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  • Olive Oil In Coffee? New Starbucks Line A Curiosity In Italy

    Olive Oil In Coffee? New Starbucks Line A Curiosity In Italy

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    MILAN (AP) — Putting olive oil in coffee is hardly a tradition in Italy, but that didn’t stop Starbucks interim CEO Howard Schultz from launching a series of beverages that do just that in Milan, the city that inspired his coffee house empire.

    The coffee-olive oil concoction — echoing a keto-inspired trend of adding butter to coffee, only with a sugary twist — has provoked both amusement and curiosity among Italians.

    Gambero Rosso, an Italian food and wine magazine, called the mixing of olive oil with coffee “a curious combination” but said it was reserving judgment, having not yet sampled the drinks.

    It did praise featuring the staple of Italian kitchens as a main ingredient, not just a condiment. The magazine also noted the health benefits of consuming extra virgin olive oil, which some Italians do habitually straight from the bottle.

    The coffee-olive oil concoction — echoing a keto-inspired trend of adding butter to coffee, only with a sugary twist — has provoked both amusement and curiosity among Italians.

    “Did we need coffee with extra virgin olive oil and syrups? Maybe yes, maybe no,” wrote the magazine’s Michela Becchi. But the chance to promote Italian excellence is a valuable one, she added.

    Italy’s olive oil producers’ association, ASSITOL, welcomed “the daring innovation,” saying the line of drinks could ”relaunch the image of olive oil, especially among young people.″ The association has been promoting adding olive oil to cocktails.

    Martina Lunardi, a student of cultural mediation, was sticking to her standard cappuccino on a recent Starbucks visit but said she wasn’t offended by the olive oil combos and might even try one someday.

    “Anyway, I know where to get a regular cup of coffee,” Lunardi said.

    Schultz came up with the notion of adding olive oil to coffee after visiting an olive oil producer in Sicily and teased the idea as a game-changer in his last earnings call. He worked with an in-house coffee drink developer to come up with recipes, the international coffee chain said.

    Schultz presided over the launch of “Oleato” — meaning “oiled” in Italian — last week on the eve of Milan Fashion Week, with a Lizzo performance for an invitation-only crowd at the company’s Milan Roastery. The beverages will be rolled out in Southern California this spring and in Japan, the Middle East and Britain later this year.

    The La Stampa newspaper in Turin taste-tested four of the beverages, giving them marks of 6.5 to 7.5 on a scale of 10. It noted that the only warm beverage on the menu, a version of caffe latte, “has a strong taste that leaves a pleasant taste in the mouth. Grade: 7.”

    “The (positive) sensation is that Oleato could be something to drink all year, but most of all that it could be truly tasty in the summer,″ La Stampa said because most are served with ice.

    Tourists who throng the Milan Roastery are enticed to give the drinks a try by placards around the store and a special menu insert advertising the five-drink assortment, which ranges from 5.50 euros to 14 euros ($5.85 to $14.85) for a martini version with vodka.

    “It’s good,” said Benedicte Hagen, a Norwegian who recently moved to Milan to pursue a modeling career. “I’m not a big coffee fan, that’s why I like to try drinks like this.”

    She was sipping the Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew, which includes vanilla bean syrup, and said she couldn’t really taste the oil. Still, she acknowledged asking the barista to add a shot of chocolate to make the drink even sweeter and would have added caramel if it had been available.

    “It’s not so random,’’ Hagen decided.

    Kaya Cupial’s Oleato Iced Cortado, meanwhile, was in a pretty V-shaped glass and garnished with an orange peel. It’s made with oat milk infused with olive oil, demerara syrup and a dash of orange bitters.

    “It’s like normal coffee, but with orange. It’s not strong,’’ noted the 26-year-old from Warsaw, Poland, who was traveling with a group of friends. They also ordered the Golden Foam Cold Brew along with a pair of ordinary cappuccinos.

    It is not the first time Italy has inspired Schultz. He acknowledges his debt to the Milan coffee bar, which he discovered during a trip to Italy in 1983, as his inspiration for building the now-global coffee chain.

    Schultz waited until 2018 to bring Starbucks to Italy, aware that he was treading sacred coffee ground. Italians typically take their coffee standing at a bar, chatting with friends or the barista for a few minutes, before continuing their day. It is not something to be nursed.

    Since then, Starbucks has opened some 20 stores in northern and central Italy. The Milan Roastery is often packed, while other locations in the city have shifted in the wake of the pandemic.

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  • TikTok Video Goes Viral After ‘Surprise Me’ Trend Goes Wrong | Entrepreneur

    TikTok Video Goes Viral After ‘Surprise Me’ Trend Goes Wrong | Entrepreneur

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    When coffee reviewer Kristen Alk pulled up to order at her local Starbucks drive-thru, she did what so many TikTokers have done in recent months — she ordered a “surprise me drink.”

    The idea behind the #surprisemedrink trend is to give the barista a chance to get creative and deliver an off-menu, hand-picked concoction of their own making. Past videos have shown baristas serving up everything from a Rainbow Sherbet Frappuccino to a Hot Butterbeer Latte.

    But Alk received a surprise of a different sort.

    The incident was captured in a video that has since gone viral, with nearly 1 million views in 3 days.

    Rather than accept the challenge, the Starbucks employee on the other side of the microphone responded dryly, “I can get you an iced water. That sounds good.”

    Alk, who seemed taken aback by the sassy reaction, looked at the camera and said awkwardly, “Well, can you just make me something that sounds good?”

    @kristenalk The barista did NOT pass the vibe check? #starbucksbarista #baristastarbucks #rudebarista #starbucksfail #starbuckschallenge #surprisemedrink #surprisemestarbucks #starbuckssurprisedrink #starbucksbaristarecipes #badstarbucksvisit #challengegonewrong #gonewrong #pickmydrink #starbuckschallenge2023 ♬ original sound – kristenalk

    Later, Alk claimed the barista “did not pass the vibe check.” But she also admitted it was a busy day at the drive-thru, with a 35-minute wait for customers to get their order.

    Related: Dad Pisses Off Thousands With TikTok Explaining How to Hack Disney Ride Height Restrictions for Kids

    A divided response

    The video has garnered nearly 6000 comments, with viewers split between being pro-barista or pro-Alk.

    On one side of the divide, commenters seem shocked that a Starbucks employee would be rude to a customer. After all, as the old business mantra goes, “The customer is always right.”

    “Nooooo u should def email Starbucks ’cause that’s not acceptable,” wrote smhh..b.

    “As a barista, please ask for surprise me drinks; they are always so fun. Sorry, she was so mean to u,” wrote jimen

    A Tiktok viewer named Syd joked, “That’s some dunkin’ behavior.”

    On the other hand, some commenters found the whole #surprisemetrend insensitive and presumptuous, especially during a busy time when baristas are just trying to get through their orders.

    “I’m on the barista’s side. There’s nothing worse than someone coming during/right after a rush, asking for a surprise,” wrote Chasia Binney.

    “As a fast food worker, it’s not that we don’t want to make it, but we don’t know what your taste is, and not only that some come back bc they don’t like it,” Rosie explained.

    Perhaps both sides are right.

    As Alk said diplomatically at the end of the video, “I feel like it was a little bit rude, but I do understand that it might be annoying when people don’t just say what they want to order.”

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    Jonathan Small

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  • Howard Schultz Rebuffs Bernie Sanders’ Request He Testify Before Congress

    Howard Schultz Rebuffs Bernie Sanders’ Request He Testify Before Congress

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    Starbucks informed the staff of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Tuesday that outgoing chief executive Howard Schultz does not intend to testify at the senator’s hearing on the coffee chain’s fight with its workers’ union.

    Sanders, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, had sent a letter to the coffee chain on Feb. 7 asking that Schultz appear on Capitol Hill next month. But in a response Tuesday night, Starbucks offered instead to send another executive, A.J. Jones II, a vice president and top spokesperson.

    Schultz has been serving as interim CEO and plans to step down in April.

    “Given the timing of the transition, his relinquishment of any operating role in the company going forward and what we understand to be the subject of the hearing, we believe another senior leader with ongoing responsibilities is best suited to address these matters,” Starbucks general counsel Zabrina Jenkins wrote to Sanders.

    Schultz is a co-founder of the famous coffee chain and its most recognizable face. He has been deeply involved in the company’s battle with Starbucks Workers United, the labor campaign that has unionized nearly 300 stores since late 2021.

    “Schultz has been personally named in some of the complaints filed by the National Labor Relations Board’s general counsel accusing the company of illegal suppressing the organizing effort.”

    Schultz has been personally named in some of the complaints filed by the National Labor Relations Board’s general counsel accusing the company of illegal suppressing the organizing effort. The campaign’s lead organizer has taken to calling Schultz “the Al Capone of union-busting.”

    Sanders, a close ally of organized labor, has publicly hammered Schultz over the company’s aggressive response to the campaign. He had informed the company he wanted Schultz to answer questions related to “decisions with respect to complying with our nation’s labor laws and negotiating a first contract with union workers at Starbucks.”

    Howard Schultz is expected to step down as Starbucks CEO in April.

    The Washington Post via Getty Images

    The general counsel has issued 75 complaints against Starbucks alleging management illegally fired union supporters, shut down stores that were organizing, and threatened to withhold pay hikes and other benefits to prevent workers from unionizing. Most of those cases are now being litigated.

    Last week, Sanders told The Associated Press that he would consider using the committee’s subpoena power if Schultz declined his invitation.

    “This is corporate greed,” Sanders said, according to the AP. “Workers have a constitutional right to organize. And even if you are a large, multinational corporation owned by a billionaire you don’t have the right to violate the law. And we intend to be asking Mr. Schultz some very hard questions.”

    In its letter to Sanders, Starbucks called itself “a model employer and the categorical leader across industries for its comprehensive compensation.” It said Jones was especially qualified to testify before the committee having previously worked in Congress and served as policy director for Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.), the former Democratic whip.

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  • Oklahoma Man Charged $4,500 at Starbucks After Tipping Error

    Oklahoma Man Charged $4,500 at Starbucks After Tipping Error

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    A coffee run in Oklahoma turned out way more expensive than one family had planned, according to The Sacramento Bee.

    An Oklahoma man was charged nearly $4,500 for a coffee order with the vast majority of it a tip, and then, per reports, he and his wife had to go through a minor odyssey involving bounced checks and calls to customer service to get it back.

    In early January, Jesse O’Dell went to a Starbucks drive-thru in Tulsa and ordered coffee. Later, when his wife was shopping with their kids, one of her credit cards was declined. That’s when the family found out a Starbucks charge for $4,456.27. The Bee confirmed the receipt.

    “I felt disbelief… I don’t have that kind of money sitting around to just play with,” he told the outlet.

    Related: ‘Tip Culture Is Getting Insane’: Starbucks Customers Furious Over Company’s New Tipping System

    Starbucks added a tipping system to its stores last year, much to the chagrin of some customers who expressed themselves online. It offers customers the opportunity to add $1, $2, $5, or a custom amount.

    “I know how to press buttons. I didn’t press that button,” he told the Bee.

    O’Dell first went to the store to try and get a refund, where he was told he put in that tip. Then, he claims he had to reach out multiple times to the local district manager. Finally, he said Starbucks refunded him via paper checks.

    They bounced.

    “We’ve had to ask for help, we’ve had to cancel trips,” O’Dell told the Bee. O’Dell told local outlet KOKI that they called the company’s customer service lines some 30 to 40 times that day in a panic.

    A Starbucks spokesperson told the Bee that the checks had a typo, and they had sent the money again. It also told the outlet that O’Dell accidentally entered the $4,444.44 tip, which O’Dell disputes.

    O’Dell told the Bee that he is currently waiting on the deposits to clear.

    Starbucks did not immediately respond to Entrepreneur’s request for comment.

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    Gabrielle Bienasz

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  • Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Ford, Nordstrom, and More Stock Market Movers

    Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Ford, Nordstrom, and More Stock Market Movers

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    This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit http://www.djreprints.com.

    https://www.barrons.com/articles/stock-market-movers-apple-amazon-google-ford-51675354870

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  • China’s COVID chaos is showing up in corporate earnings

    China’s COVID chaos is showing up in corporate earnings

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    Any company doing business in China has had a rough quarter.

    Throughout September and November, Chinese authorities imposed strict lockdowns and other COVID control measures in a futile effort to suppress outbreaks across the country. 

    Then, in December, Chinese authorities rapidly rolled back lockdowns and other social distancing measures. Those policy changes were then followed by a record-breaking COVID outbreak as the disease ran rampant through Chinese cities, with some officials estimating daily case counts in the tens of millions.

    Now, the economic damage of that COVID chaos is coming through in earnings reports, whether due to disrupted production from locked-down factories, or lowered sales as consumers stayed home to recover or protect themselves. Yet companies are hopeful that China’s reopening means the worst is over for their revenues.

    China’s COVID outbreak may be receding, though health officials are still waiting to see whether cases may surge again following the Lunar New Year holiday. The Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday that the number of severe COVID cases among hospitalized patients is down 89% from its peak in early January.

    Official Chinese data put the total COVID death toll at just over 84,000, but that is likely to be an undercount. A model from U.K.-based research firm Airfinity estimates the total COVID death toll since Dec. 1 at 1.19 million.

    Apple

    On Thursday, Apple reported its first decline in quarterly revenue since 2019. The U.S.-based tech giant reported quarterly revenue of $117.2 billion for the most recent quarter, a year-on-year decline of 5%. 

    On an earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook blamed COVID for its slumping sales, which came in below analyst expectations. Cook said “COVID-19-related challenges” disrupted the supply of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max through most of December, leading to extended ship times. 

    Last November, Foxconn, a major Apple supplier, imposed mobility controls in its iPhone factory in Zhengzhou to suppress a budding outbreak. The factory’s workers, who could number as high as 300,000, were barred from leaving the site and eating in common areas. Many workers fled back to their hometowns, while those who remained were frustrated by COVID measures and feared getting infected. At the time, Apple warned that factory disruptions could affect holiday shipments of the latest iPhone models. 

    Today, Apple thinks these disruptions are over. “Production is now back where we want it to be,” Cook said on Thursday.

    The company also said that Beijing’s COVID controls hurt sales in China, one of the company’s most important consumer markets. Yet the company is optimistic that demand will recover due to the country’s reopening. Cook told analysts that Apple stores reported an increase in traffic in early December, after China lifted its COVID controls. “That followed through to demand as well,” Cook told analysts.

    Apple shares are down 3.7% in after-market trading. 

    Starbucks

    Starbucks reported $8.7 billion in quarterly revenue on Thursday, a record for the coffee company and an 8% year-on-year increase. But the company’s results were dragged down by crashing demand in China, Starbucks’ second-largest market.

    The coffee company reported a 5% increase in global store sales overall. But sales in China fell by 29% as consumers stayed home. The decline was even more steep in December—the start of China’s record COVID surge—with sales falling by 42% compared to December 2021. 

    China’s decline was so large that it offset strong growth elsewhere in the world. On the company’s earnings call, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz noted that the company saw strong sales growth in all of its international market “except for China,” and that the company would have reported double-digit growth in international sales if China were excluded.  

    Yet the coffee company also believes the worst is behind it. The country’s reopening “positions the country to resume pre-COVID levels of consumer, social and economic growth,” said Schultz. “Huge consumer demand in China is waiting to be unleashed,” he said.

    Starbucks shares are down 1.8% in after-market trading.

    Estée Lauder

    The Estée Lauder Companies reported $4.62 billion in sales for the most recent quarter, a year-on-year decline of 17%. The company blamed both COVID lockdowns and surging cases in China for dragging down its retail sales, particularly in the Chinese tourism hotspot of Hainan.

    The company said these COVID disruptions “led to prolonged store closures” and “caused the tightening of inventory by certain retailers who had previously placed orders in anticipation of the return of travel that was since delayed.” 

    Yet the cosmetics company is hopeful that the return of Chinese travelers will support the company’s recovery. “Where there is obviously high traffic, our brands respond enormously,” Fabrizio Freda, the company’s CEO, said on the company’s earnings call. 

    Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. Sign up here.

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    Nicholas Gordon

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  • Starbucks and Disney Forces Employees Back to The Office, But Is Your Company Next?

    Starbucks and Disney Forces Employees Back to The Office, But Is Your Company Next?

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Given the extensive headlines about Disney and Starbucks ordering employees back to the office, you might think that it’s the beginning of a new back-to-office return across the board. Yet do such headlines represent the reality of a new wave or are they just clickbait for anxious workers who want to avoid the threat of a forced office return?

    Recent survey data from The Conference Board provides a surprising insight into how companies are approaching the hybrid workplace policy. After surveying 1,100 corporate executives across several industries around the globe, including 24% from the U.S., The Conference Board revealed that Disney and Starbucks represent the exception, not the rule. In fact, of the CEOs from the U.S., a tiny proportion — 3% — indicated they would decrease the availability of remote work in their companies. Disney and Starbucks belong to that 3%.

    By contrast, 5% said they would expand it. For example, consider Elon Musk at Twitter. After initially ordering all Twitter staff back to the office, he now reversed course. He embraced remote work by closing Twitter’s Seattle and Singapore offices, telling all staff to work remotely.

    In short, it’s likely that 2023 will see a slight expansion of employees working remotely. These findings suggest that the majority of companies are finding the hybrid workplace policy to be a successful solution for their organization.

    Case study: Hybrid workplace policy success

    One example of a company that has successfully implemented a hybrid workplace policy is a large financial services company, which I know from consulting for it. Prior to the pandemic, this company had a traditional in-office work model. However, as the pandemic hit, the company quickly shifted to remote work in order to keep employees safe.

    As the pandemic progressed, the company realized that remote work was not only effective but also improved employee satisfaction. They, therefore, decided to adopt a hybrid workplace policy that allowed employees to work both remotely and in-office. This approach has allowed the company to continue operating effectively, while also supporting the unique needs of its employees.

    Related: They Say Remote Work Is Bad For Employees, But Most Research Suggests Otherwise — A Behavioral Economist Explains.

    Case Study: Hybrid workplace policy challenges

    Another example is a mid-size IT services company. They initially struggled with the transition to remote work and the hybrid workplace policy, as their industry requires face-to-face interactions with clients. They soon realized that the lack of collaboration and communication between employees working remotely and in-office resulted in a decline in productivity and employee satisfaction.

    To address this, the company brought me in to advise them on improving their approach. With my advice, they implemented a number of measures to improve collaboration and communication, such as weekly one-on-ones between supervisors and supervisees, and setting clear expectations for communication and collaboration. These measures have helped to stabilize the company’s performance, and the hybrid workplace policy is now working well for them.

    Benefits of hybrid workplace policy

    One of the key benefits of the hybrid workplace policy is the increased flexibility it provides for employees. Remote work can offer a better work-life balance, as well as the ability to work from locations that may be more convenient for employees. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and employee retention, which can be especially important in a competitive job market.

    Additionally, the hybrid workplace policy can also lead to cost savings for companies. By reducing the need for office space, companies can lower their overhead costs, and potentially save on costs such as electricity, internet, and office supplies.

    Cognitive biases and hybrid workplace policy

    However, it’s important to note that implementing a hybrid workplace policy is not without its challenges. One potential issue is the impact of cognitive biases on decision-making. For example, the availability heuristic, which refers to the tendency for people to base their judgments on information that is most easily available to them, may lead leaders to rely too heavily on their personal experiences with remote work rather than considering the unique needs and circumstances of their organization.

    Another cognitive bias that may come into play is the sunk cost fallacy, which refers to the tendency for people to continue investing in a decision or strategy because they have already invested resources into it, even if it’s not the most effective solution. This can lead leaders to persist with their initial hybrid workplace policy even if it’s not working well for their organization, instead of getting advice and training on how to improve their approach to hybrid work.

    Related: A Pervasive Myth Employers Believe That Is Hurting Their Remote Workforce

    Conclusion

    The Covid-19 pandemic has forced companies to rethink their approach to work. The hybrid workplace policy has emerged as a popular solution for many organizations, as it allows for a more flexible and adaptable approach to work. However, it’s important for leaders to be aware of the potential impact of cognitive biases on decision-making when implementing a hybrid workplace policy. Through careful planning and regular reviews, companies can successfully navigate the challenges of the hybrid workplace policy and stabilize their business.

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    Gleb Tsipursky

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  • Federal Officials Accuse Starbucks Of Egregious Union-Busting

    Federal Officials Accuse Starbucks Of Egregious Union-Busting

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    Federal labor officials say Starbucks broke the law repeatedly during a union organizing campaign in Florida and should be forced to bargain with the workers there.

    A regional director for the National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint against the company on Tuesday, asking that a judge take the rare step of issuing a “bargaining order” for the Starbucks store in Estero, Florida. Such an order would effectively throw out the results of an election in which workers voted 21-11 against unionizing in an initial tally last May.

    The regional director, David Cohen, argued that the election was irreparably tainted by Starbucks’ actions, and that there was only a “slight possibility” that a do-over election could be run fairly. He said compelling Starbucks to bargain with the Estero workers was the only certain way to rectify the situation, given the company’s “serious and substantial violations.”

    “Requests for a bargaining order tend to be reserved for what officials consider egregious cases of labor law violations.”

    Among other charges, Cohen alleged that Starbucks fired a worker because they were a lead organizer for the union, threatened to withhold raises and benefits if workers unionized, and carried out “closer than normal supervision” of workers to discourage them from forming a union.

    “The unlawful conduct… followed immediately after [Starbucks] learned about the Union’s organizing campaign,” Cohen alleged.

    The next step is for the case to be heard before an administrative law judge, with both the union and Starbucks calling witnesses. Such cases can take months or years to be litigated, and are subject to appeals.

    Starbucks denied the complaint’s allegations.

    “We disagree with the merits of the Complaint and maintain that actions taken at our Estero store were in full compliance with the [law],” a spokesperson said in a statement. “We look forward to a full legal review of the matter.”

    Starbucks Workers United has won roughly 80% of store elections held so far.

    The new complaint is one of more than 20 that NLRB officials have brought against Starbucks over the past year, alleging a litany of “unfair labor practices” by the Seattle-based coffee chain. The union Workers United has organized well over 200 stores around the country since December 2021. None of the chain’s corporate-owned stores were organized until the effort began in Western New York.

    Requests for a bargaining order tend to be reserved for what officials consider egregious cases of labor law violations. The NLRB’s prosecutorial arm has only sought such an order in one other Starbucks case, involving a store in Hamburg, New York, which was among the first to hold an election. Workers there voted 12-8 against the union.

    On the whole, the union campaign, known as Starbucks Workers United, has put up strong numbers on store elections, winning 80% of the votes held through mid-December, according to recent data from the NLRB. The campaign prevailed in 269 elections and lost just 63. The company has around 9,000 corporate-owned stores.

    “This complaint highlights the worst of Starbucks’ anti-union tactics.”

    – Starbucks Workers United

    Starbucks Workers United said in a statement that Starbucks was trying to “bully their way out of a union campaign.”

    “This complaint highlights the worst of Starbucks’ anti-union tactics, from firing union leaders to interrogating workers about their union activity,” the campaign said. “We are glad to see that the NLRB is pursuing a bargaining order for this store, a necessary remedy in a situation like this.”

    Starbucks Workers United has accused the company of illegally firing dozens of union organizers since the campaign began. Many of those terminations have been the subject of NLRB complaints, and in some cases board officials have gone to federal court seeking injunctions to put workers back on the job. A group of fired workers known as the Memphis 7 were reinstated by court order last year.

    In the Estero case, Cohen said that a bargaining order for the store was appropriate because workers had made their desire for a union clear when a majority signed union cards. That occurred before the company fired a lead organizer and threatened to withhold raises and benefits, he argued.

    The labor board’s progressive general counsel, Jennifer Abruzzo, has pledged to make wider use of bargaining orders against employers. In 2021, the Biden appointee issued a memo to the agency’s regional directors recommending that they pursue the orders wherever they seem justified, one of several moves she’s made that have rankled employers.

    “It is so important that we utilize every possible tool we have to ensure that those wronged by unlawful conduct obtain true justice,” Abruzzo said at the time.

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  • Eye Opener: COVID surge in China

    Eye Opener: COVID surge in China

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    Eye Opener: COVID surge in China – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    COVID cases are on the rise in China. Also, hundreds of Starbucks workers go on strike. All that and all that matters in today’s Eye Opener.

    Be the first to know

    Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.


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  • Starbucks workers staging three-day strike at 100 stores

    Starbucks workers staging three-day strike at 100 stores

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    Starbucks workers around the U.S. are planning a three-day strike starting Friday as part of their effort to unionize the coffee chain’s stores.

    More than 1,000 baristas at 100 stores are planning to walk out, according to Starbucks Workers United, the labor group organizing the effort. The strike will be the longest in the year-old unionization campaign.

    This is the second major strike in a month by Starbucks’ U.S. workers. On Nov. 17, workers at 110 Starbucks stores held a one-day walkout. That effort coincided with Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day, when the company gives reusable cups to customers who order a holiday drink.

    More than 264 of Starbucks’ 9,000 company-run U.S. stores have voted to unionize since late last year.

    Starbucks opposes the unionization effort, saying the company functions better when it works directly with employees. But the company said last month that it respects employees’ lawful right to protest.

    Tori Tambellini, a former Starbucks shift supervisor and union organizer who was fired in July, said she will be picketing in Pittsburgh this weekend. Tambellini said workers are protesting understaffed stores, poor management and what she calls Starbucks’ “scorched Earth method of union busting,” including closing stores that have unionized.

    Workers United noted that Starbucks recently closed the first store to unionize in Seattle, the company’s hometown. Starbucks has said the store was closed for safety reasons.

    Starbucks and the union have begun contract talks in about 50 stores but no agreements have been reached.

    The process has been contentious. According to the National Labor Relations Board, Workers United has filed at least 446 unfair labor practice charges against Starbucks since late last year, including that the company fired labor organizers and refused to bargain. The company, meanwhile, has filed 47 charges against the union, among them allegations that it defied bargaining rules when it recorded sessions and posted the recordings online.

    So far, the labor disputes haven’t appeared to dent Starbucks’ sales. Starbucks said in November that its revenue rose 3% to a record $8.41 billion in the July-September period.  


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  • 2 arrested for attempting to scam Starbucks in 3 states with stolen credit card

    2 arrested for attempting to scam Starbucks in 3 states with stolen credit card

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    NIANTIC, CT (WFSB) – Two men are accused of trying to purchase and fraudulently return items to Starbucks locations in three states, including in Connecticut.

    Antwone Washington, 30, of Far Rockaway , NY, and Dante Shirfield Isaac, 31, of Hartford, face a list of charges, according to East Lyme police.

    Police were called to a Starbucks on Flanders Road in Niantic on Thursday just before 8 p.m.

    A woman from Delaware reported that someone made unauthorized purchases on her credit card at a Starbucks in East Lyme.

    Police found that suspects were also trying to return merchandise from other Starbucks stores. They learned that two suspects had been pulling the same scam at other Starbucks locations in southeastern Connecticut.

    Washington and Isaac were taken into custody without incident.

    Police said they had a rental vehicle, which contained about $1,800 worth of Starbucks merchandise, along with receipts from stores in Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut.

    Washington was charged with fourth-degree larceny, criminal attempt at sixth-degree larceny, illegal use of a credit card, third-degree identity theft, and other charges.

    Isaac was charged with criminal attempt at sixth-degree larceny, illegal use of a credit card, third-degree identity theft, second-degree breach of peace and other charges.

    Copyright 2022 WFSB. All rights reserved.

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  • Detroit Starbucks forced to close after PETA protesters encased feet in concrete, blocked entrance

    Detroit Starbucks forced to close after PETA protesters encased feet in concrete, blocked entrance

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    DETROIT – A Starbucks in Detroit was forced to close on Friday after four protesters blocked the entrance by encasing their feet in concrete.

    Four PETA supporters protested Starbucks’ upcharge of non-dairy milk by encasing their feet in concrete and blocking the store’s entrance for four hours with signs and chants.

    Two of the four protesters were taken away in an ambulance.

    PETA Starbucks protest (PETA)

    “Starbucks’ punitive price hike on vegan milks harms cows, the planet, and customers who are lactose-intolerant—many of whom are people of color,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA has appealed to Starbucks to stop profiting from the plant-based milk upcharge, but so far, greed continues to define the company’s position.”

    This comes as the latest Starbucks protest from PETA supporters. The previous “cement-in” took place outside of a Nashville Starbucks which resulted in the arrest of four protesters.

    Other supporters have superglued themselves to counters in Chicago, New York City, and at the company’s headquarters in Seattle.

    The Detroit protest comes on the last day of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

    Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.

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  • Thousands of Starbucks Workers Strike on Red Cup Day

    Thousands of Starbucks Workers Strike on Red Cup Day

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    A beloved Starbucks holiday turned into means for demonstration by disgruntled workers as strikes broke out all over the country on Thursday.


    Twitter

    Over 2,000 Starbucks employees at 112 locations went on strike during Starbucks’ Red Cup Day, a one-day event where customers can order any holiday-crafted beverage and receive that year’s special edition of a free, reusable red cup (while supplies last, of course).

    The holiday often causes chaos with fans lining up before stores open to ensure they get their hands on one. But this year, chaos of a different kind reigned. Strikes organized by a national union decided to hit back at Starbucks and use the ever-popular day to drive their demands home amid an ongoing fight for national unionization for Starbucks stores that’s been met with much pushback.

    Related: ‘What a Pleasant Surprise to Brighten My Morning’: Starbucks Is Giving Out Freebies and Customers Are Ecstatic

    Throughout the day on Thursday, #RedCupRebellion trended on Twitter, with many posting in support of workers’ unionization efforts and others documenting scenes from the strikes.

    Starbucks is being accused of several anti-union actions, including retaliating against employees who expressed interest in creating or joining a union and offering additional benefits and raises to non-unionized stores.

    The first-ever Starbucks store to unionize was one located in Buffalo, New York in December 2021.

    Starbucks was down just over 14.3% in a one-year period as of late Thursday afternoon.

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    Emily Rella

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  • Workers at more than 100 Starbucks stores say they’re going on strike

    Workers at more than 100 Starbucks stores say they’re going on strike

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    Starbucks workers at more than 100 U.S. stores say they’re going on strike Thursday in what would be the largest labor action since a campaign to unionize the company’s stores began late last year.

    The walkouts are scheduled to coincide with Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day, when the company gives free reusable cups to customers who order a holiday drink. Workers say it’s often one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks declined to say how many red cups it plans to distribute.

    Workers say they’re seeking better pay, more consistent schedules and higher staffing levels in busy stores. Starbucks opposes the unionization effort, saying the company functions best when it works directly with employees. The Seattle coffee giant has more than 9,000 company-owned stores in the U.S.

    Workers at stores in 25 states planned to take part in the labor action, according to Starbucks Workers United, the group organizing the effort. Some workers planned to picket all day while others planned shorter walkouts. The union said the goal is to shut the stores down during the walkouts.

    In an Instagram post, the union says, “Starbucks Workers United is conducting a nationwide ULP Strike over the company’s refusal to bargain in good faith. Workers across this campaign are also calling for the company to fully staff our union stores, because we know that Short Staffing = Venti Wait Times. Starbucks thinks they can drag their feet in bargaining, and we’re here to show them we rebel against their tactics and we mean business – by shutting down theirs.” 

    Willow Montana, a shift manager at a Starbucks store in Brighton, Massachusetts, planned to strike because Starbucks hasn’t begun bargaining with the store despite a successful union vote in April.

    “If the company won’t bargain in good faith, why should we come to work where we are understaffed, underpaid and overworked?” Montana said.

    Others, including Michelle Eisen, a union organizer at one of the first stores to organize in Buffalo, New York, said workers are angry that Starbucks promised higher pay and benefits to non-union stores. Starbucks says it is following the law and can’t give union stores pay hikes without bargaining.

    At least 257 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since late last year, according to the National Labor Relations Board. Fifty-seven stores have held votes where workers opted not to unionize.

    Starbucks and the union have begun contract talks at 53 stores, with 13 additional sessions scheduled, Starbucks Workers United said. No agreements have been reached so far.

    The process has been contentious. Earlier this week, a regional director with the NLRB filed a request for an injunction against Starbucks in federal court, saying the company violated labor law when it fired a union organizer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The regional director asked the court to direct Starbucks to reinstate the employee and stop interfering in the unionization campaign nationwide.

    It was the fourth time the NLRB has asked a federal court to intervene. In August, a federal judge ruled that Starbucks had to reinstate seven union organizers who were fired in Memphis, Tennessee. A similar case in Buffalo has yet to be decided, while a federal judge ruled against the NLRB in a case in Phoenix.

    Meanwhile, Starbucks has asked the NLRB to temporarily suspend all union elections at its U.S. stores, citing allegations from a board employee that regional officials improperly coordinated with union organizers. A decision in that case is pending.

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  • This Distraught Starbucks Worker Is Right—8 Hours Working Public Service Is Ridiculous

    This Distraught Starbucks Worker Is Right—8 Hours Working Public Service Is Ridiculous

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    A few days ago, Fox News host Jesse Watters mocked a Starbucks worker and union organizer named Evan for describing his horrific working conditions, which included verbal abuse, long weekend shifts, misgendering, neglect from his manager, corporate retaliation, and constant staffing shortages. Predictably, Watters scrounged around for a strawman and decided that what Evan was really complaining about was the very concept of an 8-hour workday.

    Uh huh. Okay, Jesse.

    Watters’ angle is preposterous on its face, since that’s obviously not what Evan is describing in his video. But you know what? Even if 8 hours behind the counter were the only complaint Evan had, he’d still be right. Because even if you believe an 8 hour workday is the best possible arrangement (which is debatable at best), 8 hours in one day is way too long to spend dealing with the public.

    Before I was lucky enough to be able to write full time, I worked as a librarian for 10 years. Many library jobs include daily shifts at the public service desk, and those shifts often aren’t much different from retail or food service (both of which I’ve also worked). Some patrons are really nice and easygoing. Others have mind-bogglingly complicated demands, like books that don’t exist, or information that you’d need to be a private eye to get. Some call you names, or spew bigotry at you, or sexually harass you, or physically assault you. If you’re at a quiet branch, you can roll with the occasional problem, but if your branch is busy or understaffed—especially if there’s a crisis breaking out, like a fist fight or a drug overdose—then things can get really overwhelming really fast.

    Luckily, most of my library jobs had strong unions, so we were able to negotiate desk time (and, unlike my retail and food service days, we could sit down). At the last library I worked in, librarians only worked an average of 2 public service hours a day, with an absolute maximum of 4. The rest of the day was devoted to work we could do behind the scenes. Why did we have such a strict limit on desk hours? Because, as we were taught in our training, dealing with the public nonstop leads to health problems and burnout. This isn’t theoretical. Ask me how I got shingles in my 30s!

    I’m not saying that all public service jobs are equally stressful. But if workers are posting tearful videos about how bad things have gotten, then their working conditions are way beyond unacceptable.

    So, for anyone out there who’s rolling their eyes at an overworked Starbucks employee, why don’t you go work a few 8-hour shifts at Starbucks if you think it’s so easy? It must be way more chill than your current job, so set aside a few weekends and go give it a try! I’ll show up with a list of twenty complicated drinks that I want you to make in two minutes, and then have a screaming fit when you can’t magically produce them. You can handle it, right?

    (featured image: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

    —The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Julia Glassman

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  • Starbucks ‘Effectively Stole’ Coffee Lip Balm Idea, Lawsuit Says

    Starbucks ‘Effectively Stole’ Coffee Lip Balm Idea, Lawsuit Says

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    In a lawsuit filed last week, a Los Angeles-based company called Balmuccino claimed (again) that the coffee chain had stolen its ideas and suppliers for a coffee lip balm product.

    Starbucks said via email that it “firmly believe[s] these claims to be without merit, and we look forward to presenting our case in court.”

    This is the company’s second try at a suit. According to Reuters, the first suit was filed in 2019, but it was dismissed because the court found it “lacked jurisdiction” or didn’t have the authority to hear the case.

    Balmuccino’s suit claims Starbucks “effectively stole” the lip balm idea after Balmuccino took a meeting with Mesh Gelman, who was then the company’s head of product development and an SVP in 2017. The suit says Gelman asked for a lot of information on the product and said he would “run the idea ‘up the flagpole.’” The idea was that Balmuccino would be “duly compensated and given proper credit” for the idea.

    Then, the company claims that in 2018, a supplier for the lip balm told Balmuccino it received outreach from Starbucks for a product with “identical,” specifications that Balmuccino had given Gelman. In April 2019, as the suit notes, Starbucks released a line of lip balms based on the S’mores Frappuccino.

    The original meeting came together, the suit says, because one of Balmuccino’s employees, Samantha Lemole, “was” a sister-in-law of Dr. Oz who then connected her with Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz (who is currently transitioning out of the role).

    Balmuccino says that in the original meeting with Gelman, they asked the executives to sign an NDA and Gelman declined, saying that “the meeting and the items discussed therein were completely confidential and that the relationship between Mr. Schultz and Dr. Oz, who had brokered the meeting, should provide the necessary comfort and protections Plaintiff was seeking via the Non-Disclosure Agreement.”

    Thus, the suit claims the company broke its verbal agreement to follow an NDA.

    Lemole filed for divorce from George Griffith, who is related to Dr. Oz, based on IMDB pages in December 2020. But on her website biography, she says she is still married to Griffith and that Dr. Oz is her “brother-in-law.”

    Balmuccino’s suit did not specify the damages.

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    Gabrielle Bienasz

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  • Starbucks is selling Seattle’s Best Coffee brand to Nestlé

    Starbucks is selling Seattle’s Best Coffee brand to Nestlé

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    Starbucks is selling its Seattle’s Best Coffee brand to Nestlé for an undisclosed amount.

    Nestlé, which is based in Vevey, Switzerland, has been in a partnership with Seattle-based Starbucks since 2018 and already distributes Starbucks-branded coffee in more than 80 markets worldwide.

    David Rennie, head of Nestlé’s coffee brands, said acquiring Seattle’s Best will continue to build the company’s portfolio and offer customers more choice. Nestlé also owns the Nescafé, Nespresso and Blue Bottle brands.

    Starbucks acquired Seattle’s Best Coffee in 2003 for $72 million. The deal gave Starbucks a lower-priced brand and access to Seattle’s Best contracts with grocers and food service providers.

    Starbucks: $450 million in upgrades

    But Starbucks is currently focused on a costly makeover of its North American stores. The company said last month it plans to spend $450 million next year to make its stores more efficient.

    The company has also spent more than $1 billion over the last year enhancing worker pay and benefits as it tries to head off a campaign to unionize its stores.

    “We’re confident that Nestlé will continue to grow the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand as we focus on our strategy to elevate the premium coffee experience for consumers through the Starbucks brand,” said Michael Conway, Starbucks’ group president of channel development, in a statement.

    Nestlé and Starbucks said they expect the transaction to close later this year.

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  • Are people moving away from obsessing over pumpkin spice?

    Are people moving away from obsessing over pumpkin spice?

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    ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – It’s an American tradition, as soon as the leaves start falling, the pumpkin spice lattes start pouring. The flavor seeped into the public consciousness in 2003, when Starbucks realized no one had tapped into the world of pumpkin. The company thought it would be the perfect addition for its fall collection, and they were right.

    “I don’t know why, but people go crazy for it,” said Sam Lopez, Manager of The Velvet Robot Coffee Lab.

    However, is this autumn squash slowly losing its magic?

    “We were like man, you know, we don’t enjoy pumpkin spice lattes or pumpkin spice in general as much as everyone else seems to, so there’s gotta be other people who feel that way, so when we did our little study that’s exactly what we found out,” said Jason Patton, Vice President of Fire Department Coffee in Rockford.

    Patton and his team conducted a survey where they interviewed 500 Americans about the signature spice. Here are some of the results:

    – Only 26% said they prefer pumpkin spice over other flavors.

    – 10% say they’ve had at least one argument with a friend or family member over differing pumpkin spice opinions.

    -11% said they’d consider breaking up with a partner over differing pumpkin spice opinion.

    As a result, Patton think there’s new fall coffee flavors on the horizon.

    “People love crème brulee, so I’m gonna play with crème brulee, make it like a salted caramel brulee,” said Pete DuFoe, who owns Inzombia Coffee.

    “When we created our vanilla bean bourbon infused coffee for home, bean or whole ground, that was our highest seller immediately,” Patton said.

    As we move into winter, peppermint and cinnamon will take center stage.

    Copyright 2022 WIFR. All rights reserved.

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