ADDING MULTIMEDIA Starbucks Industry-Leading Design Initiatives Help Reduce Environmental Footprint of Global Store Operations

Collaborations with U.S. Green Building Council and GE produce scalable
solutions for a greener retail business
SEATTLE--(Business Wire)--
Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) today announced two important milestones
as part of its long-term commitment to environmental stewardship: Starbucks has
entered into the construction phase of the U.S. Green Building Council`s (USGBC)
LEED® Volume Certification pilot program1, which will enable the company to
reduce the environmental impact of its stores on a global scale with significant
cost and time efficiencies; and Starbucks has also begun implementing its LED
lighting conversion program, the result of an alliance with GE Consumer &
Industrial to develop a solution that will help reduce energy consumption as
well as utility and maintenance costs at Starbucks stores around the world.

"Our new green construction methodologies and lighting efforts have the rigor to
help us achieve our environmental goals and the flexibility to support our
scale," said Arthur Rubinfeld, president, Starbucks Global Development. "Through
innovative leadership and collaboration, the USGBC and GE have made valuable
contributions that are advancing our sustainability initiatives."

Today Starbucks corporate architect Tony Gale will discuss the future of
responsible retail design as a master speaker at Greenbuild, an international
conference and expo hosted by the USGBC in Phoenix, Ariz.

LEED Volume Certification Program

The USGBC is working with Starbucks and other Volume Certification pilot
contributors to develop resources that will help integrate the adoption of LEED
into the standard design, construction and operations practices of participating
organizations. Over the next six months, Starbucks will build or renovate a
minimum of 10 pilot stores in six different bioregions2 around the world. Once
the pilot stores` environmental strategies are audited and approved, they can be
replicated elsewhere. This capability will allow Starbucks to reach its goal of
achieving LEED certification for all new company-owned stores worldwide
beginning in late 2010.

"The Volume Certification program gives companies the tools to integrate LEED
into their standard practices," said Doug Gatlin, vice president of Market
Development for the USGBC. "Starbucks has significantly contributed to the
development and refinement of this innovative program."

Starbucks global support center in Seattle, Wash. and its Sandy Run, S.C.
roasting plant have both earned LEED Gold certification. In addition, six
Starbucks stores not associated with the pilot program have either achieved or
are currently registered for LEED certification. These stores feature plaques
that identify green design elements and inform customers about solutions they
can apply in their homes and workplaces.

Starbucks inaugural store under the Volume Certification program will open in
San Diego, Calif. this month. The company has also secured pilot store sites in
the following markets: Seattle, Wash.; Bellingham, Wash.; (near) Detroit, Mich.;
Atlanta, Ga.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; New York, N.Y.; Toronto, Canada; Lisbon,
Portugal; Manila, Philippines; Fukuoka, Japan; and Taipei, Taiwan. Additional
locations will be announced as they are secured.

LED Lighting Conversion Program

In 2008, Starbucks explored the substitution of incandescent and halogen
lighting with LED lighting to conserve energy, but found no commercially
available LED product that met the company`s aesthetic and functional
requirements. As a result, Starbucks reached out to GE to identify a solution.
With input from Starbucks about its specific needs, GE developed a highly energy
efficient LED product that complements Starbucks store design approach and fits
existing fixtures.

"Our team jumped at the chance to create a GE-quality LED solution that could
meet Starbucks stringent efficiency and color-quality requirements," said
Michael Petras, president and ceo of GE Consumer & Industrial`s lighting and
electrical business. "Starbucks aggressive moves on the conservation front will
have far-reaching environmental and financial impacts. Other GE customers will
benefit from these achievements."

Starbucks has begun implementing the LED lighting conversion program in all
company-owned stores in the U.S. and Canada, and has already completed
installation in more than 1,000 U.S. locations. It will expand the program to
international markets in March 2010, aiming to complete installation in more
than 8,000 company-owned stores around the world by the end of 2010. Following
global implementation, Starbucks projects a 7 percent per-store reduction in
energy use. This improvement will contribute toward the company`s goal of
achieving a 25 percent reduction in energy use by the end of 2010.

To learn more about Starbucks Shared Planet commitment to environmental
stewardship, visit www.starbucks.com/sharedplanet.

About Starbucks Coffee Company

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing
and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores
around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty
coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our
guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every
customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our
stores or online at www.starbucks.com.

1 LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system.

2 A bioregion is an area where climate conditions have remained essentially
consistent over a period of 30 years.

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Starbucks Coffee Company
Elise Chisholm
206-318-7100
press@starbucks.com
or
Edelman for Starbucks Coffee Company
Bradford Walton
323-202-1417
bradford.walton@edelman.com

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