This article originally appeared on Business expert.
Starbucks brings back a major conference for store managers and senior staff for the first time since pre-COVID-19, with a renewed focus on in-person experiences.
Starbucks confirmed to Business Insider that hundreds of store managers and other senior staff will probably be invited to the meeting this 12 months. This will include training, development and networking opportunities, the company said.
“When we return to Starbucks, we must refocus on what has always set us apart – a welcoming coffee shop where people gather and where we serve the best coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas,” the chain said in a letter sent to invited staff.
“We know the power of private contacts. We have not met as a group since 2019, and we’re excited to reunite our North American retail leaders in 2025 to assist us get back to Starbucks.”
Starbucks said the conference can be held in Vegas in June.
The last similar conference for senior retail staff took place on Chicago in late September 2019, just a few months before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 1987, the Windy City was home to the first off-site Starbucks in the US. Seattle.
The three-day event in 2019 consisted of educational sessions and speakers at the McCormick Place Convention Center on Chicago’s South Side. More than 10,000 store managers from the U.S. and Canada were in attendance, along with 2,000 regional leaders, senior management and staff.
New CEO Niccol desires to make his presence known
Brian Niccol joined Starbucks as CEO in September after many years at the helm of Chipotle. Starbucks
News of the conference comes as the coffee giant’s latest CEO, Brian Niccol, looks like it can make its mark.
Since joining the coffee giant in September, Niccol said he hopes Starbucks stores will change into places where people want to hang around againfocusing on the value of private experiences.
“Our stores will encourage relaxation with comfortable seating, thoughtful design and a clear distinction between takeaway and dine-in services,” he said in a statement open letter.
Earlier this week, the company assured that it could extend your free refill policy to all customers of participating cafes as a part of the latest code of conduct in force from January 27. Starbucks rewards members they were previously the only ones who could get a free top-up on their order.
The coffee manufacturer also announced that this might be the case reversing its open door policythat enables non-paying guests to make use of store amenities resembling bathrooms, indoor common areas and patios.
As the former head of Mexican barbecue chain Chipotle, Niccol attended a conference of all California-based fast food chain executives in Las Vegas in March.
The conference was attended by CEOs, directors and restaurant employees with over 20 years of experience. Chipotle will host a similar conference in 2022.