Starbucks' success is rooted in creating a community space where people connect over coffee, which was a novel concept in the U.S. at the time.

After a trip to Italy in 1983, I realized that Starbucks needed to transition from selling just beans to offering espresso beverages to create a community experience.

The quality of coffee and the experience of drinking it were key to positioning Starbucks as an affordable luxury.

Starbucks has successfully created a coffee culture that attracts consumers who may not have engaged with coffee otherwise, expanding the market.

In 1982, I joined Starbucks as the head of marketing when they were preparing to open their fourth store, still focused solely on selling coffee beans.

The iconic reputation of Starbucks created a strong anticipation in Japan, where customers were eager to experience something they believed was unique and proprietary.

Starbucks started as a small chain selling only coffee beans, not beverages, and was founded by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker in 1971.

Starbucks aims to elevate the coffee experience, avoiding a transactional approach to coffee sales.

The experience created around coffee consumption at Starbucks is as important as the product itself, contributing to customer loyalty, and Starbucks has achieved a level of customization in its mobile app that no other food company has, allowing customers to personalize their orders significantly.