Starbucks Wants To Set The Record Straight Regarding Its Alleged Relationship With Israel
First and foremost, the international coffee chain said that it stands for humanity.
By May Vin Ang — 28 Feb 2024, 05:51 PM
Starbucks wants to set the record straight regarding its brand and what it stands for amidst ongoing unrest in Palestine
In a statement published on their website, Starbucks said there has been false statements made about the brand, leading to calls for boycotts, as well as acts of violence and vandalism made against their employees and stores.
Therefore, in a series of 10 questions and answers, the international coffee chain established that it stands for humanity.
"Our position remains unchanged. We condemn violence, the loss of innocent life, and all hate and weaponised speech."Despite false statements spread through social media, we have no political agenda," it said.
To spell it out, Starbucks denied the use of its profits to fund any government or military operations
"Neither Starbucks nor the company's former chairman, president, and CEO Howard Schultz provide financial support to the Israeli government and/or the Israeli Army in any way.
"Rumours that Starbucks or Howard Schultz provides financial support to the Israeli government and/or the Israeli Army are unequivocally false," it said.
It added that Starbucks is a publicly held company and as such, is required to disclose any corporate giving each year through a proxy statement.
With over 400,000 partners around the globe with diverse views about a wide range of topics, Starbucks emphasised, "Regardless of that spectrum of beliefs, Starbucks has been and remains a non-political organisation."
The statement also clarified that Starbucks in Malaysia is wholly owned by a public-listed Malaysian company
"For over 25 years, we have consistently demonstrated our commitment to serving the local community, which includes active support for local communities, government of the day, and NGOs through a range of initiatives designed to directly uplift and benefit Malaysians," it said.
Addressing the brand's presence in Middle East and why there are no Starbucks stores in Israel, it added that the brand does not make business decisions based on political issues.
"We decided to dissolve our partnership in Israel in 2003 due to the ongoing operational challenges we experienced in that market," it said.
According to the New Straits Times, Starbucks in Malaysia is operated by Berjaya Starbucks Coffee Company Sdn Bhd, a licensee of Starbucks Coffee International Inc and owned by Berjaya Food Bhd (BFood).
For a six month period ending 31 December 2023, BFood posted a net loss of RM23.5 million against a net profit of RM70.2 million for the same period in the previous financial year.
Starbucks' full statement can be found here.