Starbucks 2015 Annual Report Download - page 18

Additionally, some factors that will be critical to the success of the CAP and EMEA segments are different than those affecting
our U.S. stores and licensees. Tastes naturally vary by region, and consumers in some MBUs may not embrace our products to
the same extent as consumers in the U.S. or other international markets. Occupancy costs and store operating expenses can be
higher internationally than in the U.S. due to higher rents for prime store locations or costs of compliance with country-specific
regulatory requirements. Because many of our international operations are in an early phase of development, operating
expenses as a percentage of related revenues are often higher compared to more developed operations, such as in the U.S.
Additionally, our international joint venture partners or licensees may face capital constraints or other factors that may limit the
speed at which they are able to expand and develop in a certain market.
Our international operations are also subject to additional inherent risks of conducting business abroad, such as:
• foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, or requirements to transact in specific currencies;
• changes or uncertainties in economic, legal, regulatory, social and political conditions in our markets;
• interpretation and application of laws and regulations;
• restrictive actions of foreign or U.S. governmental authorities affecting trade and foreign investment, especially during
periods of heightened tension between the U.S. and such foreign governmental authorities, including protective
measures such as export and customs duties and tariffs, government intervention favoring local competitors, and
restrictions on the level of foreign ownership;
• import or other business licensing requirements;
• the enforceability of intellectual property and contract rights;
• limitations on the repatriation of funds and foreign currency exchange restrictions due to current or new U.S. and
international regulations;
• in developing economies, the growth rate in the portion of the population achieving sufficient levels of disposable
income may not be as fast as we forecast;
• difficulty in staffing, developing and managing foreign operations and supply chain logistics, including ensuring the
consistency of product quality and service, due to governmental actions affecting supply chain logistics, distance,
language and cultural differences, as well as challenges in recruiting and retaining high quality employees in local
markets;
• local laws that make it more expensive and complex to negotiate with, retain or terminate employees;
• delays in store openings for reasons beyond our control, competition with locally relevant competitors or a lack of
desirable real estate locations available for lease at reasonable rates, any of which could keep us from meeting annual
store opening targets and, in turn, negatively impact net revenues, operating income and earnings per share; and
• disruption in energy supplies affecting our markets.
Moreover, many of the foregoing risks are particularly acute in developing countries, which are important to our long-term
growth prospects.
• Increases in the cost of high-quality arabica coffee beans or other commodities or decreases in the availability of high-
quality arabica coffee beans or other commodities could have an adverse impact on our business and financial results.
We purchase, roast, and sell high-quality whole bean arabica coffee beans and related coffee products. The price of coffee is
subject to significant volatility and has and may again increase significantly due to one or more of the factors described below.
The high-quality arabica coffee of the quality we seek tends to trade on a negotiated basis at a premium above the "C" price.
This premium depends upon the supply and demand at the time of purchase and the amount of the premium can vary
significantly. Increases in the "C" coffee commodity price do increase the price of high-quality arabica coffee and also impact
our ability to enter into fixed-price purchase commitments. We frequently enter into supply contracts whereby the quality,
quantity, delivery period, and other negotiated terms are agreed upon, but the date, and therefore price, at which the base "C"
coffee commodity price component will be fixed has not yet been established. These are known as price-to-be-fixed contracts.
The supply and price of coffee we purchase can also be affected by multiple factors in the producing countries, including
weather, natural disasters, crop disease, general increase in farm inputs and costs of production, inventory levels and political
and economic conditions, as well as the actions of certain organizations and associations that have historically attempted to
influence prices of green coffee through agreements establishing export quotas or by restricting coffee supplies. Speculative
trading in coffee commodities can also influence coffee prices. Because of the significance of coffee beans to our operations,
combined with our ability to only partially mitigate future price risk through purchasing practices and hedging activities,
increases in the cost of high-quality arabica coffee beans could have an adverse impact on our profitability. In addition, if we
are not able to purchase sufficient quantities of green coffee due to any of the above factors or to a worldwide or regional
shortage, we may not be able to fulfill the demand for our coffee, which could have an adverse impact on our profitability.
14 Starbucks Corporation 2015 Form 10-K