It is disheartening that calls for boycotts of Starbucks stores and products, which are based on blatant untruths, have had direct impacts on local economies and residents, and have also led to violent situations involving our stores, partners (employees) and customers.
Our more than 160,000 partners and business associates around the globe have diverse views about a wide range of topics. Regardless of that spectrum of belief, Starbucks Coffee Company remains a non-political organization, they do not support any political or religious cause. Further, allegations that Starbucks provides financial support to the Israeli government and/or the Israeli Army in any way are unequivocally false. Unfortunately, these rumors persist despite their best efforts to refute them.
What they do believe in, and remain focused on, is staying true to their company’s long-standing heritage — simply connecting with their partners and customers over a cup of high quality coffee and offering the best experience possible to them – regardless of geographical location. Though their roots are in the United States, they are a global company with stores in 49 countries, including more than 230 stores in nine Middle Eastern countries. In countries where we do business, we are proud to be a part of the fabric of the local community — working directly with local partners who operate their stores, employing thousands of local citizens, serving millions of customers and positively impacting many others through their support of neighborhoods and cities.
Questions asked (from the Starbucks website):
Myths: Is it true that Starbucks provides financial support to Israel?
No. This is absolutely untrue. Rumors that Starbucks Coffee Company provides financial support to the Israeli government and/or the Israeli Army are unequivocally false. Starbucks is a publicly held company and as such, is required to disclose any corporate giving each year through a proxy statement. In addition, articles in the London Telegraph (U.K.), New Straits Times (Malaysia), and Spiked (online) provide an outside perspective on these false rumors.
Has Starbucks ever sent any of its profits to the Israeli government and/or Israeli army?
No. This is absolutely untrue.
Is it true that Starbucks is teaming with other American corporations to send their last several weeks of profits to the Israeli government and/or the Israeli Army?
No. This is absolutely untrue.
Is it true that Starbucks closed its stores in Israel for political reasons?
No. We do not make business decisions based on political issues. We decided to dissolve our partnership in Israel in 2003 due to the on-going operational challenges that we experienced in that market. After many months of discussion with our partner we came to this amicable decision. While this was a difficult decision for both companies, we believe it remains the right decision for our businesses.
Do you work with a Middle East partner to operate Starbucks stores?
Through a licensing agreement with trading partner and licensee MH Alshaya WLL, a private Kuwait family business, Starbucks has operated in the Middle East since 1999. Today Alshaya Group, recognized as one of the leading and most influential retailing franchisees in the region, operates more than 274 Starbucks stores in the Middle East and Levant region. In addition to its Starbucks stores, the Alshaya Group operates more than 1,700 other retail stores in the region, providing jobs for more than 15,000 employees of more than 35 nationalities.
We are extremely fortunate and proud to have forged a successful partnership for the past ten years and look forward to building on this success.
In which Middle Eastern countries do you operate?
We partner with Alshaya Group to operate Starbucks stores in Egypt, Kuwait, KSA, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Jordan and Lebanon in the Middle East region. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many communities, and we are committed to providing the Starbucks Experience while respecting the local customs and cultures of each country we are a part of. We are also committed to hiring locally, providing jobs to thousands of local citizens in the countries where we operate.
Are you still operating Starbucks stores in Israel? If not, do you have plans to re-open should the opportunity arise?
We decided to dissolve our partnership in Israel in 2003 due to the on-going operational challenges that we experienced in that market.
When and where the business case makes sense and we see a fit for the Starbucks brand in a market we will work closely with a local partner to assess the feasibility of offering our brand to that community. We will therefore continue to assess all opportunities on this basis. At present, we will continue to grow our business in the Middle East as we have been very gratified by the strong reception of the brand in the region. We continue to work closely with our business partner, the Alshaya Group, in developing our plans for the region.
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Comments ( 17 )
I hope that ignorant religious people understand this before they ruin their local economies with their stupid methods of fighting the Israeli occupation.
Unfortunately, it is so that most religious people take the word of their religious leaders (who the majority of have no understanding of how the economy works) over simple logic, even if the company its self denies any connections with the Israeli occupation, just like in this case, they think that it is just another lie done for their Zionist agenda.
Nizar added these pithy words on
Feb 02 09 at
11:43 am
They make lousy coffees
as my friend puts it, colored water!
KJ added these pithy words on
Feb 02 09 at
2:04 pm
Even if their not supporting Israel. We should note their part in globalization and the demise of local brands. We should be careful about how much importance does Starbucks have on our economies.
tambi added these pithy words on
Feb 02 09 at
2:47 pm
Nizar, i think its not about religion, its about politics more.. Israel is a country where Jew is a religion.
Moey, thanks for posting. interesting info to give, indeed.
Jano added these pithy words on
Feb 02 09 at
4:21 pm
I expected someone to giv the reaction of subzero!
I think that they should provide some funding to local social institutes that they operate in, and highlight this in their ads and PR campaigns. If they don’t send money to Israel, maybe helping us would help their image?! no?
The Observer added these pithy words on
Feb 02 09 at
10:57 pm
They’re coffee is crap. Having said that I’m going to start going there simply because it’ll lower my chances of bumping into any religious hooo hooos ……
KTDP added these pithy words on
Feb 02 09 at
11:01 pm
what’s not mentioned in this PR statement is the extent of the relationship and support of Howard Schultz, CEO and Founder of Starbucks, with AIPAC. It’s widely known that Schultz offers monetary support to, as well as speaking roles at, AIPAC.
The problem that I have with this boycott proposition does not stem from such support. The amount of financial, and otherwise, support of Schultz does not warrant it significant as to Boycott Starbucks. People would find a better reason, and following, by boycotting Starbucks because of the quality of their coffee.
Arabs have many other people, companies, and organizations that support Israel, to boycott. Those individuals and entities have more of a saying in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Start with Arab leaders, governments, and companies that deal directly or indirectly with Israeli companies and government. Also, American tech companies have significant operations in Israel that provide many jobs and support the Israeli economy in many ways, such as taxes.
Boycotting Starbucks points at the miserable state of the Arab street. Boycotting any foreign company, not Alshaya, should be carried out after getting rid of local corrupted officials, members of parliament, and even regimes.
mab3oos added these pithy words on
Feb 02 09 at
11:59 pm
This statement was taken from their website, so it won’t be an aunbiased one. and as Jano said, we should not mix politics with religion Nizar.
Ulysses added these pithy words on
Feb 03 09 at
10:43 am
aint that funny ? A statement of that nature is published when crazy job layoffs in the states occurred ?
Abdullah added these pithy words on
Feb 03 09 at
11:13 am
I know what you are saying hence my morning coffee is from Star Bucks they make mean Caramel Michiato, However I raise my hat for setting the record straight Moey
BTW I liked the old template more
Sarah added these pithy words on
Feb 03 09 at
12:45 pm
first of all no starbucks is ever going to ruin our local economy! ino bala habal…and just like subzero said how do u excpect them to not lie about this?? they kill people and lie abt it u want them to not lie about a cup of coffee? funny..
Dee added these pithy words on
Feb 03 09 at
4:08 pm
So now we boycott Starbucks and McDonald’s and everything else ? Why now ? Why not 60 years ago, when the Zionist war started ? Why are there 230 starbucks stores in the ME ? It’s because decisions like this are made by our leaders. The same leaders that we’re criticizing for not standing up for Palestine, have allowed Israel-supporting groups to leak into our communities. You want to boycott Starbucks ? Why not boycott every Arab country and every Arab product that supports America by selling them oil? Oil, the main source of energy for America, the nation that supports Israel. You think America can survive without oil from our brothers in KSA ? Pepsi is made in KSA, the same pepsi you boycott because it’s American ??
There’s so much we don’t know, so much we don’t understand. It’s not religion, it’s all politics.
Money is everything, believe it, cause it’s the damn right truth.
Shadz added these pithy words on
Feb 03 09 at
9:32 pm
Oh please. I couldn’t even read the whole post.
For God’s sake – what difference will it make if you just buy your coffee from any local coffeeshop – or even find the time to make your own – rather than buying it from starbucks? Not to mention their crappy black coffee , it’s too expensive! so why not boycott? Why not support local industries to refresh the almost dead economy?
I seriousely don’t get you.
Shadz, what happened this time was different. The whole world witnessed what happened , and they had to do something. Im not talking about leaders here , Im talking about regular folks , just like you and me. 60 years ago , not everyone had a tv , not everyone had a radio , and for sure NO ONE had any internet connection. So why now? Because it’s about time we wake up. We need that irritant to start moving. It needs time. What would happen if we just boycott pepsi, BK and Mcdonald for example ? We woun’t die for sure , but we will look for alternatives in our local socities.
I do agree that it’s all about the money – but religion is covering the whole picture.
But since u posted this as “Real facts about SBs in ME” then ur obviosley against the whole boycott campaign. Go ahead , pay your money to a person who’s supporting israel by millions every year just to buy weapons to “defend” their sleves against a couple of hand-made rockets.Subzero , thank u
MAher added these pithy words on
Feb 04 09 at
8:01 pm
okay..all you guys are saying about starbucks is that is it crap and it is good…why does it even matter..like seriously i dont like it but oh well you dont have to say a bunch of crap about it.
Love97 added these pithy words on
Apr 30 09 at
11:00 pm
