OAN Staff Abril Elfi
12:12 PM – Monday, February 24, 2025
Starbucks is set to lay off 1,000 corporate workers, in addition to cutting more than ten drinks from its menu.
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On Monday, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced that the company is laying off 1,100 current support partner roles while closing several hundred additional “open and unfilled positions.”
“We are simplifying our structure, removing layers and duplication and creating smaller, more nimble teams,” Niccol said in a letter to employees. “Our intent is to operate more efficiently, increase accountability, reduce complexity and drive better integration. All with the goal of being more focused and able to drive greater impact on our priorities.”
Niccol explained that he had already informed employees of the impending layoffs in January. He noted to the press that the cuts were part of the “Back to Starbucks” strategy — which aims to enhance the in-store customer experience while “improving efficiency.”
Niccol also stated that he has been working to boost the profitability of the company and improve its work environment.
The layoffs were “a necessary change to position Starbucks for future success,” he continued.
The CEO maintained that Starbucks will continue to simplify operations in order “to make it easier to drive the business forward.”
Company representatives announced that they would notify all affected employees by Tuesday. Employees will also be notified of any other changes to their positions, such as differing duties and reporting structures — before the end of the week.
Starbucks will continue to hire for positions that suit its new structure and grow capacity as needed, Niccol concluded.
When Niccol took over in September 2024, he announced a series of initiatives aimed at reversing the sales decline and dwindling foot traffic, including cutting café wait times to four minutes. He also announced that the company would return cafés to their original “coffeehouse” design, complete with “personal touches” like mugs and Sharpies, as well as reinstate the condiment bar.
He also said that part of his immediate strategy included simplifying Starbucks’ “overly complex menu” to better align with its identity as a coffeehouse company — separating mobile order pickup from the café experience and adjusting its pricing.
In a separate statement on Monday, the company announced that they would be removing a “selection of less popular beverages” from its menu, in order to reduce wait times while improving quality and consistency.
The drinks being removed from the menu:
- Iced Matcha Lemonade: As an alternative, Starbucks recommends trying its Green Tea Lemonade, which shares similar flavors.
- Espresso Frappuccino, Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino: Instead, Starbucks suggests the Coffee Frappuccino, which features a blend of coffee, milk and ice. This beverage can also be customized to add a shot of espresso or pump of syrup.
- White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino: As a substitute, Starbucks says to try its Mocha Frappuccino.
- Java Chip Frappuccino: Instead, Starbucks suggests the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino, which contains chocolate bits with a similar texture.
- Chai Crème Frappuccino, Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino, Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino, Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino and White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino: As an alternative, Starbucks suggests the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, which can be customized with flavorings, or the Strawberry Frappuccino.
- White Hot Chocolate: As a substitute, Starbucks says its Hot Chocolate can be customized with Mocha or White Chocolate Mocha sauce.
- Royal English Breakfast Latte: Starbucks recommends its London Fog Latte instead, which has similar sweet floral notes.
- Honey Almond milk Flat White: As an alternative, Starbucks suggests the Flat White, which can be customized with any non-dairy milk and sweetener of choice.
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