Starbucks to expand loyalty program to Teavana and supermarkets

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Co. is expanding its customer loyalty program to the supermarket channel and its Teavana stores as it looks to double membership from 4.5 million members at the end of October 2012 to approximately nine million members by the end of fiscal 2013.



Starbucks made the announcement at the company’s annual shareholders on Wednesday in Seattle. Also at the meeting, Starbucks investors rejected a shareholder proposal to prohibit the chain from making political contributions or forming a political action committee.



Speaking at the meeting, Adam Brotman, chief digital officer, said that, starting in May, customers will be able to accrue reward points for purchases of Starbucks packaged coffee in grocery channels, with the points redeemable in Starbucks stores. The program is expected to be expanded to include other Starbucks products sold through grocery channels this fall.



Starbucks is also integrating the program into its Teavana brand. Beginning next month, registered customers who make purchases with a Starbucks Card or through the Starbucks mobile app at any of over 300 Teavana retail stores will be able to earn Stars points for their purchases.



Brotman also announced that Starbucks mobile payment platform is now generating over three million U.S. mobile payment transactions per week.



In other news, Starbucks announced the launch of a nonprofit corporation with a $1 million seed grant to introduce job skills, leadership and apprenticeship programs to young people across the company’s supply chain. The chain is also expanding its support for U.S. manufacturing through an order for 100,000 ceramic mugs from a supplier in Ohio whose operations Starbucks helped expand through previous purchasing commitments.