The History of the Frappuccino: A Tale in the Importance of Outside Perspective

The Best Mistake Howard Schultz Didn't Make

The history of the world’s most beloved coffee franchise, Starbucks, is a fascinating tale of entrepreneurialism and how one business can imprint a dynamic shift on consumer tastes across a nation, and eventually the rest of the world. Moreover, it's also a tale that highlights the importance of remaining open-minded and avoiding the narrative of what isn’t broken, doesn’t require fixing.

In the modern-day, consumers are spoiled by the bountiful optionality of coffee. From store-bought instant to Starbucks to high-quality independent shops, one is often only a stone’s throw away from some great coffee. Today, there are a number of critics who suggest Starbucks is akin to the ‘big mac’ of coffee. "Charbucks” is a common slur from those who dislike the brand. However, back in the early 80s, Starbucks were in fact a leading force behind the shift in consumer tastes that led to this great bounty of coffee choices. If you imagine an X-axis that assigns increasing levels of “quality” the f…