Starbucks is preparing to establish its first major corporate office in India, with plans to recruit for technology-oriented positions as part of a broader global restructuring and cost-optimisation strategy. The office is expected to start operations in the company’s fiscal year 2027, beginning in October 2026.
The India office will mainly handle technology operations and engineering functions. Starbucks is likely to begin hiring after finalising the office location later this year.
According to an internal message reviewed by Bloomberg, Anand Varadarajan reportedly informed employees that Starbucks is aiming to “reduce reliance on external service providers.” He noted that building a multi-location technology structure would strengthen collaboration across teams and provide the company with greater direct control over its technology operations.
Anand Varadarajan has previously stated that heavy dependence on external technology vendors raises operational costs because contractors often add extra mark-ups. By recruiting directly and managing a larger portion of its technology workforce internally, Starbucks aims to simplify operations and improve efficiency.
According to the report, India has emerged as a preferred destination for the expansion since Starbucks already collaborates with several technology partners in the country. The company also considers India a strong talent base for software engineering, cloud infrastructure, digital platforms, and enterprise technology roles. Although Starbucks has not officially revealed the office location, it is expected to finalise the city later this year before starting recruitment.
The proposed India office is being planned at a time when Starbucks is undergoing major organisational changes under CEO Brian Niccol. The company is currently implementing a wider strategy to reduce global costs by nearly $2 billion. As part of this initiative, Starbucks has been restructuring several business divisions, cutting jobs, and relocating certain teams.
Job cuts at Starbucks
Earlier reports suggested that Starbucks plans to relocate nearly 270 technology positions – close to 20% of its tech workforce – to a new office in Nashville. At the same time, the company has also reduced technology-related jobs as part of its restructuring efforts.
Overall, Starbucks has eliminated more than 2,000 jobs since February last year, including an additional 300 corporate roles this week. The company’s strategy of strengthening in-house technology capabilities while reducing dependence on external vendors is part of a broader plan to simplify operations and cut long-term expenses.
In India, Starbucks currently operates through Tata Starbucks, its partnership with Tata Consumer Products. While the joint venture manages Starbucks cafés across several Indian cities, the proposed technology hub will mark Starbucks’ first independent corporate office in the country.