Starbucks is laying off hundreds of employees in the US as part of a broader restructuring drive under CEO Brian Niccol's “Back to Starbucks” turnaround strategy.
According to a regulatory filing cited by the Lewiston Tribune and The Seattle Times, the latest round of layoffs affects 252 employees tied to the company's Seattle headquarters and remote roles designated under the Seattle office.
The cuts are part of the nearly 300 support-centre job reductions announced by Starbucks last week. The affected positions include administrative assistants, managers and several vice presidents.
ALSO READ | Inside Meta's Latest Layoffs: Job Cuts, Team Transfers And Open Role Closures Explained
The Seattle-based coffee chain is also consolidating its regional support operations by shutting offices in Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Burbank, California. Employees continuing in those locations will transition to remote designations.
The media report said that the Starbucks will maintain support offices in Seattle, New York and Nashville, Tennessee, where the company recently leased a majority of a new six-storey office building.
The latest layoffs are scheduled to begin on July 17 and continue through Feb. 1, according to the filing.
The workforce reductions mark the latest phase of Starbucks' restructuring efforts since Niccol took charge in 2025. Under the “Back to Starbucks” strategy, the company has focused on streamlining operations, cutting costs and improving long-term profitability.
The company has also shut several stores, including marquee Reserve Roastery locations, while reducing corporate staffing levels.
Since February 2025, Starbucks has cut more than 2,300 Washington-based jobs across corporate and retail operations, according to state data cited by The Seattle Times.
ALSO READ | TCS Asks Managers To Put 5% Staff In Band D, Stoking Fears Of Fresh Layoffs: Report
“We are taking further action under the Back to Starbucks strategy, building on our strong business momentum and working to return the company to durable, profitable growth,” a Starbucks spokesperson told The Seattle Times.
“Leaders have taken a hard look at their respective functions to further sharpen focus, prioritise work, reduce complexity, and lower costs,” the spokesperson added.
During its latest earnings call, Starbucks reported a profit of $511 million on sales of $9.5 billion, both up year-on-year.
The company has estimated its restructuring plans will cost around $400 million, including employee severance expenses and changes to its real estate portfolio, according to a regulatory filing.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
