It makes grim sense from a business perspective. All coffee has a unique flavor, but all burned coffee tastes the same. Burning all the coffee ensures a similar flavor profile at any Starbucks in the US. The fact that the flavor is bad is entirely beside the point.
Imagine the room when this was the big idea. “Let’s burn the shit outta those beans!”
It makes grim sense from a business perspective. All coffee has a unique flavor, but all burned coffee tastes the same. Burning all the coffee ensures a similar flavor profile at any Starbucks in the US. The fact that the flavor is bad is entirely beside the point.