SBUX · News · 20260808N

Competition and Market Share

STARBUCKS CORP · 2026-08-08 · Importance 17 · Surprise 24

Starbucks lost ground to Carlyle-owned A Twosome Place in South Korea after the controversy surrounding Starbucks Korea’s Tank Day marketing campaign. A Twosome Place surpassed Starbucks in South Korea for the third consecutive month. The episode illustrates competitive vulnerability for Starbucks in the Korean coffee market, particularly as budget coffee chains gain traction and consumer backlash affects traffic and brand perception.

Key facts

• Gradient Investments LLC reduced its stake in Starbucks by 4.4% in the second quarter, selling 13,500 shares and retaining 295,201 shares valued at $30.2 million. source