A new corporate office sheds light on Starbucks’ US strategy

Starbucks’ North America and global headquarters will remain in Seattle, but the iconic coffee chain is looking further afield for its next chapter of growth

Starbucks has been synonymous with Seattle ever since setting up shop in the city in 1971. So, how significant are its plans to open a new corporate office in Tennessee?

Starbucks currently operates over 16,900 stores in the US, employing approximately 230,000 staff – most of whom are coffee shop personnel.

Its headquarters in Seattle, known as the Starbucks Center, is a corporate hub for over 4,600 employees – some of whom may now be given the opportunity to relocate as the world’s largest coffee chain seeks to establish a strategic presence in the US South.