Starbucks Posts First US Sales Growth in Two Years as CEO Serves up Grande Vision

When Brian Niccol took the helm of Starbucks in September 2024, becoming its fourth CEO of the 2020s, the former Chipotle boss had a tall (grande, really) order to fill: reverse a worrying sales slump that shareholders hated with an Iced Passion Tango. On Wednesday, the world’s largest coffee chain reported the first major breakthrough of his tenure. In the fourth quarter, Starbucks ground out its first increase in US same-store sales in two years. A tasseography reading of the coffee grinds on the balanc ...