Spending the Summer at Starbucks

Quinnell Smith (MMM '25) looks back on her experience as a product innovation intern for the company's food and beverage innovation team.

Quinnell Smith (MMM '25) admits that calling herself a huge Starbucks fan is likely an understatement. Smith has been "enchanted" by Starbucks since she was a kid. Her family and friends routinely give her Starbucks gift cards for birthdays and holidays.

"My everyday coffee order is a vanilla almond milk latte," Smith said. "The sugar cookie almond milk latte also has my heart. It's been my favorite since it hit the menu, and nothing else comes close."

Smith got a behind-the-scenes look at the Starbucks world this summer as a product innovation intern on the food and beverage innovation team. Smith focused on creating a customer innovation strategy to refresh Starbucks' menu so it appealed to Generation Z consumers and projected market trends. This involved everything from brainstorming new ideas to executing detailed market analyses and engaging in product development discussions.

On any given day, Smith hosted focus groups, performed product concept ideation, and connected with Starbucks partners to better understand the business.

"I learned the importance of continuous communication and seeking guidance within the team, which helps in sharpening my own skills and ensuring cohesive product development," Smith said. "Engaging with diverse teams taught me that every detail counts when you're working to innovate on a global scale."

Smith spent the summer based in Seattle at Starbucks' headquarters. While there, she met with members of the company's C-suite and also was able to experience new product launches.

She also routinely found herself relying on lessons learned during her first year in Northwestern's MBA + MS Design Innovation (MMM) program — a dual-degree program between Northwestern Engineering and the Kellogg School of Management. Smith frequently found herself applying techniques and frameworks she learned in Research - Design - Build, a key course where students apply design thinking concepts to a problem faced by an industry partner.

"My MMM education equipped me with tools in strategic thinking and user-centered design that were invaluable," she said. "Applying these principles, I was able to better understand and predict consumer behavior, ensuring our products not only met but exceeded our customers' expectations."

With the internship behind her, Smith is excited to leverage the experiences she had at Starbucks throughout the rest of her time in MMM.

"The hands-on experience with real-world product innovation and strategic positioning has given me a robust set of skills that I plan to leverage in my second year," she said. "This experience will surely enhance my project work, collaboration, and overall understanding of business and innovation. I think I will also be able to approach marketing and innovation problems in classes with a more well-rounded lens."

Smith is grateful for her internship experience. She wasn't sure it was possible, but having spent the summer with Starbucks, she might now be an even bigger fan of the company than she was at the beginning of the summer.

"I've always been captivated by the magic of Starbucks, from the craft behind each drink to the unique aura of its cafes," Smith said. "Getting a chance to contribute to a brand I've admired since childhood and push the envelope in beverage and food innovation was a dream come true."