What do you get when you open, on an average, around four stores a day? You get Starbucks.

This multinational chain of coffee shops now stands for a lot more than just caffeine. It is a centre for socialising and, as a brand, has managed to make a move into popular culture.

The company was named after Starbuck, a character in the novel Moby Dick. The first shop was opened in Seattle in 1971 by three partners -- teachers Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegel, and writer Gordon Bowker - who wanted to sell high-quality coffee beans and machines. Entrepreneur (and current CEO) Howard Schultz joined the company in 1982 and bought the chain in 1987. Today, there are 8,569 locations worldwide -- a number that is probably growing even as you read this.

Brand value: $3.0 billion. Brand sales: $5.3 billion. Not bad for a few cuppas. The brand registered 25% growth.