can provide."</li></ol>Zoom out: Niccol also said the company will make "investments in technology that enhance the partner and customer experience, improve our supply chain and evolve our app and mobile ordering platform."</div></body>

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New Starbucks CEO outlines plan to refocus coffee brand

New Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol is outlining a plan to bring the company back to its roots, acknowledging that the chain has lost its way. Why it matters: The former Chipotle boss is under pressure to deliver a turnaround at Starbucks with the coffee giant reeling from a slowdown in sales and facing pressure from activist investors.

New Starbucks CEO outlines plan to refocus coffee brand

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