Janice Waszak, a former vice president at Starbucks Corp., has filed a lawsuit in Washington state court claiming she was terminated for raising safety concerns about the company’s new “Siren” automated drink-making system, including reports of maggots appearing in the machine due to inadequate cleaning.
Waszak alleges that Starbucks fired her in December 2023 after she reported negative testing results for the system, designed to allow baristas to make any drink in under 40 seconds, rather than exaggerating its readiness to meet corporate expectations. She also claims she faced sexual discrimination, being held to standards that male employees would not have faced.
Waszak joined Starbucks in January 2004 as a brand manager and eventually became director of concept innovation in January 2024, overseeing the Tryer Center, a research and innovation facility at the company’s Seattle headquarters.
According to the complaint, the Siren system, initially called Project 40, was presented as a revenue-boosting and efficiency-enhancing solution. Senior Vice President Natarajan Venkatakrishnan allegedly claimed in March 2022 that the system would save Starbucks hundreds of millions of dollars and reportedly told Waszak he had previously gotten executives fired for resisting overambitious projections.
During a live demonstration of the Siren in October 2022, maggots reportedly fell from the milk dispenser. “Baristas flicked the maggots away” to avoid alarming observers, the lawsuit states. Waszak claims she reported the issue to Venkatakrishnan and relayed staff concerns about the system’s complex cleaning requirements. Nevertheless, Starbucks pushed forward with the rollout schedule.
Waszak was promoted to vice president of Tryer innovation and store testing in May 2023, and in-store testing began that July. Her team consistently reported equipment failures and health risks. An August 2023 email from Waszak, titled “Mitigating Risks in Store Tests,” reminded her team to prioritize customer and staff safety. Venkatakrishnan allegedly reacted angrily, warning her the email “could become part of a lawsuit.”
The lawsuit further alleges that a Siren milk dispenser caught fire during September 2023 testing due to wiring defects. Despite ongoing problems, Starbucks executives presented the system as “on track” during a November 2023 investor meeting.
After filing an internal ethics complaint in December 2023 detailing concerns about the machine’s safety and alleging manipulation of test results, Waszak was informed she was being terminated for violating Starbucks’ anti-bullying and harassment policies. Waszak contends that the cited interpersonal complaints were minor and that the company’s compliance officer confirmed she had not created a hostile work environment.
Catherine N. Sellers, Waszak’s attorney at Frank Freed Subit & Thomas LLP, said, “They fired her, and they came up with pretextual reasons for doing so. It’s a sad day when a corporation can take action against somebody for doing the right thing in the public’s interest.”
A Starbucks spokesperson said, “Safety is a top priority for Starbucks, and these claims are entirely without merit. We look forward to presenting our evidence in court.”
Waszak is represented by Catherine N. Sellers and Michael C. Subit of Frank Freed Subit & Thomas LLP. Counsel for Starbucks was not immediately available.
The case is Janice Waszak v. Starbucks Corp., case number 26-2-03555-5, in King County Superior Court.
