However, the company has in general enjoyed success overseas and as a result international sales now account for 27% of operating income (2010 Starbucks Annual Report). The international division remains a key source for growth at Starbucks, in particular the Chinese market, where Starbucks has enjoyed considerable success and now sits at over 500 stores.

The company struggled in the mid-2000s due to two main factors. The first was the entry of new competitors into its space. Both Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds upgraded their coffee offerings in an attempt to win business from Starbucks. These moves were in response to Starbucks use of snack foods to win breakfast business away from fast food chains. These events reframed Starbucks' competitive positioning. The view that Starbucks was strictly a coffee company competing against other caffeine marketers became obsolete -- Starbucks was now in the quick service food industry, using coffee as its...
[ View Full Essay]