Starbucks Axes Kraft To Make Retail Brands Work Harder

US coffee shop operator Starbucks has said that it plans to end its distribution deal with Kraft Foods to gain greater control over its retail offering. Kraft has distributed the firm's Seattle's Best and bagged Starbucks coffee brands since 1998 but Starbucks believes it can make the brands work harder if it has full control over their distribution. This strategy fits with Starbucks' increased focus on its retail division as it seeks to reduce its reliance on the coffee shop sector, which has shown signs of maturity in many of the firm's most important markets. It also could pave the

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