Ability to reinforce the Starbucks Experience through non-retail operations: The ability
of employees to consistently identify other non-retail methods of maintaining and extending the Starbucks experience is a major skill of the corporation. The development of strategic alliances with Kraft, Pepsi-Cola, and the positioning of Starbuck’s products in the lines of alliance partners, such as Hyatt Hotels, Safeway, Chapters, and United Airlines, extends the brand while reinforcing Starbucks core competency, namely coffee.