Starbucks is to recruit 7,500 new baristas across the United Kingdom over the next five years, in one of the biggest hiring drives announced by a British high street employer this year. The coffee chain confirmed the plan on 10 November 2026, alongside an ambition to open 500 new coffeehouses by 2031.

About 80 per cent of the new coffeehouses are expected to open north of the M25, bringing new roles to the Midlands, the north of England, Wales and Scotland. Starbucks already employs more than 18,000 people in the UK.

First jobs and a route into management

The company says the roles are aimed in particular at young people looking for a first job. More than half of the staff in its company-run UK coffeehouses are under 24, and Starbucks says it wants entry-level roles to be as open as possible.

New recruits will also have a route beyond the coffee bar. Starbucks is creating 140 additional deputy store manager roles, and its Accelerated Leadership Programme aims to prepare baristas to run a store in around 13 months, against a typical journey of about three years.

The chain has also committed to 200 more apprenticeship places over the next year, adding to more than 2,000 employees who have already taken part in its fee-free apprenticeship programme.

How to apply

Vacancies will appear as new coffeehouses open over the coming five years. Jobseekers can search current openings on the Starbucks EMEA careers site, while full details of the expansion are set out in Starbucks’ own announcement.