Message from Sara: Expanding our presence in the Southeast

• 3 min read
• April 21, 2026

Partners,

As we continue to deliver on our Back to Starbucks strategy, we've shared that it is important we are positioning the company for sustained, long-term growth, including significantly expanding the number of U.S. coffeehouses. To support this ambition to grow the business, Starbucks is investing $100 million to expand our presence in the Southeast, establishing an additional support office in Nashville.

We want to share additional information about our Nashville office plans with you.

The Nashville office will be a complement to our global and North America headquarters in Seattle where we will maintain a large presence.

Over the next five years, we expect to have 2,000 support jobs located in Nashville. The majority of our support teams continue to be based here in Seattle. Nashville-based roles will include a combination of net new roles being created to support growth, some in-sourcing as we move some work from contract workers and professional service providers to full-time Starbucks partner roles, and in some cases, moving select teams from Seattle to Nashville as we did recently with our Sourcing teams. Many of the roles that will be based in Nashville are directly tied to growth in the South and East, while others represent broader support functions where we believe there are benefits from the Nashville location.

Today, Anand is sharing with the Starbucks Technology (ST) team that we're moving select teams within ST to Nashville, while others in ST will remain in Seattle. Partners whose roles are being relocated will hear directly from their technology leaders, and we'll support them as they make the decision on what's right for them.

More broadly our new office in Nashville reflects three key advantages: proximity to key suppliers, access to a deep and growing talent pool in the region, notably in technology, and alignment with where we expect future coffeehouse growth. We are committed to supporting strong in-office cultures across our geographic footprint, which is why intact teams will be based in the same location to maximize collaboration and impact.

In May, we will open a temporary office in a building in the Gulch, while we build out the interior of our full-time location, a stunning new building in the downtown Peabody Union complex, where we will occupy the whole building. We expect to move into the Peabody Union space in 2027.

We are excited about this phase of growth for our talent and the company. We also recognize that announcements like this can raise questions. We're committed to communicating as decisions are made in the next couple of months and will keep you updated so you have the facts and hear updates directly from Starbucks. For now, our focus is on supporting the teams most directly impacted, as well as continuing to drive Back to Starbucks as an enterprise.

Thank you for everything you do to bring the Starbucks experience to life every day. This next chapter reflects the strength of our foundation and our confidence in the future we're building together.

With appreciation,

Sara Kelly
chief partner officer