Starbucks cuts 104 jobs as restructuring accelerates
Starbucks eliminated 104 corporate roles on Friday, including staff who design and build its cafés, as the coffee chain accelerates a nationwide restructuring.
Source: The Business Times Singapore · August 20, 2026 at 5:31 PM · AI-assisted report
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WASHINGTON, 21 AUGUST 2026 —
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Starbucks eliminated 104 corporate roles on Friday, including staff who design and build its cafés, as the coffee chain accelerates a nationwide restructuring.
Market Impact
Another 120 employees who declined to relocate from Seattle to the new Nashville office were let go, according to a filing with Washington state regulators. The Nashville hub is slated to eventually house 2,000 workers.
The cuts follow a restructuring announced in May and come two months after Starbucks reported its first quarter of positive same-store sales growth since early 2023. Same-store revenue rose 3% in the three months to June 29, beating the 2.4% forecast from analysts tracked by Bloomberg.
“This is about positioning the company for long-term growth,” a company spokeswoman said. The rebound follows a year-long slump blamed on slower service and products customers found unappealing.
Under chief executive Brian Niccol, Starbucks aims to trim US$2 billion in costs over two years. Since April 2024 the group has shed more than 2,300 corporate roles, closed underperforming cafés, and agreed to sell part of its China business to a local partner.
Shares have gained 24.8% this year to Wednesday’s close, outpacing the 12.3% rise in the S&P 500 Index.
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