Posts tagged robotizing
Starbucks will go grande on workforce-lite future
January 6, 2023 // At the same time, Starbucks is moving quickly to automate, which will continue into 2023 under incoming CEO Laxman Narasimhan. In September, it laid out a reinvention plan that includes robotizing more in-store tasks. An investor presentation recently outlined plans to “simplify operations” and “leverage automation.” Many companies like McDonald’s (MCD.N) and Target (TGT.N) have had to find technological solutions just as workers seek higher wages. Over 12 months through November, hourly wages for private, nonfarm workers have increased more than 5% to $32.82, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistic. Labor costs are eating into margins that are also being squeezed by rising prices for materials and transportation. If an ornery workforce can be replaced by a robotic one, there’s no better time than the present.