Starbucks was founded in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971. In 1987, Howard Schultz (Starbucks CEO, Executive Chairman) purchased Starbucks with the help of local investors. In the same year, Starbucks opened the first store in Vancouver, Canada, marking its first foray into the international market. Now, Starbucks stores have mushroomed all over the world, and it has become the most dominant global coffee roaster and retailer. Mr. Howard Schultz emphasizes the element of culture and quality in doing business in the coffee industry. Starbucks respects its customer and employees, and only produces the best coffee products using the finest roasted coffee beans in the world. Starbucks products are served in the most comfortable store environment, in turn transforming it into the leading brand in the global specialty coffee industry, often praised by international scholars and experts as a “Legendary Coffee Empire”.
