Did You Know How Starbucks Was Named? Here's The Untold Story Behind It

No matter whether you are a coffee lover or not, Starbucks is a name almost everyone has heard of, right? Based in Washington, USA, the coffee giant is a favourite among many coffee lovers around the world, rising in popularity over its five decade history.

But have you ever wondered how the coffee brand got its name? Read on as we unfold the story behind the naming of Starbucks.

When Was Starbucks Founded?

starbucks/shutterstock

American coffee chain Starbucks was founded by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971. They later sold the business to Howard Schultz in the early 1980s. Then, following a business trip to Milan, Italy, Schultz made the decision to turn the coffee bean store into an espresso-based drink shop and began expending it rapidly.

How Starbucks Got Its Name?

starbucks founders/starbucks

Now let us bring to you the untold story behind the naming of coffee chain Starbucks. It was in 1971, when Starbucks founders had got together with artist Terry Heckler to define their new brand. They wanted the company¡¯s name to suggest a sense of adventure, a connection to the Northwest and a link to the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders. Co-founder Gordon Bowker, a writer, initially proposed calling the company ¡°Pequod,¡± after the ship in Herman Melville¡®s classic novel ¡°Moby-Dick.¡± But Terry objected ¨C would a cup of ¡°Pee-kwod¡± appeal to anyone?

The brainstorming continued. While researching names of mining camps on Mt. Rainier, one of the best known landmarks near Seattle, Terry came across ¡°Starbo,¡± which eventually led the team back to where they¡¯d started. In ¡°Moby-Dick,¡± the name of the first mate on the Pequod was, you guessed it, Starbuck. That is how this coffee brand was born-Starbucks.

Who Is The Indian-Origin CEO Of Starbucks At Present?

starbucks ceo laxman narsimhan/starbucks

Born on 15 May 1967 in Pune, Laxman Narasimhan has been serving as the CEO of Starbucks since March 2023. Before that, he had served as CEO of Reckitt, which houses numerous brands such as Dettol, Durex,Harpic, Strepsils, Mortein etc. He had earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the College of Engineering, Pune, an MA in German and International Studies from The Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Also Read: How Coffee Giant Starbucks Also Works As An 'Unregulated' Bank

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