Starbucks appoints new chief operating officer

Starbucks Inc. said Wednesday that Mike Grams, its chief store officer for North America, will serve as the company’s chief operating officer as part of a leadership reshuffle aimed at boosting performance.
In January, after the departure of Sara Trilling, the president of Starbucks North America, her responsibilities were split into two roles, with Gramms taking over as chief store officer. Meredith Sandland has been named Chief Store Development Officer for North America, and she and Chief Supply Chain Officer Sanjay Shah will now report to Grams.
These initiatives are part of Starbucks CEO Brian Nicol’s efforts to reinvigorate the company.
Starbucks also said it would merge its global coffee and sustainability team with its global brand team.
This initiative aims to strengthen coffee’s centrality in its menus, product innovations, and marketing strategies, and to integrate sustainability into its products, packaging, and operations.
In April, Starbucks disappointed in global comparable sales and profit in the fiscal second quarter as inflation and economic uncertainty increased costs and dampened demand in the United States. Nicol was brought in last year to revive the business, and now he’s tasked with solving those challenges.