Is $9 for a Starbucks coffee a “premium experience?” The company’s CEO has defended it as such — and the backlash is brewing. Social media lit up this week after Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol appeared on the Wall Street Journal’s What News podcast to talk about how the world’s largest coffee chain is navigating the current economic climate. He explained that Starbucks is doing “really well” with Gen-Z and millennial consumers, and that the K-shaped economy — which refers to the growing disparity between high-income and low-income Americans — is not impacting Starbucks’ business, where the “average spend” is just under $10. “What we're seeing is people, they want to have a special experience. And regardless of what your income level is, in some cases, a $9 experience does feel like you're splurging. And then what that means is we have to make it worthwhile,” Niccol said.…