In the year 2020, Starbucks announced its vision of a resource-positive future, which aims to give back more of the resources to the planet than they use. Many elements of the long-term strategy have been implemented and put into practice by Starbucks in the past year.
For a more sustainable future
Over the past year, several plant-based menu options have become available to guests, such as the Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte that gained popularity rapidly, or the holiday favorites, the Vegan Toffee Nut Latte and the Vegan Gingerbread Latte.
From the very beginning reducing ecological footprint and focusing on sustainability have been of paramount importance to the coffee chain, which is why it has been placing special emphasis on reusable cups since the beginning of 2019. The reusable cup offers guests an eco-friendly coffee experience, which Starbucks seeks to encourage with various promotions and discounts. During the pandemic the company introduced contactless service in its stores, in which the guest places their reusable cup or thermos in a mug and the barista touches only the ears of the mug and thus prepares the drink. From the end of August, also in the name of the fight against plastic, Starbucks is waiting for those who want to have coffee in Hungary with a new kind of straw-free lid.
Sobras! created in the spirit of environmental awareness, made its debut with the café chain. The application allows anyone to book a package from selected stores of the coffee chain, contributing to the fight against food waste. The Sobras! app allows guests to book food and beverages that are no longer sold that day at a discounted price, the products can be picked up at the store of their choice.
Quick adaptation to the situation
Like many other companies, including the Starbucks coffee chain, the pandemic that erupted in the spring forced them to adapt quickly to a new situation. Home delivery has been available from the café chain's stores since the summer of 2019, however, in response to the pandemic in the spring, Starbucks made home delivery available in additional stores from March 2020 thus contactless courier services are now available from 29 Hungarian shops. At the beginning of the year only one, however by the end of the year Starbucks is working with two delivery partners to help their guests order their favorite products to their homes.
Starbucks pays special attention to the situation arising due to the coronavirus, which places an additional burden on Hungarian healthcare. The coffee chain therefore decided in March 2020 to support stakeholders with its own tools. Twice in the past year, once in the spring and in the second wave of the pandemic in the winter Starbucks has supported front-line health workers with coffee donations.
A diverse future
The company will continue to build towards its resource-positive future in the coming year as well as will continue to support everyday heroes fighting the virus with its own tools. This year again will also announce the highly successful poetry competition, which provides an opportunity to young generation of poets to introduce their work to a wider public.
Starbucks continues to focus on environmental awareness and the reduction of ecological footprint and is making further efforts both in the fight against plastics and against food waste, with keeping sustainability in mind.
In 2021, the company will focus on celebrating openness, acceptance, and diversity. After the last challenging year, empathy for each other has become more important this year than has ever been before. Starbucks aims to draw attention to each other’s acceptance and support through several creative and unique initiatives.
“We have also been challenged by the situation over the past year, but we have not lost sight of what really matters: we have always aimed to support our guests and partners to feel safe despite the precarious situation. We are proud to have achieved our goals and to have taken real, important steps towards a more sustainable future,” says Fanni Kerek, Starbucks Hungary brand manager. - “It won’t be any different this year. We have entered the new year steadily, confidently, and optimistically, putting a very important issue on our flag. Diversity has always been present in the shops of the cafe chain, but it will receive even more emphasis this year. We want to draw attention to the importance of accepting each other, no matter who you are and where are you coming from, we only say, “Good to see you!”