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<ul><li><keyword id="305600" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Troy-Alstead">Troy Alstead</keyword>, former Starbucks chief operating officer, will be an independent member on <keyword id="2808667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword>’s board and will be a supervisor and guide to founder <keyword id="1670338" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ritesh-Agarwal">Ritesh Agarwal</keyword>. </li><li>On OYO’s board, Alstead joins Betsy Atkhins, CEO &amp; Founder of Baja Corporation and an early investor in Yahoo, Gerry Lopez, operating partner at SoftBank Vision Fund and others. </li><li>The appointment comes at a time when OYO’s business is severely hit because of the coronavirus pandemic.</li></ul>Indian hospitality unicorn OYO has another addition to its board of advisors – Troy Alstead, former Starbucks chief operating officer. Alstead, who will be an independent member on OYO’s board will be a supervisor and guide to the founder Ritesh Agarwal. “Troy brings tremendous operating and governance experience that will help us continue delivering on our mission to help millions of middle-income people around the world gain access to quality accommodations at different price points,” said Agarwal on the appointment. Alstead, who was second in command at Starbucks and was in charge of the day-to-day operations of the coffee giant. He worked at Starbucks for 24 years until he parted ways in 2015. He will now look at OYO’s sustainable growth, operational and service excellence. Currently, Alstead is also the founder, president, and CEO of Ocean5, a unique new place for playing, meeting, and dining, and Table 47, a farm-to-table, fresh from the scratch restaurant. He also sits on the board of the legendary motorcycle maker Harley Davidson. On OYO’s board, Alstead joins Betsy Atkhins, CEO and founder of Baja Corporation and an early investor in Yahoo; Gerry Lopez, operating partner at SoftBank Vision Fund; Bejul Somaia, of Lightspeed Venture Partners; and Mohit Bhatnagar of Sequoia Capital, among others. “OYO, with its unique asset-light business model and strong data capabilities, is creating something entirely new for more than 3 billion middle-income travellers and city dwellers who need accommodations that meet their standards and also their budgets,” said Alstead. The appointment comes at a time when OYO is severely hit because of the coronavirus pandemic. OYO, which after months of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/oyo-reportedly-invokes-act-of-god-clause-to-suspend-payments-to-hotel-owners-says-report/articleshow/74959653.cms">troubles</a>, had revised its focus on profitability, has another challenge awaiting this year. With the coronavirus lockdown across the world, the travel and tourism industry is one of the worst affected sectors. OYO, whose revenue is down by 50-60% because of the pandemic, had recently announced ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/exclusive-oyo-sends-employees-in-india-on-leave-without-pay-for-4-months-and-announces-pay-cuts-for-all/articleshow/75287536.cms">voluntary leave with limited benefit</a>s’ for many of its employees along with a 25% pay cut for employees. Agarwal has forgone his salary for a year, while the top management too has voluntarily taken salary cuts. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/ritesh-agarwal-to-take-a-100-pay-cut-oyo-sets-up-a-welfare-fund-for-coronavirus-hit-hotel-partners/articleshow/74950054.cms">Ritesh Agarwal to take a 100% pay cut, OYO sets up a welfare fund for Corona-hit hotel partners</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/exclusive-oyo-sends-employees-in-india-on-leave-without-pay-for-4-months-and-announces-pay-cuts-for-all/articleshow/75287536.cms">EXCLUSIVE: OYO sends employees in India on leave without pay for 4 months and announces pay cuts for many</a>

EXCLUSIVE: OYO brings on board former Starbucks COO Troy Alstead

New Delhi, May 1 () Hospitality firm OYO Hotels &amp; Homes on Friday announced the appointment of former Starbucks Corporation chief operating officer Troy Alstead as an independent director. As an independent member of the board, Troy will play a supervisory role and provide guidance to the founder and the management on key business decisions, the company said in a statement. "Troy brings tremendous operating and governance experience that will help us continue delivering on our mission to help millions of middle-income people around the world gain access to quality accommodations at different price points," OYO Hotels &amp; Homes founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal said. As OYO continues to grow and to deepen its relationships with asset owners and consumers around the world, it is fortunate to have seasoned professionals like Troy on its board of directors, he added. "OYO, with its unique asset-light business model and strong data capabilities, is creating something entirely new for more than 3 billion middle-income travellers and city dwellers who need accommodations that meet their standards and also their budgets," Alstead said. AKT ABMABM

OYO appoints former Starbucks COO Troy Alstead as independent director

<ul><li><keyword id="2808667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword> has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Martin HP Söderström, the chairman of DIG Investments. </li><li>The Ritesh Agarwal-led OYO raised ₹54 crore or $7.4 million from Hindustan Media Ventures in a Series F round of funding. </li><li>With this investment, Söderström will also join the board of OYO Europe. </li></ul>Indian hospitality unicorn OYO has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Martin HP Söderström, the chairman of DIG Investments. Söderström’s wife Charlotte is also the heir of the fashion brand H&amp;M. Earlier this week, the Ritesh Agarwal-led OYO raised <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/oyo-bags-a-7-4-million-cheque-as-pandemic-forces-ritesh-agarwal-to-reimagine-the-business/articleshow/80170847.cms">₹54 crore or $7.4 million</a> from Hindustan Media Ventures in a Series F round of funding. OYO has been<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/news/indians-are-travelling-again-oyo-saw-a-72-surge-in-bookings-for-destinations-like-jaipur-goa-and-kochi-during-the-long-weekend/articleshow/78494877.cms"> pinning its hopes</a> on the staycation and ‘drive-to’ destination trend to get back on track. In fact, OYO has been betting on its holiday homes vertical in Europe, and recently Agarwal had mentioned that having already pumped 350 to 400 million Euros in the area, they are looking <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/oyo-to-make-further-investments-in-europe-ritesh-agarwal-120121001113_1.html">to invest more</a>. OYO claims that with the recent conclusion of the acquisition of TUI Ferienhaus business from e-domizil GmbH, it is now the second-largest globally in the vacation homes space by the number of homes. With this investment, Söderström will also join the board of OYO Europe. OYO BOARD MEMBERS <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Troy Alstead </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Former COO, Starbucks </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Gerardo Issac (Gerry) Lopez </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Operating partner at SoftBank Vision Fund </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Betsy Atkins </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">CEO &amp; founder of Baja Corporation </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Munish Varma </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">SoftBank Investment Advisers </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Bejul Somaia </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Managing director, Lightspeed Venture Partners </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mohit Bhatnagar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Managing director, Sequoia Capital </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Aditya Ghosh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> Former CEO - OYO India &amp; South Asia Former President Indigo Airlines </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Dr W. Steve Albrecht </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Former president of the American Accounting Association </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Martin Söderström </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chairman of DIG Investment </td></tr></tbody></table> “Martin will work closely with the management team of OYO to drive continued and sustainable growth in the company. He will provide guidance on potential M&amp;A opportunities, and would also assist the organization in building deep strategic partnerships with other leading, EU-based companies and lay out its brand positioning strategy as a thought leader in the vacation rental space,” said the company in its statement. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/radhakishan-damani-dmart-ready-takes-cautious-steps-against-jiomart-and-amazon/articleshow/80209971.cms">Pitted against JioMart, Amazon and others, Radhakishan Damani’s DMart has opted for “controlled acceleration” in e-commerce</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/with-whatsapp-popularity-hit-zoho-plans-to-launch-arattai-messaging-app/articleshow/80206802.cms">Zoho plans to woo WhatsApp defectors with its own messaging app Arattai</a>

OYO cashes in another cheque from Swedish billionaire Martin HP Söderström for its vacation homes business in Europe

New Delhi, Jun 9 () Hospitality firm OYO on Tuesday said it has appointed W Steve Albrecht as non-executive director on the company's board of directors. As a non-executive director of the board, Albrecht will play a supervisory role and guide the founder and management on key business decisions, OYO Hotels &amp; Homes said in a statement. He is presently on the boards of SkyWest Airlines, Larry H Miller Group of Companies, and Deseret Mutual Benefit Association, it added. Albrecht is a former president of the American Accounting Association and Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. As a professor, he taught full-time at the University of Illinois, Stanford and Brigham Young University, the statement said. He is also a certified public accountant, internal auditor and fraud examiner. "Steve is an expert and a thought leader who will help us deliver on sustainable growth, operational and service excellence, and help us continue building a strong culture of corporate governance and accountability," OYO Hotels Founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal said. As COVID-19 continues to impact the business, and forcing businesses to rethink its strategies, OYO's board has also come together and has been constantly guiding the group on business continuity and recovery measures, he added. Albrecht will join the board that has industry experts like Troy Alstead, Gerardo Issac (Gerry) Lopez, Betsy Atkins, Munish Varma, Bejul Somaia, Mohit Bhatnagar and Aditya Ghosh, OYO said. AKT BAL

OYO appoints Steve Albrecht as non-executive director

<ul><li>OYO has brought on board Dr W. Steve Albrecht, an industry veteran for audit and corporate governance. </li><li>The appointments to OYO’s board are another indicator of a possible IPO soon for the hotel chain.</li><li>Albrecht also sits on the board of the US-based SkyWest Airlines, Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, and Deseret Mutual Benefit Association.</li></ul>Indian hospitality unicorn OYO has announced the 8th addition to its board of directors. The company has brought on board Dr W. Steve Albrecht, an industry veteran for audit and corporate governance. Albrecht is the former president of the American Accounting Association. Albrecht, also sits on the board of the US-based SkyWest Airlines, Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, and Deseret Mutual Benefit Association and was previously also on the board of the now IBM acquired Red Hat. The industry veteran has also consulted and audited major financial institutions including the United Nations, FBI. “Steve is an expert and a thought leader who will help us deliver on sustainable growth, operational and service excellence, and help us continue building a strong culture of corporate governance and accountability. As COVID-19 continues to impact the business and forces businesses to rethink its strategies, our board has also come together and has been constantly guiding us on business continuity and recovery measures,” said OYO founder <keyword id="1670338" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ritesh-Agarwal">Ritesh Agarwal</keyword> on the appointment. <keyword id="8358615" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Oyo-Board">OYO BOARD</keyword> MEMBERS <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Troy Alstead </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Former COO, Starbucks </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Gerardo Issac (Gerry) Lopez </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Operating partner at SoftBank Vision Fund </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Betsy Atkins </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">CEO &amp; founder of Baja Corporation </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Munish Varma </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">SoftBank Investment Advisers </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Bejul Somaia </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Managing director, Lightspeed Venture Partners </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mohit Bhatnagar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Managing director, Sequoia Capital </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Aditya Ghosh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> Former CEO - OYO India &amp; South Asia Former President Indigo Airlines </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Dr W. Steve Albrecht </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Former president of the American Accounting Association </td></tr></tbody></table> The appointments to OYO’s board and its renewed focus on profitability and corporate governance are another indicator of a possible IPO soon for the hotel chain. However, OYO has immediate important business matters at hand. The hotel chain which was growing at a breakneck speed until December 2019, has hit the brakes with a series of consumer and hotelier complaints followed by a layoff of thousands of employees across the globe in January 2020. It then was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and saw a sharp drop in fortunes after the COVID-19 outbreak. While OYO’s China and Japan divisions have seen growth in the past few weeks, its India business has just reopened on June 8. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/owner-of-oberoi-and-trident-defers-results-triggering-a-sell-off-in-indian-hotel-stocks/articleshow/76281330.cms">The owner of Oberoi and Trident defers results triggering a sell-off in India's hotel stocks</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/parle-g-clocked-record-sales-in-may-it-may-be-because-broke-and-starving-migrant-labourers-could-barely-afford-anything-else/articleshow/76280162.cms">Parle G clocked record sales in May⁠— it may be because broke and starving migrant labourers could barely afford anything else</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/anand-mahindras-sanjivani-solution-for-cos-think-like-a-startup-and-do-a-marie-kondo-style-clean-up-of-portfolio/articleshow/76275190.cms">Anand Mahindra’s Sanjivani solution for cos – think like a startup and do a Marie Kondo style clean up of portfolio</a>

OYO is beefing up its board of directors – the second board appointment this year is a former FBI consultant

Starbucks is planning to start selling beer and wine at thousands of its stores to boost sales in the evening, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-19/starbucks-to-bring-alcohol-sales-to-thousands-of-stores.html">Bloomberg reports</a>. 
The stores that start selling alcohol will also have an expanded food menus in the evenings, including Bacon-Wrapped Dates With Balsamic Glaze, or Parmesan Crusted Chicken Skewers and Truffle Macaroni and Cheese.
The evening menu is already available at two dozen stores in Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Portland. 
"We've tested it long enough in enough markets - this is a program that works," Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Troy Alstead told Bloomberg. "As we bring the evening program to stores, there's a meaningful increase in sales during that time of the day."
Here's a sampling of what you can expect to see at your local Starbucks as the program expands:

Get Ready To Drink Wine And Beer At Starbucks

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/31375891@N00/1307824280/in/photolist-2ZyWAu-4Ep1Ff-7VMb5C-694nvg">Flickr/Liza Lagman Sperl</a></div></div></div>Starbucks is bringing back a few pastries from its old menu.
The coffee chain will begin selling slices of banana, pumpkin, and iced-lemon loaf cake in its U.S. stores this week, following customer complaints that the chain has been getting too "fancy" with its gourmet La Boulange menu, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-01/starbucks-retools-pastry-menu-after-customers-complain.html">Bloomberg's Leslie Patton reports</a>. 
"We've got a few products that we are going to bring back from the old menu," Starbucks' Chief Operating Officer Troy Alstead told Bloomberg. "Some customers missed a few things."
Customers have been complaining that Starbucks' newer pastries are smaller and less tasty.
Starbucks has in fact cut down on size with some pastries, in order to slash calories. The chain has also changed some of its recipes to include healthier ingredients, such as replacing the white cheddar cheese in its turkey bacon sandwich with a reduced fat version.
Not all customers want the healthier versions of their old favorites, however, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-turkey-bacon-breakfast-fail-2014-3">as we reported earlier this month</a>. 
Starbucks acquired La Boulange baking company in 2012 to revamp its food offerings, as the chain faces increased coffee competition from fast food chains, such as McDonald's and Burger King.

Starbucks Is Bringing Back Lemon Cake After Customers Complain About 'Fancy' New Menu

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image">Dunkin' Donuts</div></div></div>Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks are trying to lure lunch diners now that fast food chains like McDonald's and Taco Bell are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/breakfast-wars-explained-in-one-chart-2014-3">competing more aggressively</a> for the morning crowd.
As part of its push for mid-day customers, Dunkin' Donuts launched a grilled chicken flatbread sandwich Monday, marking the first time that grilled chicken has ever been offered by the donut chain, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-02/dunkin-donuts-and-starbucks-want-your-lunch-money.html">Bloomberg's Leslie Patton reports</a>.
The 360-calorie sandwich is served on a multigrain flatbread and topped with ancho chipotle sauce and reduced fat cheddar cheese. 
"Chicken is one of the most popular choices for lunch," John Costello, Dunkin' Donuts' president of global marketing and innovation, said in a release. "As our brand grows and more and more guests visit our shops in the afternoon and evening, providing the widest variety of new and innovative all-day menu items remains a key to our continued success." 
The menu addition comes after <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-opportunities-for-growth-2014-4">Starbucks' launch last month of tests</a> for several new sandwich offerings, including a grilled chicken sandwich with bacon and swiss and a beef brisket and cheddar baguette.
The coffee chain is planning to formally launch a new line of sandwiches and lunch offerings next year, executives said in an April conference call.
"As we rollout our enhanced lunch program next year, complemented by a diverse beverage lineup including Teavana tea and handcrafted sodas, we absolutely believe Starbucks stores across the U.S. will increasingly be seen as a destination for quick, delicious and high-quality lunch," Chief Operating Officer Troy Alstead said during the call.
Starbucks is also targeting the dinner crowd by expanding its "Evenings" menu, which consists of small plates, wine and beer, to more than 1,000 of its cafes. 
About 40% of Dunkin' Donuts' sales are generated after 11 a.m. By comparison, Starbucks gets 60% of its sales during that time period, according to Bloomberg.

How Dunkin' Donuts And Starbucks Are Luring Lunch Diners

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Starbucks is planning a massive expansion in China over the next couple years that will nearly double its locations in the country.
It might seem risky for a coffee company to expand so aggressively in a culture of tea-drinkers. But Starbucks has altered its stores and products to adapt to local tastes and the strategy appears to be working.
The company's same-store sales grew 7% in the region for the most recent quarter and it's planning to open 500 new locations in China by the end of the year, which would make China Starbucks' second largest market outside the U.S. 
Here's a few ways that Starbucks is doing things differently in China: 
1. The stores are bigger with more seating space. "Unlike Americans, who can't cope without a morning cup of joe, most Chinese customers don't just grab and go," writes Violet Law in the <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/china/140805/starbucks-china-aggressive-overseas-expansion">Global Post</a>. "Instead, coffee shops here are a destination. People sit back and chat with friends and family. Some come to meet with clients or do business."
While most Starbucks stores in the U.S. are hectic and bustling, Chinese consumers seek out Starbucks to "nurse their drinks and lose themselves in their laptops... enjoying tranquility that's usually elusive in teeming China," Law writes. 
2. The coffee is more expensive. Starbucks charges up to 20% more for its coffee products in China compared to other markets. The Chinese state media has attacked Starbucks for this practice, but the company says the prices are due to the higher costs of doing business in the country. 
3. Starbucks stores in China offer a menu of Chinese teas and treats like mooncakes. But one of the best-selling item in the region right now is actually a Strawberry Cheesecake Frappucino, which is topped with a cream cheese whipped cream, graham cracker crumbles, and strawberry syrup. The frappuccino "set instant records for the top-selling limited-time Frappuccino offering ever," Starbucks chief operating office Troy Alstead said on a recent earnings call.
4. The food is labeled with the country where it was imported from to address Chinese consumers' concerns about food safety. 
5. Starbucks management makes an effort to get to know employees' families. "Starbucks has ... factored in family dynamics and expectations in China, where success can be judged by the title on one's business card," the company said in a statement. "Family forums have been held for parents of store partners to hear managers discuss gratifying career paths at Starbucks."

5 Ways Starbucks Is Different In China

Starbucks's mobile payment and loyalty app program is phenomenally successful, used by 10 million Starbucks customers for an average of nearly 5 million transactions a week in the U.S., according to recent data from <a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/payments?utm_source=House&amp;utm_medium=Edit&amp;utm_term=P-STRBCKS-CHART-1&amp;utm_content=link&amp;utm_campaign=BIIMobile" onclick="this.href = this.href + '-' + window.location.search.substr(1).replace(/\&amp;|\=/g, '-');">BI Intelligence</a>.
That success is largely a function of the company's fantastically loyal customers who come back day in and day out. It also helps that Starbucks offers a low-cost product (read: coffee), and incorporates app rewards, like free drinks on birthdays, that encourage usage of the app.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/payments?utm_source=House&amp;utm_medium=Edit&amp;utm_term=P-STRBCKS-CHART-1&amp;utm_content=link&amp;utm_campaign=BIIMobile" onclick="this.href = this.href + '-' + window.location.search.substr(1).replace(/\&amp;|\=/g, '-');">In total, Starbucks drove over $1 billion in mobile payment revenue in 2013, according to BI Intelligence estimates.</a> These are in-store transactions that Starbucks customers complete by using their phones at the register. (See chart below.)</li>
<li><a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/payments?utm_source=House&amp;utm_medium=Edit&amp;utm_term=P-STRBCKS-CHART-1&amp;utm_content=link&amp;utm_campaign=BIIMobile" onclick="this.href = this.href + '-' + window.location.search.substr(1).replace(/\&amp;|\=/g, '-');">Previously, we had forecasted that total mobile payments in the U.S. last year reached $30 billion. That means that Starbucks drove a full 4% of U.S. mobile payments volume in the year. </a></li>
</ul>
<a href="blah">At BI Intelligence, we are putting out in-depth coverage on the larger digital payments industry</a>, tracking how Starbucks and other businesses are evolving their payments strategies, and which new entrants in the payments space are having the most disruptive affect on the industry.
<a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/payments?utm_source=House&amp;utm_medium=Edit&amp;utm_term=P-STRBCKS-CHART-1&amp;utm_content=link&amp;utm_campaign=BIIMobile">Access All Our Charts And Data On The Payments Industry And Our Other Verticals By Signing Up For A Free Trial</a>
Starbucks has done an incredible job of making mobile payments valuable to consumers, even as many other mobile payments companies, and retailers offering mobile payments, still haven't figured out the formula.
Dunkin' Donuts is soon going to enhance its own mobile payment app with a loyalty program, and it will be interesting to see whether another beloved coffee company will have the same success, or if Starbucks has figured out something special about what its customers want. 
<a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/payments?utm_source=House&amp;utm_medium=Edit&amp;utm_term=P-STRBCKS-CHART-1&amp;utm_content=link&amp;utm_campaign=BIIMobile" onclick="this.href = this.href + '-' + window.location.search.substr(1).replace(/\&amp;|\=/g, '-');">Starbucks is doubling down on its mobile payments business.</a> The company created a chief operating officer position to be filled by former CFO Troy Alstead, so that CEO Howard Schultz can focus more on the company's evolving payments business. 
Starbucks reports earnings based on their own fiscal quarters, which run ahead of calendar quarters. For simplicity's sake, we've transposed Starbucks data to the corresponding calendar quarters. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image">BII</div></div>

Starbucks Made Over $1 Billion From Mobile Transactions Last Year

Welcome to our new Payments Insider newsletter, a morning email with the top news and analysis on the digital payments industry, produced by <a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/welcome?utm_source=House&amp;utm_medium=Edit&amp;utm_term=PINSIGHTSutm_content=link&amp;utm_campaign=BIIMobile" target="_blank">BI Intelligence</a>. 
<a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/biipaymentsform" target="_blank">Click here to sign up for Payments Insider today, and receive it every morning in your inbox</a>.

HINTS OF AMAZON'S FUTURE IN PAYMENTS JUST BEFORE EARNINGS: After market close today, Amazon is holding its fourth quarter earnings call and while it may not focus specifically on Amazon's payments business we think there is reason to believe payments will be a big part of the company's strategy in 2014. 
Here are four reasons why: 
<ul>
<li>Amazon could be making a bricks-and-mortar move. Yesterday, news broke that Amazon has loose plans to bring a point-of-sale solution to bricks-and-mortar retailers as early as this summer, according to the Wall Street Journal. The plan would involve retailers using Amazon's Kindle as a register with an added card reader. This would put the company in direct competition with PayPal and Square. The notoriously secretive Amazon has not made an official comment on the matter. (<a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB10001424052702303743604579351123788256930-lMyQjAxMTA0MDIwOTEyNDkyWj" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>) </li>
<li>"Login and Pay with Amazon" is going to be huge. E-commerce and mobile commerce are going to continue to grow as a percentage of retail shopping and as <a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/the-big-three-mobile-retailers-2013-11" target="_blank">we noted in a recent report</a>, the retailers that are going to win online are those that can provide a seamless shopping experience. Released in October 2013, <a href="http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&amp;p=irol-newsArticle&amp;ID=1862641&amp;highlight=" target="_blank">Login and Pay with Amazon</a> allows shoppers to pay for items on third-party retailers' e-commerce platforms using their Amazon ID. Because the feature is such a low friction method of payment, retailers will adopt it in hopes that it will increase conversion rates. </li>
<li>Amazon has the mobile presence and ubiquity to make a great mobile payments app. In June of 2013, 57% of Amazon's user base used a mobile device to access the site. In addition, the company has over 224 million credit cards on file which are automatically linked to a user's mobile device when that user logs in to the Amazon app. One of the biggest difficulties in getting mobile payments to catch on is getting a lot of people to use one platform. Lots of people already use Amazon and a majority of those people already use Amazon on their mobile devices, so Amazon has a strategic advantage in comparison to many other players in the space. (<a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/the-big-three-mobile-retailers-2013-11" target="_blank">BI Intelligence</a>)</li>
<li>Amazon may also be looking to get into peer-to-peer payments (P2P) soon. As TechCrunch reported, Amazon has active job postings up seeking candidates to work on a P2P product. Should Amazon introduce P2P payments, the move would likely be seen as a play to grab market share away from eBay's PayPal. But the P2P space is fairly crowded, and only getting more so. More on the latest P2P entrant further down in Payments Insider. (<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/29/amazon-wants-to-include-peer-to-peer-payments-in-its-real-world-paypal-competitor/">TechCrunch</a>)</li>
</ul>
We'll have more details on Amazon's earnings call as it relates to payments in Payments Insider tomorrow.
STARBUCKS'S SCHULTZ FOCUSES ON PAYMENTS. During a conference call yesterday, CEO Howard Schultz announced that Starbucks's former CFO Troy Alstead will now fill the role of Chief Operating Officer. The creation of the new role is meant to relieve Schultz of duties having to do with day-to-day operations so that he can focus on digital and mobile payments, as well as the company's evolving retail experience. "I think the payments space itself is a very attractive opportunity for our company given the digital assets that we have … we'll be speaking more about that as time goes on," said Schultz. This sounds like Starbucks may be planning to expand its payments business beyond its own retail products. If this is the case, it wouldn't be surprising if Square plays a role in the expansion since <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10000872396390444423704577575803898185594" target="_blank">Starbucks is invested in Square</a> and Square handles a significant amount of payments processing for Starbucks. (<a href="http://www.paymentssource.com/news/starbucks-spotlights-mobile-payments-in-shuffling-top-execs-3016808-1.html" target="_blank">Payments Source</a>)
UPDATE ON THE TARGET DATA BREACH. The Target data breach was caused by an intruder who stole vendor credentials, reports ZDNet via the Wall Street Journal. According to the report, Target has said that the intruders hacked a system that was not related to its payments system. We'll keep following this story as it develops. (<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/target-traces-security-breach-to-stolen-vendor-credentials-7000025780/" target="_blank">ZDNet</a>)
THREE QUOTES FROM THE NEW YORK BITCOIN HEARINGS. Day two of the Bitcoin regulatory hearings wrapped up yesterday afternoon at the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). 
Here are a few key quotes from the two-day hearing:
"If the choice for regulators is to permit money-laundering on the one hand, or to permit innovation on the other, we are always going to choose squelching the money-laundering first." - Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin M. Lawsky.
"We believe that there should be more guidance specifically geared toward digital currency firms and that the states should develop a streamlined approach to licensing these firms." - Jeremy Allaire, chief executive of Circle Internet Financial.
"The Wild West attracts cowboys," said Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust Co-Founder Cameron Winklevoss. "A sheriff is a good thing. (<a href="http://www.totalwebcasting.com/view/?id=nysdfs" target="_blank">NYDFS</a>)
RIBBON GETS INTO P2P PAYMENTS. San Francisco-based Ribbon, which has so far provided e-commerce and payments processing solutions, is launching a peer-to-peer cash transfer service. The company decided to move into the space after it saw that many of its clients were using its products for personal payments in addition to business transactions. Ribbon faces stiff competition in the space from the likes of Venmo and Square Cash, especially considering that the company's new service is not yet available as a mobile app. (<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/29/ribbon-takes-on-square-cash-paypal-others-with-a-peer-to-peer-payments-service-that-lets-you-send-money-for-free/" target="_blank">TechCrunch</a>)
ONE-FIFTH OF GLOBAL PROCESSOR ADYEN'S TRANSACTIONS ARE MOBILE: Global payments processor Adyen released its latest quarterly global Mobile Payments Index today. The index is based off of Adyen's global payment transaction data. It shows that mobile transactions reached nearly a fifth of all transactions processed through Adyen in December 2013, up from 12.6% a year ago. The release includes breakdowns of payments volume by industry and device as well. (<a href="http://www.adyen.com/adyen-mobile-payment-index-reveals-mobile-payments-climb-to-19-5-of-transactions-globally/" target="_blank">Adyen</a>)
ZIMBABWEAN MOBILE OPERATOR LAUNCHES MOBILE CASH TRANSFER SERVICE. Yesterday, Telecel Zimbabwe announced the launch of Telecash which allows subscribers to send money to anyone on any network with their mobile devices. Users can also pay bills and purchase things like groceries using Telecash. Telecel Zimbabwe's network currently reaches 85% of Zimbabwe's 13.7 million+ people. Telecash was most likely inspired by M-PESA, a phenomenally successful digital currency offered by operators Safaricom and Vodacom and used by 70% of the population of Kenya. (<a href="http://www.techzim.co.zw/2014/01/telecel-zimbabwes-telecash-launch-press-release/" target="_blank">Techzim</a>)
Here's what else BI Intelligence subscribers are reading...
<a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/drones-navigating-toward-commercial-applications-2014-1">DRONES: Quickly Navigating Toward Commercial Application, Starting With E-Commerce And Retail</a>
<a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/social-big-data-the-type-of-data-collected-by-social-networks-2014-1">Social Big Data: The User Data Collected By Each Of The World's Largest Social Networks - And What It Means</a>
<a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/in-2013-paypal-far-surpassed-its-own-expectations-for-mobile-based-transactions-2014-1">In 2013, PayPal Far Surpassed Its Own Expectations For Mobile-Based Transactions</a>
<a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/a-boom-in-early-stage-payment-startup-funding-deals-could-lead-to-a-slew-of-acquisitions-in-2014-2014-1">A Boom In Early-Stage Funding For Payments Startups Could Lead To A Slew Of Acquisitions In 2014</a>
<a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/video-insider-netflix-prepares-to-expand-in-europe-2014-1">Netflix Prepares To Expand In Europe</a>Disclosure: Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions.

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