Starbucks faces employee resistance over $100M Nashville move, offering incentives amid job threats.

Starbucks is pushing its North America sourcing team to relocate from Seattle to a new $100 million hub in Nashville, facing resistance from some employees opposed to moving to a politically conservative area. The company has warned that refusal to move could lead to job losses, while offering incentives like stock grants, travel reimbursements, and retention bonuses. This move is part of Starbucks' broader strategy to reduce costs by shifting operations to a lower-cost region and to expand its corporate presence in the South. However, experts warn the relocation risks disrupting key supplier relationships and institutional knowledge critical to Starbucks' operations.