Globalization of American Food: Coffee Chains: Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks

Started in 1971 in Seattle, Starbucks was sold by its founders in 1980, at which time there were six stores. By 2003 there were about 5,000 stores in North America and 1,500 overseas. Today in addition to its stores in the United States there are 2,600 in thirty other countries. Those stores are located in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The importance of Starbucks in the globalization of American food is obviously tied to its stores all over the world, but its strategic importance is also linked to its purchase of coffee beans from various countries and the effects that those purchases have on the growers and economies of those countries.