Happy New Year 2025

Tag: companys

Starbucks customers across the US in uproar over company’s new cup design
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol says the company’s app needs to be more transparent on pricing.

Many Starbucks lovers can now expect to receive their cold coffee orders in cups featuring a new design.

Depending on the state, some Starbucks locations have switched their transparent single-use plastic to opaque white compostable cups, a move that has sparked dissatisfaction among some customers who expressed having difficulty drinking out of the new lids.

The change is a step toward the company’s sustainability goals, according to a Starbucks company spokesperson.

“On Feb. 11, a small number of stores in 14 states switched to commercially compostable cups and lids as part of our efforts to reduce waste and meet local market requirements,” the spokesperson told FOX Business.

DRINKING COFFEE AT A CERTAIN TIME OF DAY COULD REDUCE DEATH RISK, STUDY FINDS

Starbucks’ new compostable cup can be found in Oakland, California. (Reddit/@Genera1Ts0 / Fox News)

Starbucks is working to make its cups entirely compostable, recyclable or reusable by 2030, according to the company’s website.

The switch allows the company to align with local regulations in certain cities that have passed legislation requiring transitions away from single-use plastic.

While the coffee giant has 17,000 stores across the U.S., only about 580 stores have implemented the changes across the following 14 states:
- California
- Washington
- Hawaii
- Minnesota
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Maryland
- Connecticut
- Virginia
- South Carolina
- Colorado
- Georgia
STARBUCKS CEO SAYS BETTER PRICING TRANSPARENCY NECESSARY FOR MOBILE APP

Starbucks’ new compostable cups come with flat or dome-shaped lids. (Starbucks)

The new cups, which are made from molded fiber, come with both flat or dome-shaped lids to carry both regular iced coffee and even whipped frappuccinos.

Because the opaque cups look similar to those used for hot drinks, one Reddit user said the new cups make it difficult for customers to photograph their colorful drinks.

“No more Tiktok drinks,” a Reddit user said. “Can’t flaunt a drink if it’s hidden.”

Ticker Security Last Change Change %

SBUX STARBUCKS CORP. 112.55 +0.16 +0.14%

Starbucks’ single-use plastic cups used to allow people to photograph their colorful drinks. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

Many customers have expressed dissatisfaction over the new designs across numerous Reddit posts, claiming that the cups are uncomfortable to drink out of and that the lids do not seal well.

“They are awful & so awkward to drink out of,” a Reddit user commented in a post about Starbucks’ new cups.

Another Reddit user posted a photo showing leakage from the new lid.

“What the H, Starbucks??” the Reddit user said in the post.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

For customers who are not fans of the new compostable designs, Starbucks said there are still other alternatives.

“As an alternative, customers are welcome to bring in their clean, personal reusable cup or order their beverage “for here” to have their beverage served in a ceramic mug or glass,” a Starbucks spokesperson said.

“We’re committed to innovation, testing and learning to meet the expectations of our partners and customers – and the requirements of the markets we serve,” the spokesperson said.
February 18, 2025
McDonald’s settles lawsuit challenging company’s Latino scholarship

Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., reacts to Pete Hegseth’s push to end DEI programs and initiatives in the military as well as discusses President Trump’s border agenda.

McDonald’s opened a longstanding diversity program to all races and ethnicities last week following a lawsuit from a legal group opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices.

The lawsuit was filed by American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), an organization dedicated to challenging race-based preferences and discrimination.

AAER argued that the fast-food chain’s HACER National Scholarship Program was discriminatory against non-Hispanic/Latino students as the program required applicants to have at least one parent of Hispanic/Latino heritage.

The settlement last week saw McDonald’s agree to open up the program to applicants of any race or ethnicity.

MCDONALD’S SUED OVER LATINO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM DAYS AFTER DITCHING SOME DEI POLICIES

McDonald’s is being sued over a program that grants scholarships to Latino high school students. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“We reached the conclusion that settling this lawsuit and evolving the program is the right thing to do for its recipients,” McDonald’s said in a statement. “To achieve this, we will remove the criteria for at least one parent to be of Hispanic/Latino heritage. Instead, applicants must demonstrate their impact and contribution to the Hispanic/Latino community through their activities, leadership, and service.”

According to the settlement, HACER’s “Eligibility & Requirements” page originally stated that applicants “must be from a family” that originated from one of the 22 Hispanic/Latino countries the site listed.

The applicants were also required to answer, “Are you of Hispanic/Latino heritage?”

MCDONALD’S LATEST COMPANY TO ROLL BACK ‘WOKE’ DEI POLICIES AS TREND CONTINUES INTO 2025

RNC youth advisory council co-chair CJ Pearson reacts to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion on ‘The Evening Edit.’

In the statement, McDonald’s did not necessarily agree that HACER was discriminatory but did not want the suit to end its longstanding program nor jeopardize opportunities for the applicants to pursue their educational aspirations.

“To be clear: we disagree with this claim,” McDonald’s said. “A legal challenge would mean this year’s applicants would not have the opportunity to compete for the scholarship funds.”

The HACER program, which has awarded 17,000 students more than $33 million in scholarships over nearly 40 years, has received more than 3,000 student applicants this year, McDonald’s said.

The deadline for this year’s application has also been extended from Feb. 6 to March 6 to accommodate the new applicants, according to the suit.

COSTCO DEFENDS DEI PROGRAM AS OTHER MAJOR RETAILERS DROP CONTROVERSIAL DIVERSITY PUSH

Vice President JD Vance sets the record straight with President Donald Trump’s approach to DEI and more during an appearance on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’

The suit was first filed on Jan.12 shortly after McDonald’s conducted a civil-rights audit and scaled back on its DEI policies.

Some alterations included McDonald’s ending its DEI pledge for its suppliers and changing the name of its diversity team to the Global Inclusion Team. The chain also ended its participation in surveys that could have gauged practices pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees.

Ticker Security Last Change Change %

MCD MCDONALD’S CORP. 288.70 -1.62 -0.56%

Following the rollbacks, AAER claimed McDonald’s was still not treating everyone fairly.

“Even after its civil-rights audit, McDonald’s has decided to continue a program that blatantly discriminates against high-schoolers based on their ethnicity,” the lawsuit stated.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

“It is astonishing that after what McDonald’s describes as a comprehensive civil-rights audit of its programs and policies, the Hispanic-only HACER scholarship was not flagged for likely being a violation of our nation’s civil rights laws,” AAER President Edward Blum said.

According to McDonald’s, the company will continue to work on inclusion.

“McDonald’s position and our commitment to inclusion is steadfast,” the company said. “As part of our ongoing inclusion efforts, our work is evolving.”

Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

February 3, 2025
Costco, Teamsters, reach ‘tentative agreement’ likely averting strike as company’s DEI controversy rages on

The Big Money Show explores companies turning against DEI policies while Costco bucks the trend.

The looming threat of 18,000 Costco store employees heading to the picket lines appears less likely, with the Teamsters labor union announcing Saturday that it has reached a tentative agreement for a new contract with the grocery chain.

The negotiations come amid Costco standing firm on its Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) policies as most companies turn their backs on the controversial initiative.

“The tentative agreement will be presented to the membership for a vote,” the union, which represents 18,000 Costco workers, wrote in a post on X without providing any details about the agreement with its negotiating committee.

Shoppers outside a Costco store in Bayonne, New Jersey, US, on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. Costco Wholesale Corp. is scheduled to release earnings figures on December 14. Photographer: Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

O’LEARY RIPS COSTCO FOR BUCKING DEI TREND: ‘BAD FOR BUSINESS’

Reuters, citing a memo sent to employees this week, reports that Costco is set to increase pay for most of its hourly U.S. store workers to more than $30.

According to the memo, the company will increase hourly pay for its top-of-the-scale employees over the next three years. Pay will rise by $1 to $30.20 in the first year and an extra $1 each in the subsequent two years. The bottom-of-the-scale employees will also get an increase of 50 cents to $20.

Teamsters members at Costco voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike on Jan. 20 if a new three-year contract agreement could not be reached by midnight last night when the current contract expired.

The strike would affect 50 Costco stores across New York, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington. Costco has 617 stores nationwide.

The workers are looking for better wages, benefits, and work rules amid the company making a record $7.4 billion profit in its most recent fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 1.

The grocery wholesaler, who has long held a pro-worker image, has been locked in a protracted battle with the Teamsters union, which represents 18,000 of Costco’s 219,000 U.S. worker base.

The Teamsters are accusing the grocery club of not sharing its record 2024 profits – which doubled since 2019 – with its workers and have claimed Costco has engaged in “illegal and reckless behavior,” including kicking union reps out of stores, preventing employees from wearing Teamster buttons and changing the locks on union bulletin boards.

Talks broke down in January when Costco refused to reach a card check agreement. Card checks would make it easier for workers to join unions by eliminating secret ballots. About 85% of Costco’s unionized employees voted to authorize a strike.

Storch Advisors CEO and former Toys”R”Us and Target executive Gerald Storch reacts to a strong November retail report and explains how industry winners are value-based players.

STATE AGS WARN RETAIL GIANT COSTCO FOR DOUBLING DOWN ON ‘DISCRIMINATORY’ DEI

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien recently threw down the gauntlet to Costco executives.

“Costco has two choices: respect the workers who made them a success or face a national strike,” O’Brien said in a statement.

“Costco Teamsters deserve an industry-leading contract that reflects the company’s massive profits. If Costco thinks they can exploit our members while raking in billions, we’ll shut them down.

The talks come as Costco doubles down on its DEI policies.

While big companies like Target, McDonald’s and Walmart backed off from their DEI policies, Costco shareholders voted last week to reject an anti-DEI proposal brought by activist shareholder group National Center for Public Policy Research. The measure would have required the wholesale grocery chain to issue a report on the risks associated with their DEI policies.

O’Leary Ventures Chairman Kevin O’Leary declared Costco “nuts” during Wednesday’s “The Big Money Show” for not ditching DEI arguing it is bad for business. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images / Photographer: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

At its annual meeting recently, more than 98% of shares voted against the proposal.

During his first week in office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the termination of discriminatory practices in the federal government and encouraging termination in the private sector. Following the order, attorneys general from 19 states urged Costco to turn away from its DEI policies.

READ MORE FROM FOX BUSINESS

O’Leary Ventures Chairman Kevin O’Leary declared Costco “nuts” during Wednesday’s “The Big Money Show” for not ditching DEI arguing it is bad for business.

“They’re nuts if they think I want them fighting the federal government on policy,” O’Leary said. “I don’t care who took that poll when there’s no way you’d get that result today. You don’t fight the attorney general in multiple states, you got to be out of your mind.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

February 1, 2025