Starbucks says it plans to enter probably its most intimidating market yet: Italy.
Memory
www.diecastingpartsupplier.com
2016-03-07 10:12:11
Starbucks says it plans to enter probably its mostintimidating market yet: Italy.
The coffee chain said last Sunday that the firstStarbucks will open in Milan in early 2017, inpartnership with Italian developer Percassi.
It's a symbolic move for the 45-year-old companyand its CEO, Howard Schultz. On a business trip in the 1980s, Schultz visited Milan and Veronaand decided to bring espresso drinks to the U.S. The concept took off, and Starbucks becamethe beverage giant it is today.
Starbucks already has a presence in Europe, but it has not been as successful there as inother markets. The company entered the U.K. in 1998 and there are now about 2,400 stores inEurope, the Middle East and Africa, making up about 10 percent of stores globally.
Italy is expected to prove a challenge. Coffee is a deep part of the culture, with myriad localshops competing to sell espresso and cappuccinos. Most shops operate as places whereItalians can get a quick espresso and go about their way, in contrast to Starbucks' storeswhich are designed for customers to sit and work or talk with friends.
Starbucks alluded to the challenge the company is expected to face, saying it was enteringItaly "with humility and respect."
"We know that we are going to face a unique challenge with the opening of the first Starbucksstore in Italy," said Percassi President Antonio Percassi, in a prepared statement.