Retail News CRM

Tag: starbucks

  • Starbucks opens giant Reserve store in Malaysia

    Starbucks opens giant Reserve store in Malaysia

    Starbucks Malaysia today unveiled Starbucks Reserve Tropicana Gardens, the largest in the market. Located in the heart of the bustling community between Kota Damansara and Tropicana Indah, the store features two bars: the main bar offering all core and seasonal handcrafted Starbucks beverages, as well as a coffee bar that offers six different brewing methods, including pour-over, Chemex, siphon, Black Eagle espresso, and Nitro Cold Brew.

    The immersive coffee experience – spanning nearly 6,000 square-foot of retail space – celebrates all-things coffee. The layout of the store itself is similar to that of a coffee bean, with a large curvature and floor-to-ceiling windows that connect to a small garden and rapid transit station. The main highlight of the store is a 50-foot wide ‘Wall of Gratitude’, which features photos of more than 200 frontliners medical workers, and Starbucks baristas. The mural serves as both a way to pay tribute to the people who have been fighting together against the COIVD-19 pandemic and also as a physical reminder of the events of the past year that have made Malaysians stronger and more resilient than ever.

    “Over the past five years, the Starbucks Reserve concept has brought about a catalyst of growth in the industry focusing on customer experience and passion for coffee in Malaysia. With the opening of Starbucks Reserve Tropicana Gardens, customers can expect the same human connection and immersive coffee experience that will continue to inspire coffee passion to the community,” said Sydney Quays, Group CEO of Berjaya Food Berhad and managing director of Starbucks Malaysia & Brunei. “We are delighted to be able to open this store and celebrate the commitment, resiliency, and creativity of our partners and customers in these unique times.”

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks opens online with a JD flagship store

    Starbucks opens online with a JD flagship store

    Starbucks, the world’s largest coffeehouse chain, launched a flagship store on JD.com on March 3.

    The online store is bringing Chinese consumers the brand’s new spring mugs, such as the Sakura Blossom Collection, together with its classic series, including the core classic series, and Starbucks Heritage. In addition to physical products such as mugs, the store also sells physical gift cards, seasonal foods (such as rice dumplings and mooncakes), and their corresponding gift certificates, bringing more quality choices to JD’s customers. A Super Brand Day will kick off on the store’s opening day to help promote sales for the newly opened Starbucks store.

    JD’s consumers are a strong match with Starbucks’ target consumers, and JD’s nationwide logistics network will ensure high efficiency and speed of deliveries for consumers who purchase Starbucks products on JD.

    “JD’s years of experience and good reputation in authentic products, logistics, and after-sales services will also

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks opens its largest coffee store in Thailand

    Starbucks opens its largest coffee store in Thailand

    Starbucks today celebrates 20 years of delivering the Starbucks Experience to customers throughout Thailand with the recently opened Central World store– its largest store in Bangkok. Located on the first floor of CentralWorld, the store features a Starbucks Reserve Bar and, for the first time in Asia, Starbucks® DRAFT beverages infused with nitrogen.

    Starbucks CentralWorld is Thailand’s largest Reserve Bar store composed of Starbucks traditional coffee bar as well as the Starbucks Reserve Bar, which invites customers to deepen their coffee knowledge. Featuring the Black Eagle espresso machine for unique, espresso-forward beverages and various brewing methods such as the Siphon, Chemex, and Pour Over, customers can taste Starbucks Reserve, small-lot coffees for a premium coffee experience specially-crafted by Starbucks Coffee Master partners (employees) whose passion and knowledge of coffee is highlighted by their black aprons.

    Starbucks DRAFT makes its Asia debut in the store on a four-tap system delivering Starbucks Cold Brew and nitrogen-infused Starbucks Cold Brew, tea and milk. This latest beverage innovation draws in customers with its velvety texture cascades from the taps causing a sensory experience to both taste and see. The Starbucks DRAFT counter, found on the first floor of the store, highlights select nitro beverages including Nitro Cold Brew, Nitro Peach Tea, Nitro Green Tea Latte, Nitro Caramel Macchiato and Nitro Flat White.

    “From the success of Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew coffee, we continue to search for beverage innovation to elevate the customer experience. Today, we are pleased to launch Starbucks® DRAFT, an innovative cold beverage offering a rich, creamy texture for each beverage.” says Nednapa Srisamai, managing director of Starbucks Coffee (Thailand) Ltd. “This is a new cold beverage experience not to be missed.”

    This beverage innovation is the first-of-its-kind in Starbucks across Asia further elevating the cold beverage experience. Starbucks® DRAFTis also available today at one location in the U.S.

    As customers enter the space for the first time, their eyes will be drawn to the high, gold ceiling inspired by the natural terraces where coffee is grown, paying homage to the landscapes of coffee-growing terrain. The ceiling begins the coffee journey for customers by inviting them to come in from the outside and move towards the central Starbucks Reserve bar where the aroma of coffee can be enjoyed all around.

    The 760 metre store has more than 230 seats and two large rooms is designed to host community events or small gatherings surrounded by locally-relevant art installations throughout the store. Local artists Rukkit Kuanhawate created a feature piece highlighting the various coffee growing regions through regional wildlife including, the Sumatran Tiger, Kenyan Elephant and Guatemalan Quetzal bird. Similarly, Irin (Ann) Ariyatanap and her team handpainted murals using drawings of coffee botanicals and Thai floral motifs alongside imagery of the Starbucks Reserve coffee silos found exclusively at the Reserve Roasteries.

    Continuing on the coffee journey, customers are delighted upon entering the store with wooden coffee scoops engraved with messages and colorful motifs describing the various parts of the coffee tree. Similarly, the walls of both meeting rooms serve as tribute to the bean-to-cup story through natural hemp woven art, hand painted ceramics and a floor-to-ceiling wood carving.

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks global sales fall despite Chinese boost

    Starbucks global sales fall despite Chinese boost

    Starbucks Corp. slumped in late trading on Tuesday after reporting a sales decline that was deeper than expected and the departure of Chief Operating Officer Roz Brewer.

    Global same-store sales, a key gauge of restaurant success, fell 5% in the fiscal first quarter. That’s worse than the estimated decline of 4.2% compiled by Consensus Metrix. A 5% drop in the U.S. was just ahead of estimates, while a 5% gain in China beat expectations.

    The results show the company is facing an uneven road back following the deep impact of the global pandemic. Despite the continued weakness in many markets, strength in China and overall same-store sales that are better than the previous quarter suggest it’s past the worst.

    Brewer’s exit, however, shows a substantial shakeup is underway in the coffee giant’s C-suite. Starbucks announced earlier this month that Chief Financial Officer Pat Grismer is leaving the company due to retirement. He will be replaced by Rachel Ruggeri, senior vice president of finance for the Americas.

    Brewer is leaving to become chief executive officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.

    In spite of the management changes, Starbucks sees performance turning around quickly from here, and the current quarter’s results will be bolstered by a year-ago comparison with the start of the pandemic when commerce was the most restricted.

    In the second quarter, U.S. same-store sales will grow 5% to 10%, the company said. Comparable sales in China will nearly double, the company said, although the result will be skewed by the pandemic comparison.

    Starbucks reported fewer transactions overall, but customers spent higher amounts, continuing a trend established earlier in the pandemic. Revenue fell 5% from the prior year.

    The U.S. and China are the company’s two largest markets, and together making up 61% of its global portfolio, with 15,340 and 4,863 stores, respectively, it said. Starbucks opened 278 net new stores in the quarter, underscoring how the company is looking to aggressively expand in spite of the global upheaval caused by Covid-19. The company also reported a 15% increase in members to its loyalty program.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks partners with Pokemon Go in Asia

    Starbucks partners with Pokemon Go in Asia

    Pokemon Go is excited to announce that they are partnering with Starbucks and that its stores in select Asia markets are transforming into PokéStops and Gyms in Pokémon GO.

    Adventurous Pokémon GO trainers in Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand can visit nearby Starbucks locations to discover Pokémon, join battles with their Pokémon teams, and pick up their favorite Starbucks treats to enjoy on-the-go. With the health and well-being of customers top of mind, the app’s increased range and additional features for socially-distanced connection will help Pokémon GO and Starbucks fans enjoy the world of Pokémon in more exciting ways.

    “Starbucks and Pokémon GO both represent important gathering spaces for community, both online and offline,” said Erin Silvoy, vp product and marketing, Starbucks Asia Pacific. “Starbucks is excited to offer our customers in Asia more ways to connect with the world of Pokémon GO, and for Pokémon GO trainers to enjoy the premium Starbucks Experience on their adventures.”

    “Niantic’s mission is ‘Adventures on foot with others,’” said Gary Chang, APAC business development lead at Niantic. “In partnership with Starbucks, we can bring our shared values of health and well-being together in this exciting experience for customers and trainers.” Since introducing the world to a new genre of mobile gaming – location-based AR games – Niantic has been working with brick-and-mortar brands like Starbucks across the world to offer customers new experiences focused on movement and exploration.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks opens ‘inclusive’ store staffed by people with disabilities

    Starbucks opens ‘inclusive’ store staffed by people with disabilities

    Today, Starbucks announced the opening of a first-of-its-kind Starbucks store focused on inclusive design in South Korea. Located at Seoul National University Dental Hospital (SNUDH), the store reaffirms Starbucks commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and expands career opportunities for Starbucks partners (employees) with disabilities.

    “Opening a store focused on inclusive design marks an important moment for Starbucks in South Korea and around the world,” said David Song, ceo, Starbucks Coffee Korea. “We are excited to have this opportunity to bring Starbucks Mission and values to life in our community and expand opportunities for our partners to develop their careers at Starbucks. Through our partnerships with organizations like the Korea Employment Promotion Agency for the Disabled (KEPAD), we hope to lead the way for other business in South Korea to create an inclusive environment for all.”

    Starbucks partners in the disability community had raised the concept for such a store as an opportunity for the company to have a positive impact. From the beginning, Starbucks Coffee Korea partners with disabilities guided store development and operational testing to create a welcoming Third Place community for partners and customers alike. The company also partnered with the KEPAD and other advocates in the disability community to consult on store design and training.

    Anyone who is passionate about access and disability inclusion can work at the new store. Half of the staff are partners with disabilities, and hold positions at nearly every level. In partnership with KEPAD, partners all receive customized training and development, including basic expressions in Korean Sign Language.

    The store’s central art piece demonstrates the positive impact that Starbucks partners with disabilities have had on the company and partners’ hopes to make a place where all people can come together over a cup of coffee. Partners from across South Korea, as well as partners based at the store, contributed individual clay pieces arranged to create the word “Together” in English, mounted on a background of upcycled Starbucks coffee grounds.

    “I’m so proud of this new store and the important role it will play in bringing our community together and enhancing the career development journey of Starbucks Korea partners,” said Elena Choi, assistant manager of the new store, and a partner who is hard of hearing. “Creating an inclusive space expands the ability of partners to learn and grow in their role, and we’re so excited to welcome customers to our new store.”

    The store was designed to be a warm and inclusive space for people with a wide range of disabilities, from customers to partners. Partners are equipped with digital tablets to facilitate communication with customers, and the store floor, back room and bar have all been designed with additional space for comfortable wheelchair access—a first-of-its kind for Starbucks globally. At the Starbucks design lab in South Korea, members of the disability community helped test the store’s unique bar to better optimize the space for partners using mobility aids like wheelchairs.

    “The new store represents our enduring commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in every market we serve,” said Sara Trilling, president, Starbucks Asia Pacific. “We understand we are still early in our journey, and will continue to learn and expand our design principles. With feedback from partners, customers and the community, we are constantly reimagining how we build stores to.

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks Korea to join the delivery fray

    Starbucks Korea to join the delivery fray

    Starbucks Korea, the nation’s largest coffee chain, has jumped into the delivery fray, in its attempt to boost annual sales in South Korea to 2 trillion won (US$1.86 billion).

    Expanding aggressively its number of stores here, Starbucks Korea has kept growing its presence with its net profit rising 18.5 percent in 2019 from a year earlier, while sales came in at 1.8 trillion won last year, on the cusp of reaching the 2 trillion won milestone.

    The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has served as a bump in the road, slowing the coffee giant’s bid to grab the coveted 2 trillion won title.

    Industry watchers say Starbucks Korea’s decision to enter the delivery service might be its longer-term preparation for the aftermath of the pandemic, which has wreaked havoc on the food and beverage industry.

    Chairs and tables are moved to a corner at a cafe in Seoul on Nov. 23, 2020, as toughened social distancing rules are to only allow takeout and delivery sales at the place.

    Starbucks Korea plans to open a delivery-only store in Gangnam District, Seoul on Nov. 27 as part of a pilot project, and following analysis into demand, it is likely to open another such store in Gangnam District in the middle of next month.

    The delivery-only store has no space assigned for visiting customers, only coffee making stands and a waiting room for delivery persons known as riders.

    In the meantime, other major coffee brands in Korea such as the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Hollys Coffee, Caffe Pascucci and Ediya Coffee are already operating their own delivery services, so they are likely to keep a keen eye on the possible impact Starbucks Korea’s move might result in.

  • Starbucks to open its first coffee store in Laos

    Starbucks to open its first coffee store in Laos

    Starbucks is to make Laos debut next year with its first store opening in the capital city of Vientiane.

    Laos will become Starbucks’s 17th market in Asia, with the first store scheduled to open in the third quarter of next year.

    Starbucks Laos will be managed by Coffee Concepts (Laos) Limited, part of Maxim’s Caterers Limited, a part-owned subsidiary of Dairy Farm International. Through Coffee Concepts, Starbucks operates more than 800 stores across Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore and Thailand.

    According to Starbucks US, the launch is part of its strategy to expand its network across the region.

    “We’re excited to bring the Starbucks Experience to Laos, which has a rich history of coffee production and thriving coffee culture,” said Michael Conway, executive VP at Starbucks International Licensed Stores.

    Michael Wu, chairman and MD at Maxim’s Caterers, added: “We look forward to continuing to deliver the unique Starbucks Experience to customers in the market to earn the trust and respect known by customers around the world.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks struggles to beat Vietnamese coffee chains

    Starbucks struggles to beat Vietnamese coffee chains

    Despite recording double-digit growth last year, the American coffee chain Starbucks remained in third place in revenues behind two local competitors.

    Its 2019 revenue of VND780 billion ($33.6 million), up 32 percent year-on-year, was behind market leader Highlands Coffee at VND2.2 trillion and The Coffee House at VND863 billion.

    This makes the international coffee shop chain rank third in revenues for the second year in a row after securing second place behind Highlands Coffee in 2017.

    It also stood in the third place in terms of growth rate behind Phuc Long’s 65 percent and Highlands Coffee’s 35 percent. Although Starbucks, the only foreign brand in Vietnam’s top five coffee chains, has been established in the country for seven years, the number of outlets in four localities (60) remains small compared to main competitors. Highlands Coffee has 336 outlets and The Coffee House has over 150.

    The number of outlets is less than one-fifth of its presence in other Southeast Asian markets. Starbucks Thailand has 336 outlets and Starbucks Indonesia more than 320. In terms of gross margin, Starbuck’s rate of 19 percent is smaller than 60-70 percent for Highlands Coffee and The Coffee House and 35 percent for Phuc Long.

    One of the reasons for the lower margin is that Starbucks sources its coffee from the U.S. to ensure the same quality globally, so its costs are higher than those making local procurements.

    The brand, however, is among a few that remain in the market even as several other foreign brands have left, including Australia-headquartered Gloria Jean’s Coffees and Singapore’s New York Dessert Coffee (NYDC).

    Another foreign brand, U.S.-based The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, saw revenues in Vietnam dropping 30 percent year-on-year to VND71 billion last year.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks Singapore opens in heritage building at Katong Square

    Starbucks Singapore opens in heritage building at Katong Square

    Starbucks fans will have a new outlet to traipse to this coming weekend. Located at the Conservation Building of Katong Square, the airy shop is a pleasing palette of muted green and white, complemented by the wood furniture.

    Artworks by local artist Danielle Tay adorn the wall, paying homage to the “rich Peranakan heritage,” according to Starbucks.

    The coffee chain gave customers a peek of the outlet in a Facebook album on Sep. 23.

    While many have expressed their delight at the store’s design, they are also calling for Starbucks to prevent customers from hogging the seat in the post’s comments section.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Previous Starbucks executive taking over as Sephora CEO

    Previous Starbucks executive taking over as Sephora CEO

    LVMH has appointed ex Starbuck executive Martin Brok as president and CEO of Sephora. Brok will start his new role on Monday, succeeding Chris de la Puente. Chris will remain a member of the LVMH executive committee and “take on additional responsibilities at a later date.”

    Under Chris’ leadership, Sephora wholesales have tripled and achieved a strong omnichannel presence, according to the company.

    “The appointment of Martin Brok marks a new era for the company as a period of transformation begins for the beauty retail industry, in particular with the rise of online sales.”

    Brok had worked at Starbucks Corporation as president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa since 2016, after holding general management roles at Nike.

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks China opens first coffee outlet made of containers

    Starbucks China opens first coffee outlet made of containers

    Starbucks has just unveiled a new concept store in China created inside six repurposed shipping containers.

    An identical concept, created by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, first appeared in Taiwan. As the 800th store in Shanghai, the Starbucks container store helped set a new record for the city – it has more Starbucks stores than any other city in the world.

    The cafe is located at Shanghai’s Wisdom Bay Science Innovation Park, on space which was formerly home to warehouses and container storage yards.

    Today, the area has been gentrified, converting abandoned cargo containers into office spaces as well has housed the nation’s first museum of 3D printing.

    Elements of the Silicon Valley-esque structure have also been replicated inside the store to create ‘cultural coffee experiences’, an art gallery and a wall installation art piece created by a 3D printer.

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks expands plant-based range in Asia Pacific

    Starbucks expands plant-based range in Asia Pacific

    Starbucks has rolled out a new plant-based menu in selected Asia-Pacific markets. The brand has added two new seasonal plant-based beverages – Oatmilk Cocoa Macchiato and Almondmilk Hazelnut Latte. The beverage range will be available across eight markets: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

    The new options will remain part of the chain’s core menu in up to seven of these markets when the seasonal promotion ends.

    Starbucks’ new plant-based food options will be sold in five markets: Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. The company says they were created to suit the tastes and preferences of consumers in specific markets.

    They are:
    Hong Kong: Maize Impossible Sandwich, the Spiced Impossible Puff, and vegan chocolate breadstick.
    New Zealand: Mince & Cheese Pie.
    Singapore: Impossible Wrap.
    Taiwan: Beyond Meat Bolognese Penne, the Beyond Meat Sausage Sandwich, and the Beyond Meatball Sandwich.
    Thailand: Beyond Meat Sandwich.

    “As customer demand for plant-based choices increases, Starbucks remains committed to expanding plant-based food and beverage offerings in locally-relevant ways…,” the company said in a statement.

    “This menu expansion is designed to offer our customers the same flavors and handcrafted service they know and love from Starbucks, in a new way,” said Sara Trilling, president at Starbucks Asia Pacific.

    According to Euromonitor, Asia Pacific is the largest market for plant-based milk options as traditions in food culture have been well established.

    Industry manager at Euromonitor said plant-based options are strongly ingrained in Asian culture. Innovation is key to meeting the taste preferences of consumers seeking out new flavors and modern takes on traditional diets.

    Lees ook:

  • Tata Starbucks opens all-women stores

    Tata Starbucks opens all-women stores

    Tata Starbucks has opened two stores in India operated entirely by women as part of the firm’s efforts to address systemic inequities in opportunities for female workers within the country.

    The two female-staff-only stores are located in Delhi and Mumbai, and constitute a step forward in Tata Starbucks’ commitment to expanding the representation of women in the workforce. The program also includes initiatives to offer opportunities to women that take into account the responsibilities of motherhood. The firm offers 100-per-cent gender pay equity and aims to ensure women make up 40 percent of its total workforce by the end of 2022.

    Tata Starbucks says it will double the number of its female-led stores by the end of this year in the interests of empowering and supporting women leaders.

    “Tata Starbucks remains focused on creating and strengthening opportunities for women and fostering diversity across our organization,” said Tata Starbucks CEO Navin Gurnaney.

    “We are proud to open these all-women stores that will increase our commitment to diversity and inclusion in India and empower our female partners in new and meaningful ways.”

  • Starbucks unveils first unmanned self-serve outlet in Thailand’s

    Starbucks unveils first unmanned self-serve outlet in Thailand’s

    Starbucks Thailand has launched its first-ever self-service machine with full customizable capabilities and digitized payment options.

    Located inside Bangkok’s new AIS eSports studio at Samyan Mitrtown mall, the venue aims to serve a boost of caffeine for the gamers, serving beverages 24 hours a day.

    A cup of coffee from the machines is priced from US$1.93 (THB 60) which is less than the price at a staffed branch. The drink is fully customizable via a digital touch screen.

    In five easy steps, a consumer can select their drink, tailor it to their liking and scan the QR code to pay either through Rabbit Line Pay or using a general QR code payment through their native banking app.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: