Starbucks' (NASDAQ: SBUX) new CEO Brian Niccol has been rapidly implementing changes within the iconic coffee brand, aiming to get "Back to Starbucks." In short, Niccol believes the key to returning to growth is getting back to what set Starbucks apart in the first place.

For Starbucks ( SBUX) CEO Brian Niccol to achieve maximum greatness — which would boil down to a sustained turnaround in North America sales by later this year — he must improve consumer perception that the chain's coffee costs too much. New data out of JPMorgan on Thursday suggests he has a long way to go on this front.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol has made headlines for his astonishing compensation package, earning nearly $96 million for just four months of work in 2024. This remarkable figure places him among the highest-paid executives in the United States,