Starbucks Focused on Fizzio, Says Schultz in CNBC Interview

On Friday, Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO of Starbucks SBUX < a href="http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000268732">appeared on CNBC to discuss the company's second quarter results with Jim Cramer. Schultz is encouraged by six percent comps, which he called a “stunning number.” The strong number was driven by food attachment and success of the La Boulange. New real estate formats have uncovered a lot of growth and opportunity, Schultz said. One of the secret sauces, or competitive advantage, of Starbucks is customization, said the executive. Starbucks has been rumored to be a potential suitor for Sodastream SODA, but Schultz said the company is focused on Fizzio, a made to order soda. The company tested handcrafted natural preservative free sodas last summer in three markets in the United States and Asia which “exceeded expectations.” Schultz said the company plans to launch the handcrafted soda to 3000 stores starting this summer. Shares of Starbucks are up 1 percent to $71.79 in Friday's trading while Sodastream is down 0.80 percent to $42.16.