Starbucks 2025 in pictures: The biggest moments that shaped the year

• 10 min read
• December 19, 2025

In 2025, Starbucks returned to its roots of coffee and connection. The company's "Back to Starbucks" efforts are recognizable in coffeehouses around the world in ways both big and small. It might be a marathon runner in New York, still wearing his finisher medal the morning after as he enjoys coffee and breakfast with visiting family at a redesigned coffeehouse. Or a customer waiting in a café while her husband undergoes cancer surgery because the Starbucks partners (employees) there make her feel like she's with family. It might be partners cheering each other on at the first Global Barista Championship - or showing up for their communities in the wake of disaster or times of need.

No matter what's happening in the world or what hardships people face, every day in coffeehouses around the world, partners create moments of joy, comfort, connection and meaning for customers and each other - one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.

Starbucks photographers were there to capture many of these moments and have collected some of their favorites of the year below.

Partners: Heart of the company

Starbucks partners are the heart and soul of every coffeehouse. They study the art and craft of making an incredible cup of coffee. They welcome each customer warmly and call them by name. They know their regulars and remember their orders, and often also what's happening in their lives. "They make me feel like I'm home," said one customer last month in a New York coffeehouse.

Photos by Joshua Trujillo

LA wildfires: Starbucks partners step up for their communities

In Los Angeles, the year began with a series of wildfires that swept through neighborhoods across the city, spreading heartbreaking destruction. Many Starbucks partners lost their homes and a beloved coffeehouse burned. The cafés that remained opened their doors to those who needed a place to gather, rest, charge their electronics or just be. Partners gave away thousands of cups of free coffee to first responders and delivered bottled water and supplies to emergency services. "This was a powerful example of how we use our scale for good - intentionally, and when it matters most," wrote Mark Ebb, regional director, Southern California. "In times of crisis … our coffeehouses become hubs of connection, and our partners give support to their communities with compassion and resilience."

Photos by Joshua Trujillo and Stuart Palley

Innovation: New farms in Guatemala and Costa Rica

In 2025, Starbucks purchased two new research farms - one outside Antigua, Guatemala, and one in Costa Rica adjacent to Hacienda Alsacia, the first Starbucks company-operated farm, which opened in 2013. The new coffee farms will research and develop ways to help improve the productivity and climate resistance of coffee trees and support profitability for coffee farmers. The Valley of Volcanoes farm in Guatemala is surrounded by three volcanoes, including one that sent a plume of smoke skyward on the day photographers visited. The Highlands of Alsacia farm, located at 5,000 feet on the slopes of the Poás Volcano, will allow Starbucks to learn more about growing coffee at higher elevations.

Photos by Joshua Trujillo

Global Barista Champions: Recognizing exceptional craft

In June, the first Starbucks Global Barista Championship was held in Las Vegas as the culmination of more than a year of regional competitions among 84,000 baristas around the world. Nobuki, from Japan, won the coveted title with his excellent coffee craftsmanship, compelling storytelling, latte art and the signature beverage he created, the Blooming Yuzu Espresso. Since then, as Global Barista Champion, Nobuki has traveled around the world, visiting the five Starbucks Reserve® Roasteries in Chicago, New York City, Milan, Shanghai and Tokyo. "We are serving a cup of coffee to each person, but that service could change the world," Nobuki said. "Because what we do as our service … it is a wonderful thing."

Photos by Joshua Trujillo

Harvest time: Gathering the pumpkins that make PSL

Did you know the pumpkins used in the beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte (affectionately known at PSL) are grown at a farm in eastern Washington? This fall, Starbucks was there for the harvest. "Everybody thinks I raise jack-o'-lanterns, carving pumpkins," said farmer Jeff Leber, who has been growing pumpkins for Starbucks since 2018. "When I tell them I raise pumpkins for Pumpkin Spice Lattes, they don't believe me. Because who would do that, right? Not a guy in a small town like this."

Photos by Mike Kane

Extra shots of pop culture

Starbucks has long been an influential force in pop culture, appearing in movies, TV shows, music, celebrity partnerships (and popped up recently in "Freakier Friday" and New York Fashion Week). This year, Starbucks and Oprah teamed up to launch Oprah's Book Club, Presented by Starbucks, a podcast companion to her book club. Each month, Oprah, authors and special guests meet in a Starbucks coffeehouse to discuss her latest book club selection. In May, Oprah visited the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle for a Q&A with Tressie Lieberman, Starbucks global chief brand officer.

In October, Starbucks transformed a Nashville coffeehouse overnight for a glittery launch day celebration of Taylor Swift's latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl." Customers immersed themselves in Taylor-inspired experiences, including an exclusive vinyl pop-up record store, photo booth, friendship bracelets, glitter sprinkles on Starbucks cold foam and more.

Photos by Stefania Curto, Kelsie Carlos and Joshua Trujillo

LE25: 14,000 Starbucks leaders come together

In June, more than 14,000 Starbucks coffeehouse leaders gathered in Las Vegas for a transformational two-day event designed to empower, equip and ignite them to lead in new ways. It was the first large-scale leadership gathering since the company's 2019 Leadership Experience in Chicago - and the first under the leadership of Brian Niccol, chairman and chief executive officer, and Mike Grams, chief operating officer. "Starbucks is more than a coffee company; it's about serving people and creating meaningful connections," said Niccol. "That's why coming together in person for this event is so critical."

Attendees heard from Niccol and other leaders, including Starbucks founder Howard Schultz. Guest speaker Will Guidara, the restauranteur and New York Times best-selling author of "Unreasonable Hospitality," shared insight on creating unforgettable, deeply personal moments for customers. Starbucks partners also had a chance to learn more about the journey of coffee from the farm to the cafe and attend an Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

Photos by Joshua Trujillo and Cameron Karsten

Photos by Brett Renville, Cameron Karsten, Yobel Mengistu and Joshua Trujillo

Coffee at the core

Every cup of coffee is more than just ground beans. It contains the stories of farmers around the world who lovingly care for coffee trees and work hard to grow high-quality cherries to meet Starbucks standards. Each cup represents the relentless work of coffee testers and roasters and the craft and skill of the barista.

In the hands of Starbucks customers, each cup represents a beloved morning ritual, a delicious treat or a catalyst to connect with friends. This year, Starbucks returned to its original name: The Starbucks Coffee Company, putting coffee literally at our center. The company also evolved its mission statement to: "To be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world, inspiring and nurturing the human spirit - one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time."

Photos by Joshua Trujillo

Golden Aprons and coffeehouse visits: Recognition for partners

In August, Starbucks kicked off Green Apron Service to help ensure every customer has a great experience. Starbucks chief operating officer Mike Grams created the Golden Apron award, presented to Starbucks partners who go above and beyond in their support of partners and customers. Below, Grams presents coffeehouse leader Marcie B. with a Golden Apron in Indianapolis, Indiana. Starbucks chief operating officer Brian Niccol and Grams regularly visit coffeehouses around the world to get to know partners and hear their stories.

Photos by Joshua Trujillo

Global Month of Good: Caring for communities

Each April, Starbucks celebrates Global Month of Good, where partners around the world volunteer at a host of community service events. Below, partners work at a park in Laveen Village, Arizona, cleaning up, planting trees and improving a children's play area. In the Seattle area, partners pulled weeds at a community garden.

Photos by Joshua Trujillo

Doubling paid parental leave: Making Starbucks the best job in retail

In March, Starbucks doubled paid parental leave for U.S. coffeehouse partners who work an average of 20 hours a week or more. Birth parents are eligible for up to 18 weeks of fully paid leave, and non-birth parents receive up to 12 weeks of leave at full pay. It's one of a number of benefits aimed at making Starbucks the best job in retail.

Photo by Joshua Trujillo

Honoring those that serve: Veterans and first responders

Every day, first responders and those in the military are willing to risk their lives for others. This year, Starbucks coffeehouses celebrated National First Responders Day on Oct. 28 (shown at a cafe in Charlotte, North Carolina) and Veterans Day on Nov. 11 with free coffee for those eligible. Below, a Starbucks partner who also serves in the U.S. Army Reserve, takes a moment to recognize veterans and community leaders near San Antonio, Texas.

Photos by Travis Dove and Kin Man Hui

New coffeehouse designs: Emphasizing comfort and community

Creating a welcoming coffeehouse starts with making the space so inviting that people want to linger. This year, Starbucks began efforts to "uplift" coffeehouses, adding soft seating, warm lighting, plants, area rugs, books and cozy paint colors along with practical additions like risers on the counter to make coffee pickup easier. "It's like a living room," said one customer in New York.

Coffeehouses across New York and California have been refreshed, and by the end of 2026, more than 1,000 coffeehouses will be remodeled, with plans for more in the years to come.

Photos by Emanuel Hahn and Joshua Trujillo

Holidays at Starbucks: Scenes from the season

It happens once a year- when overnight partners transform Starbucks coffeehouses with red menu boards, red aprons and, of course, the return of beloved holiday menu items. In 2025, seasonal favorites like the Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Iced Sugar Cookie Latte and the Iced Gingerbread Chai returned to the holiday menu, alongside new and returning treats like the beloved Snowman Cookie, the Cinnamon Pull-Apart and the Polar Bear Cake Pop. This year also marked the return of the popular Eggnog Latte and Chestnut Praline Latte.

Photo by Joshua Trujillo

Neighborhood Grants: Giving back to communities

Each year, The Starbucks Foundation invites partners and alumni to nominate nonprofit organizations in their communities for a Neighborhood Grant. In 2025, The Starbucks Foundation awarded over $5.4 million to more than 3,200 local organizations across North America. Below, Starbucks partners in Dallas present a check to Resource Center in June.

Photo by Jeffrey McWhorter