Romaine Bostick

But but why not now?

I want to talk about the coffee and the food.

Obviously, one of the biggest buzz right now around Starbucks is the add-on foam protein.

I am curious.

I mean, obviously, it's in the zeitgeist.

But is there any way you can articulate whether it's actually been accretive with regards to sales and the bottom line?

I mean, what do transactions look like for those protein drinks?

I am curious about price, particularly in light of some upstart competitors that have come into this space, like Dutch Bros, as well as Seven Brew, Luckin Coffee, and a few others here.

Do you feel like you need to compete

with those names on price, or can you sort of maintain this sort of relative premium or luxury model that I think Starbucks has had a perception of being?

Before I let you go, Brian, I do want to ask you a little bit more about the international strategy, particularly with regards to China.

Starbucks has had a footprint there since at least the late 1990s.

Bloomberg reported this week that you were close to finalizing a deal for a partnership with a private equity firm that would allow you to expand your footprint in China even further.

How much further do you want to go with that?

And how far along are you in sealing that partnership?

You think wrapping up that process will happen before the investor day in January?

I am curious, Guillaume.

I mean, we've heard from a lot of the major airline executives that have raised some concerns here about the backlog.

In addition to just the general problems in getting those engines onto those gliders, there's now, at least here in the United States, the issue of a government shutdown that, of course, effectively brings to a halt or at least a slowdown in any sort of certification here.

Have you had to address that at all so far?