Starbucks debuts new logo

New York City -- Starbucks unveiled a new logo Wednesday, dropping the circle with the words “Starbucks” and “Coffee” that surround its signature mermaid.



Starbucks, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, said the changes represent a fresh look for the company as it begins the next chapter in its history and emphasizes selling Starbucks-brand products in supermarkets and other channels beyond its retail stores.



“Throughout the last four decades, the Siren has been there through it all," Howard Shultz, Starbucks' president and CEO, said in post on the company's website Wednesday. "Now, we've given her a small but meaningful update to ensure that the Starbucks brand continues to embrace our heritage and also ensure we remain relevant and poised for future growth.”



The company says its brand has become so widely recognized that it no longer needed to reinforce its name at every turn. And the wordless logo is also better suited to the company's expansion beyond coffee into a wider range of business lines and into international markets.

Click here to see the new logo.