Nestlé became Starbucks’ global packaged-coffee partner in 2018.
The agreement gave Nestlé perpetual rights to market Starbucks consumer-packaged and foodservice coffee products worldwide, excluding Starbucks cafés. It significantly expanded Starbucks’ reach in supermarkets and other retail channels while using Nestlé’s international distribution network.
The deal covered Starbucks, Seattle’s Best Coffee, and Teavana packaged products in many markets. Starbucks retained control of its coffeehouses, so Nestlé did not acquire the Starbucks café business or the company itself.
This partnership is sometimes confused with Starbucks’ earlier bottled Frappuccino arrangement with PepsiCo. PepsiCo continued handling that ready-to-drink beverage relationship, while Nestlé focused on packaged coffee and related products. The transaction was announced in May 2018 and completed later that year.