Starbucks Shrank Retail Staff 8% Despite Hundreds of New Stores

Starbucks Corp. reduced its US retail workforce by 8% in its most recent fiscal year, even as the coffee chain added hundreds of new locations.

The company’s overall headcount in its home market fell to 211,000 as of Sept. 29, down from 228,000 a year earlier, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday. Of that total, 201,000 work in the company’s cafes, down 8% from 219,000 in 2023.

It’s the second straight year that the tally of US workers has fallen. At the same time, Starbucks added a net 513 company-operated stores in the US, bringing the total to 10,158. ...