Founded in 1971 in Seattle, Starbucks is the world's biggest coffee chain with some 20,000 coffee shops in over 40 countries. The company offers coffee drinks and food items, as well as roasted beans, coffee accessories, and other merchandise. Starbucks also owns the Seattle's Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia coffee brands. The company pioneered the coffee bar concept turning coffee drinking into a social fashion lifestyle.

Starbucks unveiled a new logo on January 5, 2011 that removes its name and the word "coffee", infuriating its loyal customers.