Updated version 2 - According to the Financial Times, Starbucks once considered acquiring Chipotle.
路透社2026/10/08 14:36Additional details from the report were included. Reuters, October 8 – According to the Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter on Thursday, Starbucks (SBUX.O) has explored the possibility of acquiring Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG.N). If the deal materializes, it would merge two of the most well-known brands in the U.S. food industry and further deepen the connection between Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol and Chipotle—where Niccol established his reputation before running the coffee chain. The Financial Times, citing sources, reported that the coffee chain has been working with advisers in recent months to discuss a proposal to acquire Chipotle. Both Starbucks and Chipotle did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Chipotle's market value is nearly $39 billion, its shares were up about 4% in early trading, while Starbucks' stock fell about 3%. According to data from LSEG, Starbucks' market value is around $107 billion. Niccol was hired to revitalize the coffee chain, and over the past two years, he has focused on enhancing customer experience by simplifying menus and reducing wait times, leading to same-store sales growth for four consecutive quarters. Meanwhile, the Mexican grill chain is facing the dual challenges of weakening consumer demand and rising input costs amid persistently high inflation. (For the convenience of non-native English speakers, Reuters automatically translates its reports into several other languages. Since automated translations may contain errors or miss important context, Reuters does not guarantee the accuracy of the automated text, which is provided solely for reader convenience. Reuters is not liable for any damages or losses resulting from the use of automated translation.)
Details from the report have been added throughout the full article.
Reuters, October 8 - According to the Financial Times citing sources on Thursday, Starbucks (SBUX.O) has explored the possibility of acquiring Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG.N).
If the deal goes through, it would combine two of the most well-known brands in the U.S. food industry and would further deepen Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol's connection with Chipotle—Niccol made his reputation at Chipotle before taking the helm at the coffee chain.
The Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter, said the coffee chain has been working with a team of advisers over the past few months to discuss a proposal to acquire Chipotle.
Starbucks and Chipotle did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Chipotle has a market value of nearly $39 billion, with its stock rising around 4% in early trading, while Starbucks shares fell about 3%. According to London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) data, Starbucks’ market value is about $107 billion.
Niccol was hired to turn the fortunes of the coffee chain around, and over the past two years, he has sought to improve the customer experience—driving same-store sales growth for four consecutive quarters—by simplifying menus and shortening wait times.
Meanwhile, the burrito chain is facing both weakening consumer demand and rising input costs as inflation remains elevated.
(To make its reports easier to read for non-native English speakers, Reuters provides automated translation in several languages. Because automated translations may contain errors or lack necessary context, Reuters does not guarantee their accuracy and provides them for convenience only. Reuters is not liable for any damage or loss arising from use of the automated translation feature.)
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
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Updated Version 3 - According to the Financial Times, Starbucks once considered acquiring Chipotle
New charts have been added, providing a detailed overview of Chipotle and Starbucks’ businesses. According to Reuters on October 8, referencing the Financial Times from Thursday, Starbucks had considered acquiring Chipotle Mexican Grill. Such a move would enable CEO Brian Niccol to return to the burrito chain, where he served as chief executive before joining Starbucks two years ago. The Financial Times, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that the coffee chain has been working with advisers in recent months to formulate an acquisition proposal for Chipotle. Both Starbucks and Chipotle did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. Chipotle currently has a market capitalization close to $39 billions, with its stock rising about 6% on Thursday, while Starbucks’ shares fell approximately 3%. According to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), Starbucks is valued at about $107 billions. As consumers cut back on discretionary spending, Chipotle has faced declining customer traffic, while rising food and labor costs have pressured profit margins across the sector. Its stock price has dropped about 17% so far this year. Analysts suggest that a potential deal could also accelerate Chipotle’s international expansion. “I see the appeal of this prospective transaction in that CEO Brian Niccol would have the opportunity to leverage Starbucks' European franchise partnerships to pursue Chipotle’s growth more aggressively,” commented Jim Sanderson, an analyst at Northcoast Research. As of the end of last year, Chipotle operated nearly 4,000 restaurants in the US and about 100 abroad. In comparison, Starbucks has about 40,000 stores globally, with roughly 18,000 in North America. Niccol joined Starbucks in 2024 after six years at Chipotle, where he was credited with leading the company’s turnaround following a food safety crisis and with driving several years of strong digital sales growth. He was brought to Starbucks to reverse its declining performance, and over the past two years has focused on improving the customer experience by streamlining menus and reducing wait times, resulting in four consecutive quarters of comparable sales growth. “We still have more work to do,” Niccol said in July, after the company raised its annual sales and profit forecast. “Given that Starbucks is in a period of transformation and has yet to deliver the margin improvements investors expect, the timing of this decision seems somewhat strange. At first glance, it appears to be less about accelerating transformation and more about running out of options,” said Brian Jacobsen, Chief Economist at Annex Wealth Management.
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