Starbucks’ New CEO Wants To Recapture The Coffeehouse Vibe

SEATTLE, Wash. (AP) – Starbucks’ new chairman and CEO says he plans to focus on improving service and reestablishing the struggling coffee giant’s stores as gathering places.

In an open letter posted on the company’s website on Tuesday, Brian Niccol said Starbucks is a beloved brand.

But he says he found in conversations with employees and customers over the past few weeks a “shared sense that we have drifted from our core.”

Starbucks’ sales have fallen this year due to weaker U.S. store traffic and other issues, including rising competition in China and boycotts in the Middle East.

Niccol says improving the store experience for both baristas and customers will help turn that around.