Consumer Goods / Coffee · Last update: May 15 · Sources: CNBC, Investing.com, World Coffee Portal, GeekWire, Seattle Times, Reuters
What happened
On May 11, 2026, a WARN filing disclosed that Starbucks is cutting 61 corporate technology jobs at its Seattle Support Center headquarters in the SoDo neighborhood. The reductions come from a reorganization of the technology department and affect roles spanning cybersecurity analysts, technical product managers, systems analysts, systems administrators, scrum masters, and architects.
Workers received notification in April. The first separations are expected on June 20, 2026, with all separations completed by August 28, 2026. The cuts are limited to the Seattle Support Center campus at 2401 Utah Ave S and do not extend to Starbucks retail store partners.
The reorganization is the first major technology workforce action under Chief Technology Officer Anand Varadarajan, who joined from Amazon in December after previous CTO Deb Hall Lefevre departed in September. The move aligns with CEO Brian Niccol's broader turnaround strategy, which leans into AI-driven initiatives including an AI-powered drink-ordering assistant and algorithms for managing mobile order timing.
2026 timeline
May 15, 2026
Starbucks announces 300 corporate layoffs across tech, marketing, finance, and R&D, the third workforce action under CEO Brian Niccol. The company takes a $400M restructuring charge ($280M non-cash impairments plus $120M in cash severance, averaging roughly $400K per affected role) and consolidates its regional offices in Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Burbank. Seattle headquarters and the new Nashville hub remain. Niccol says further overseas role cuts are expected as Starbucks moves to a "world-class licensor" model internationally.
May 11, 2026
WARN filing reveals Starbucks is cutting 61 corporate technology roles at its Seattle Support Center as part of a department reorganization under new CTO Anand Varadarajan. Affected roles include cybersecurity, technical product, systems, and architecture positions.
Jun 20 - Aug 28, 2026
Phased separations begin June 20 and conclude by August 28. Workers were notified in April ahead of the WARN filing.