Starbucks Agrees to Sell Seattle’s Best Coffee Brand to Nestlé

Starbucks announced on Wednesday its plans to sell Seattle’s Best Coffee brand to Nestlé. 

In 2018, the two companies set up a partnership called the Global Coffee Alliance. “Nestlé paid roughly $7.2 billion for the right to license packaged coffees, teas, and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages from Starbucks,” according to The Motley Fool. 

Nestlé already owns a long list of food and beverage companies including the Nescafe, Nespresso, Chameleon Cold-Brew and more, so Seattle Best Coffee brand is another notch in its belt. 

David Rennie, head of Nestlé Coffee Brands, told Starbucks Stories & News, “Our partnership with Starbucks has confirmed Nestlé’s leading position in the dynamic and growing global coffee market. With the well-known Seattle’s Best Coffee brand, we will continue to build our leadership in coffee by offering consumers more choice for their everyday coffee.”

Although the terms of the transaction between Starbucks and Nestlé are being kept confidential, it is expected to close by the end of this year. 

As for the future of Starbucks and Nestlé, Starbucks Stories & News, revealed, “Through the Global Coffee Alliance, Nestlé and Starbucks will continue to closely work together to develop new, innovative products and go-to market strategies to amplify the reach and expand the unique experience of the Starbucks brand locally and globally.”