It is not an accident that Starbucks tried to do something that was never done before . . . equity in the form of stock options and comprehensive healthcare for part-time workers.
It's hard when you get big to do these things. And most companies in America that have gotten big have not stayed true or authentic. So there is a level of cynicism that some people may have. But the truth of the matter is that the company is sitting on a very solid foundation.
Might the world run out of quality beans? How do you keep the supply going?
For Starbucks there will be no shortage of the highest-quality arabica beans. I suspect that for some others there could potentially be a problem, not in the near term, but over time.
One area of interest is Vietnam. Vietnam is starting to grow a tremendous amount of coffee. It is mostly robusta today, which is low-quality. But I suspect over time they will raise the level of quality in that country, and we're intrigued with that and have visited Vietnam and are looking at it.
But the short answer is Starbucks has secured long-term supply for the highest-quality coffee in the world for many, many years to come.
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jerry.hirsch@latimes.com
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A latte facts
As of March 30, the end of its fiscal second quarter, Starbucks had 16,226 stores in 44 countries.
There are more than 87,000 different beverage combinations at Starbucks.
The company offers more than 30 blends and single-origin coffees.
It has more than 172,000 employees.
Source: Starbucks Corp.
