Starbucks Korea opens its seventh Community Store

Starbucks Korea announced its new Community Store Jeju Sehwa Drive-Thru branch located in Gujwa-eup, Jeju City, on November 6th. A portion of proceeds from the store will be donated to the K-Green Foundation to support the local community and raise greater awareness for sustainable practices.

In February 2023, Starbucks Korea held a contest with the Korea National Council on Social Welfare to identify programs to support through Community Stores. The K-Green Foundation was one of the final nonprofit organizations (NGO) selected by Starbucks partners (employees) and customers. As part of the Community Store program, Starbucks Korea will collaborate with the NGO to carry out eco-friendly programs engaging the local community and creating economic opportunities in Jeju, as well as campaigns encouraging sustainable practices across Korea.

In celebration of the new Community Store dedication, Starbucks Korea signed a partnership agreement with the K-Green Foundation at Starbucks Jeju Sehwa Drive-Thru.  The agreement signing ceremony was attended by Ryan Sohn, CEO of Starbucks Korea, Teayoung Jung, director of the K-Green Foundation, and Starbucks Korea partners.

As part of the agreement, Starbucks Korea will donate up to 100 million KRW (approximately $76,000 USD) annually from a portion of proceeds from the store. The donation will support various eco-friendly activities, including volunteer activities for Starbucks partners and customers, environment-related workshops, upcycling of Starbucks coffee bean packages, and creating more economic opportunities for underserved groups in the local community.

Teayoung Jung, director of the K-Green Foundation, stated, "Starbucks Community Store will not only return benefits to the local community but will also become a space for communicating important issues and a central point for solving local, people, and social problems." He added, “I am especially delighted in K-Green Foundation’s participation in the Starbucks Community Store project with an environmental theme in beautiful Jeju.”

Ryan Sohn, CEO of Starbucks Korea, said, "I hope that the sustainable practices in Jeju will be expanded across Korea through valuable support contributed by our customers at our seventh Community Store. We will continue our efforts to support the communities we serve in meaningful ways through our Community Stores."

Starbucks Korea also plans on carrying out eco-friendly campaigns to raise greater awareness for sustainable practices, such as encouraging reusable cups, creating environmental workshops and more.

Starting with the opening of the first Community Store, Daehakro branch in 2014, Starbucks Korea has introduced Community Stores at its Seongsu Station branch (2020), Seoul National University Dental Hospital branch (2021), Juksun branch (2022), Kyungdong 1960 branch (2022), and Dongnimmun Station branch (2023), engaging in social impact programs for mutual growth with local communities.

Based on these activities, the cumulative donations to partner organizations through Community Stores from 2014 to the present amount to 3.3 billion KRW (approximately $2.5 million USD).

Following the agreement signing ceremony, Starbucks Korea partners and the K-Green Foundation conducted the first eco-friendly activity of the new Community Store at Sehwa Beach.