Starbucks represents something beyond a cup of coffee.

Our history is based on extending the brand to categories within the guardrails of Starbucks.

When I returned as CEO in 2008, Starbucks had forgotten that meaningful innovations balance an organization's heritage with modern-day relevance and market differentiation, so we had to reorient. In one brainstorming session, we visited and observed great retailers, then asked ourselves, 'If Starbucks did not exist, what type of coffee experience would we create?

I think people will walk into the Starbucks store and overnight recognize the significant difference between what Starbucks represents day-in and day-out and all the other coffee companies that have been serving coffee in India for so many years.

When you're surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.

People around the world, they want the authentic Starbucks experience.

I really believe that you cannot use the stock market as a proxy for the economy.