Starbucks

Starbucks deploys Green Dot Assist barista assistant on Azure OpenAI

Starbucks · Employee productivity · Microsoft

Starbucks uses Green Dot Assist, an AI-powered virtual assistant for baristas, in its stores. The tablet-based assistant supports frontline employees with barista work and recipe guidance and runs on Azure OpenAI.

Starbucks Enables Coffee Traceability and Transparency for Consumers and Farmers

Starbucks · Microsoft

Starbucks, collaborating with Microsoft, developed and piloted a blockchain-based supply chain tracking system using Azure's blockchain services. This initiative, stemming from Starbucks’ digital transparency plan announced at Microsoft Build 2019, allows customers to trace the journey of their coffee beans from origin to cup via a mobile interface. All supply chain participants, including more than 380,000 coffee farms, record data in an electronic Azure-based ledger. Consumers can view information regarding origin, farming practices, and roasting details. Farmers, in turn, gain unprecedented visibility into where and how their beans are ultimately sold, supporting ethical sourcing and sustainability. Starbucks continues to expand the project based on learnings from early pilot regions, and the project improves supply chain transparency, consumer trust, and the connection between growers, retailers, and end customers.

Pilot

Starbucks personalizes customer experience and improves operations

Starbucks · Shopping recommendations · Microsoft

Starbucks modernizes its global retail operations and customer personalization using Microsoft Azure AI, IoT, and Blockchain technologies. More than 16 million active Starbucks Rewards members receive tailored recommendations through reinforcement learning on Azure, which leverages data such as customer preferences and weather. Beyond mobile app personalization, Starbucks is piloting the same adaptive technology for drive-thru experiences. Store equipment is digitally connected using Azure Sphere IoT, allowing predictive maintenance, proactive repairs, and seamless cloud-based recipe updates across thousands of locations. For supply chain transparency, Starbucks employs Azure Blockchain Service to trace the journey of coffee from farm to cup, giving both customers and farmers deeper insight into sourcing and promoting ethical trade. These initiatives lead to a more relevant customer experience, improved equipment uptime, faster recipe rollouts, and a transparent, responsible supply chain.

Production