Subject Name: Business Strategy

Topic Name(s): Case Study

Suman Choudhary,
ISBM

08/23/2020 Lecture Number, Unit Number 1

BASICS

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Starbucks Corporation, an American company founded in 1971 in Seattle, WA, is a
premier roaster, marketer and retailer of specialty coffee around world. Starbucks has
about 182,000 employees across 19,767 company operated & licensed stores in 62
countries. Their product mix includes roasted and handcrafted high quality/premium
priced coffees, tea, a variety of fresh food items and other beverages. They also sell a
variety of coffee and tea products and license their trademarks through other channels
such as licensed stores, grocery and national foodservice accounts. 1 Starbucks also
markets its products mix with other brand names within its portfolio of companies, which
include Teavana, Tazo, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Starbucks VIA, Starbucks Refreshers,
Evolution Fresh, La Boulange and Verismo. Starbucks had total revenue of $14.89 billion
as of September 29th , 2013.2

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2) External Environment Of The Retail Market For Coffee & Snacks: 2.1) Industry
Overview and Analysis: Starbucks primarily operates and competes in the retail coffee
and snacks store industry. This industry experienced a major slowdown in 2009 due to
the economic crisis and changing consumer tastes, with the industry revenue in the US
declining 6.6% to $25.9 billion. Before this, the industry had a decade of growth
consistent. Due to the economic slump, consumers spent less on luxuries like eating out,
choosing to purchase low-price items instead of high-priced coffee drinks due to
shrinking budgets.3 The industry grew at a low annualized average growth rate of 0.9%
from 2008 till 2013 with current industry revenues at $29 billion in the US. The industry is
now forecasted to grow at an annualized rate of 3.9% over the next five years, with a
potential to reach $35.1 billion revenues in the US. This growth would be mainly driven
by an improving economy, increase in consumer confidence and expanding menu
offerings within the industry. Starbucks dominates the industry with a market share of
36.7%, Dunkin Brands with 24.6% and other competitors like McDonalds, Costa Coffee,
Tim Horton’s etc.

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2.2) Industry Life Cycle and Market Share Concentration: This industry is in a mature stage
with a medium level concentration. Starbucks and Dunkin Brands make up more than 60% of
the market share (Appendix 1), giving them considerable market power in determining
industry trends. Industry Structure is given in Appendix 3. 2.3) Industry Demand
Determinants and Profitability Drivers: The industry’s demand for premium coffee and snack
products are mainly driven by a number of factors which include disposable income, per
capita coffee consumption, attitudes towards health, world pricing of coffee and
demographics. This industry is highly sensitive to the macroeconomic factors that affect the
growth in household disposable. During the recession, the decline in household disposable
income due to increased unemployment and stagnant wages, caused a downward pressure
on the revenue and profitability margins in the industry. Another crucial factor for analyzing
the demand in the industry is the per capita coffee consumption where the increase in coffee
consumption increases the revenue of coffee & snack shops. The main driver of this
consumption increase would be the increase disposable income, as the economy improves
and consumers start to relax their budgets. This driver has a positive effect on market
revenue. Per capita coffee consumption is expected to increase in 2014

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As coffee beans are the primary input in the value chain of the industry participants, the
prevailing volatile prices of coffee beans determines market costs and profitability margins.
The world price of coffee has risen sharply in recent years due to growing demand in other
countries and the resulting supply shortages. During the five years to 2018, coffee bean
prices are projected to decrease, which will likely translate into lower market costs and
higher profitability. 5 Attitudes towards health also play an important role in determining the
demand in the industry. There is an expected shift towards healthy eating and diet among
the consumers in 2014, and this could be a potential threat to the industry as they become
more aware of issues related to weight and obesity. There has been a proactive shift among
the industry participants to tailor their menus towards more organic and healthy products
mix.

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2.4) Porters Five Forces Analysis of the Retail Coffee and Snacks Industry: Threat of New
Entrants: Moderate There is a moderate threat of new entrants into the industry as the
barriers to entry are not high enough to discourage new competitors to enter the
market. The industry’s saturation is moderately high with a monopolistic competition
structure. For new entrants, the initial investment is not significant as they can lease
stores, equipment etc. at a moderate level of investment. At a localized level, small
coffee shops can compete with the likes of Starbucks and Dunkin Brands because there
are no switching costs for the consumers. Even thought it’s a competitive industry, the
possibility of new entrants to be successful in the industry is moderate. But this
relatively easy entry into the market is usually countered by large incumbent brands
identities like Starbucks who have achieved economies of scale by lowering cost,
improved efficiency with a huge market share. There is a moderately high barrier for the
new entrants as they differentiate themselves from Starbuck’s product quality, its prime
real estate locations, and its store ecosystem ‘experience’.6 The incumbent firms like
Starbucks have a larger scale and scope, yielding them a learning curve advantage and
favorable access to raw material with the relationship they build with their suppliers. 
The expected retaliation from well-established companies for brand equity, resources,
prime real estate locations and price competition are moderately high, which creates a
moderate barrier to entry.

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Threat of Substitutes: High
There are many reasonable substitute beverages to coffee, which are mainly tea, fruit
juices, water, soda’s, energy drinks etc. Bars and Pubs with non/alcoholic beverages could
also substitute for the social experience of Starbucks .
Consumers could also make their own home produced coffee with household premium
coffee makers at a fraction of the cost for buying from premium coffee retailers like
Starbucks.
There are no switching costs for the consumers for switching to substitutes, which makes
the threat high.
But its important to note that industry leaders like Starbucks are currently trying to
counter this threat by selling coffee makers, premium coffee packs in grocery stores but
this threat still puts pressure their the margins.

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Bargaining Power of Buyers: Moderate to Low Pressure
There are many different buyers in this industry and no single buyer can demand
price concession.
It offers vertically differentiated products with a diverse consumer base, which
make relatively low volume purchases, which erodes the buyer’s power.
Even though there are no switching costs with high availability of substitute
products, industry leaders like Starbucks prices its product mix in relation to rivals
stores with prevailing market price elasticity and competitive premium pricing.
Consumers have a moderate sensitivity in premium coffee retailing as they pay a
premium for higher quality products but are watchful of excessive premium in
relation product quality.

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Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Low to Moderate Pressure  The main inputs into the value chain
of Starbucks is coffee beans and premium Arabica coffee grown in select regions which are
standard inputs, which makes the cost of switching between substitute suppliers, moderately
low. Strategic Analysis Of Starbucks Corporation
Starbucks, with its size and scale, has the power to take advantage of its suppliers but it
maintains a Fair trade certified coffee under its coffee and farmer equity (C.A.F.E) program, whic
gives its suppliers a fair partnership status, which yields them some moderately, low power.
The suppliers in the industry also pose a low threat of competing against Starbucks by forward
vertical integration, which lowers their power.  Starbucks also forms a highly important part of
the suppliers business, due its size and scope, which make the power of the suppliers lower.
Given these factors, suppliers pose a moderately low bargaining power. Bargaining Power of
Suppliers: Low to Moderate Pressure  The main inputs into the value chain of Starbucks is coffe
beans and premium Arabica coffee grown in select regions which are standard inputs, which
makes the cost of switching between substitute suppliers, moderately low. Strategic Analysis Of
Starbucks Corporation  Starbucks, with its size and scale, has the power to take advantage of it
suppliers but it maintains a Fair trade certified coffee under its coffee and farmer equity (C.A.F.E
program, which gives its suppliers a fair partnership status, which yields them some moderately,
low power.The suppliers in the industry also pose a low threat of competing against Starbucks b
forward vertical integration, which lowers their power.  Starbucks also forms a highly importan
part of the suppliers business, due its size and scope, which make the power of the suppliers
lower. Given these factors, suppliers pose a moderately low bargaining power.

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Intensity of Competitive Rivalry: High to Moderate The industry has a monopolistic
competition, with Starbucks having the largest markets share and its closest
competitors also having a significant market share, creating significant pressure on
Starbucks.
Consumers do have any cost of switching to other competitors, which crates high
intensity in rivalry.
But its important to note that Starbucks maintain some competitive advantage as it
differentiates its products with premium products and services, which cause a
moderate level of intensity in competition.
The industry is mature and growth rate has been moderately low which cause the
intensity of competition among the companies to be moderately high due to all of
them seeking to increase market shaper from established firms like Starbucks.
This industry does not have over capacity currently and all these factors contribute to
the intensity among rivals to be moderately high.

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