Starbucks Launches Its Own Production House, Starbucks Studios

Starbucks is launching its own production studio, Starbucks Studios.

The studio, according to a statement on the brand’s website, will “produce original entertainment and tell stories that deepen connections and spark conversations.” Starbucks is launching the studio in partnership with Sugar23, a media company founded by Oscar-winning producer Michael Sugar that specializes in connecting brands with filmmakers and producing premium branded entertainment.

“Storytelling is deeply ingrained in what Starbucks does, and Starbucks Studios is a natural extension of these efforts. Together, we will harness the power of storytelling to foster connections, inspire change and build a stronger sense of community,” Sugar said in the statement. “We’re excited to work alongside the incredible Starbucks team and invite all our collaborators in Hollywood and beyond to join us in creating premium entertainment.”

Starbucks and Sugar23 representatives declined to comment further on the news.

Emphasizing ‘human connection’ via entertainment

Starbucks Studios is launching as the brand rolls out other changes. In March, CEO Laxman Narasimhan announced a new global leadership structure, which took effect April 1, that aims to bolster Starbucks’ global expansion. The coffee chain plans to reach about 55,000 total stores; it currently operates about 38,000 locations worldwide. Of the planned stores, three out of every four will open outside the U.S.

“Throughout its history, the brand has always nurtured the limitless possibilities of human connection—and intends to continue to do so in the future. To that end, the brand’s platforms of collaboration in the creative arts, design, architecture, fashion, publishing and music will continue to shape culture while elevating human connection,” brand representatives wrote in a March corporate statement. At the time, Starbucks also announced its intention to hire a global brand creative leader, reporting directly to Narasimhan.

The latest brand launching its own production studio

The new studio makes Starbucks the latest brand to open its own production house. In 2021, Nike launched Waffle Iron Entertainment, which recently released Sue Bird: In The Clutch, a documentary covering Bird’s basketball career that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and sold to Wolfe Releasing, the largest exclusive distributor of LGBTQ+ films.

Brands like AB InBev, Saint Laurent, Mailchimp and LVMH have also launched their own studios or entertainment divisions.

“Starbucks Studios advances our mission to nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection,” said Christy Cain, vp of brand and partnerships marketing, in a statement. “We’re honored to have the opportunity to shine a light on the stories and people who inspire us, from young, emerging artists to innovators, changemakers and others who are making a positive impact on the world.”

It’s not the first time Starbucks has played in the entertainment industry. In 2016, Starbucks released Upstanders, a two-season original series. In 2019, on the 25th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, Starbucks released Hingakawa, an original documentary that focused on two women drawn together by their shared love of coffee. The brand was also involved in the six-part documentary series This Is Football, about the sport’s power to influence and rebuild communities.

Sugar, who produced the Oscar-winning film Spotlight, works across the film and marketing industries and specializes in connecting Hollywood figures with brands interested in funding or co-producing branded entertainment, which can include feature-length films.

In May, Sugar debuted The Way Upfronts, a new TV upfront event that connects Hollywood and brand marketers. There, actors including Scarlett Johansson, John Legend and Mark Wahlberg pitched projects to marketers that represented more than 100 brands. Those presenting hoped to partner with and solicit funding from those in the audience.