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Starbucks provides an experience for each customer who comes to the store that goes beyond just a cup of coffee. They provide an atmosphere that is well received and customer service that is appreciated. This is one of the reasons that Starbucks has been accepted so well by the Japanese culture. Also, the focus on trust and respect has had positive effects for the organization. .
Another reason that Starbucks has been well -received is because they have made attempts to get involved with the community. One example of this is the Challenge Program. The Japanese community has taken to heart the young Japanese athletes that have made it to the professional leagues in the U.S. Kazuhiro Sasaki is a baseball player who plays for the Seattle Mariners as a relief pitcher who posted a new club record last year with 45 saves. He is a superstar in Japan, and Starbucks has used his image as a way to get involved in the community as well as a marketing tool. They have designed a program that gives money to a high school foreign exchange program that is set-up between Seattle and the Japanese city of Kobe. Starbucks allocates 100,000 yen every time the pitcher earns a save, which will be used for visits by the international students from the sister cities. They allocated 4.5 million yen last year to the Challenge Program 2001. They have also brought Sasaki into the stores and had him serve to customers to gain public notice.
Starbucks did not radically change their product line to enter the Japanese market. They offer most of the same exact products as they do in the US. When comparing the list of products offered in a store located at the Kansai International Airport in Japan to the menu of s Starbucks in Seattle, there are hardly any disparities. There are only a few drinks offered at the Seattle location that can not be purchased in Kansai. For example, Cinnamon Spice Mocha is not offered in Japan, more than likely due to taste preferences.
