Starbucks

Schultz has returned to Italy once a year over the past 30 years. Although he doesn’t speak Italian, Schultz feels comfortable there and admires the quality and artistry of Italian products.

“The dream of the company always has been to sometime complete the circle and open in Italy, but we haven’t been ready,” said Schultz, who feels “intuitively” that the time is now right.

The Starbucks chairman and ceo is following the same instinct he felt initially when he walked the streets of Milan and marveled at the experience baristas created for their customers and communities.