Quick take:
- Starbucks has launched an NFT loyalty program on Polygon.
- The global restaurant chain wants to use “Starbucks Odyssey” to onboard its customers to web3.
- The program will allow customers to both earn and purchase digital assets that unlock exclusive experiences and rewards.
Starbucks has officially made its first foray into web3 with the “Starbucks Odyssey”, a Polygon-based NFT loyalty program created to onboard Starbucks customers to the next iteration of the internet.
Starbucks has leveraged the Layer 2 Ethereum scaling blockchain ecosystem to create an NFT-based replica of the successful Starbucks Rewards loyalty program.
According to the announcement, Starbucks Odyssey enables Starbucks customers to both earn and purchase digital assets that unlock exclusive experiences and rewards.
In the currency Starbucks Rewards program, customers earn ‘stars’, which can be exchanged for free drinks and other perks.
The new web3-powered program will “allow Starbucks Rewards loyalty program members and Starbucks partners (employees) in the United States to earn and purchase digital collectible stamps in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs),” Polygon wrote in a blog announcing the partnership.
Starbucks sees the “Starbucks Odyssey” as a huge opportunity to engage with its Starbucks Rewards customers in exciting ways. Holders of the Starbucks Odyssey NFTs will gain the opportunity to unlock unique coffee experiences from various collaborations with leading artists and invitations to exclusive events.
Starbucks on September 12 launched a waitlist giving its customers an opportunity to be among the first to receive the Starbucks Odyssey experience, scheduled for launch later this year.
“Building Starbucks Odyssey using technology that aligns with our sustainability aspirations and commitments is a top priority. We took a very thoughtful and thorough approach when evaluating which blockchain to utilize and Polygon’s fast, low-cost, and carbon-neutral network is the perfect foundation for our first digital community,” said Ryan Butz, VP of loyalty, strategy and marketing for Starbucks.
Starbucks’ announcement of the new NFT-based loyalty program comes barely four months after revealing a plan to launch NFTs by the end of the year. The company revealed via a blog post in May that it was contemplating building its own digital community.
The company has chosen the PoS blockchain network Polygon to power its web3 strategy. This has partly been done because Starbucks envisions long-term success in web3.
Sandeep Nailwal, Co-Founder of Polygon, commented: “Polygon is a natural choice for Starbucks as both companies place tremendous importance on diversity, accessibility, and sustainability. As a leading infrastructure provider enabling people and technology to collaborate and exchange value globally and freely, Polygon provides the ideal launchpad for Starbucks’ entry into Web3.”
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