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For more than fifty years, Starbucks has been dedicated to nurturing the limitless possibilities of human connection over coffee.&nbsp;Our approach has helped Starbucks grow from one tiny store along a cobblestone street in Seattle to more than 37,000 stores operating in 86 markets today.

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These days, Starbucks has over 100 million customer occasions each week. To do that, we have made prudent investments to support our growth. We are proud our early investments in digital innovation have helped us provide customers with new ways enjoy novel Starbucks experiences around the globe. In a recent 90-day period, 75 million Starbucks Rewards customers actively engaged with the brand digitally across the globe, including 20 million in China.

Starbucks is investing for the long-term in China, and by 2025, Starbucks will have expanded to have 9,000 stores in that market. To support our growth, we are revamping our approach to digital innovation by investing in our infrastructure. As first announced in 2022, Starbucks is establishing an Innovation and Tech Center (SITC) in Shenzhen. Today, we announced the center will open this September, and will accelerate the digitization of Starbucks retail operations and omni-channel business in China by leveraging the power of data analytics, modeling and decision-making to drive operational excellence and create new experiences centered around people and coffee.

As Starbucks retail innovation hub in China, the SITC will provide an exciting platform for brewing human-centric innovations that reimagine Starbucks retail landscape and customer experience in China. It will focus on:

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This marks just the latest of Starbucks investments to fuel its long-term growth in China and be at the forefront of that market’s dynamic and fast evolving retail landscape. Come this fall, the company will be opening the Starbucks China Coffee Innovation Park, another landmark investment that will feature a smart integrated distribution center and other infrastructure designed to unleash our growth in China, positioning us to open multiple stores per day as we track towards our 2025 goal.

Starbucks Enhances Innovation to Support Growth in China : Starbucks Stories Asia

Starbucks Stories Asia

Starbucks Enhances Innovation to Support Growth in China

For more than fifty years, Starbucks has been dedicated to nurturing the limitless possibilities of human connection over coffee.&nbsp;Our approach has helped Starbucks grow from one tiny store along a cobblestone street in Seattle to more than 37,000 stores operating in 86 markets today. These days, Starbucks has over 100 million customer occasions each week. […]

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https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2023/starbucks-enhances-innovation-to-support-growth-in-china/

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The trip to Shanghai and Beijing was Narasimhan’s first visit outside of North America since he became chief executive officer of Starbucks on March 20.

Laxman Narasimhan (纳思瀚), chief executive officer of Starbucks, has lived all around the world, held key leadership roles at a number of major companies and speaks six languages. But on his recent trip to China, Starbucks second largest market after the United States, he was there to learn.

“I have so much to learn from all of you,” he told the hundreds of Starbucks partners gathered during an open forum. “... Thank you for welcoming me into your house.”

During his first trip outside of North America since becoming ceo, he visited a number of stores across a variety of formats in Beijing and Shanghai, the Starbucks <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2020/starbucks-unveils-bold-vision-for-china-coffee-innovation-park/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">China Coffee Innovation Park</a>, slated to open later this year, and more.&nbsp;Each store and location offered a window into the unique Starbucks Experience of partners and customers in China. The visit comes less than a month after Howard Schultz, Starbucks founder and chairman emeritus, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2023/photo-essay-starbucks-china-partners-visit-with-howard-schultz-chairman-emeritus/">visited partners in Beijing</a>, where he opened the first Starbucks in China in 1999. Schultz’s bold vision for the China business is legendary, as is his enduring love for partners in Starbucks second largest global market. It's a passion now shared by Narasimhan.

“I come with a great deal of respect,” Narasimhan told partners. “... And it’s amazing to see what you have done with coffee culture – the love you have for coffee and how we try and radiate that love to all the people around is amazing.&nbsp;(During my visit), I got to see the partners, the passion, the love for the company, the love for what you do.”

Over nearly 25 years, Starbucks has grown from one store in China to more than 6,200 across over 240 cities today and, on average, opens a new store about every nine hours, a feat Narasimhan attributes to Belinda Wong, chairwoman and chief executive officer of Starbucks China, and the strong all-Chinese leadership team. Wong, who has been with Starbucks for more than 20 of those years, is known not just for her business savvy – she regularly appears on lists of the most powerful businesswomen by Forbes and in Fortune – but also her passion for partners and communities.

Since January, before taking the helm as ceo, Narasimhan has been meeting virtually with Wong and members of the China Leadership Team each week so he could better understand the business.

“To Belinda and the China leadership team, I thank you,” he said, acknowledging their critical role that has made Starbucks a premiere brand in China through creating remarkable store experiences for customers, nurturing strong relationships with stakeholders and contributing to the specialty coffee industry. At the foundation of the company’s success is the leadership team’s commitment to caring for the 60,000 partners in China, with unprecedented investments such as critical illness insurance that covers not just Starbucks partners in China, but also their parents.

“I know what you and our China partners have been through over the last three years,” he told Wong and the leadership team. “… Thank you for keeping the faith. Thank you for remaining courageous. And thank you for continuing to build Starbucks China during that very difficult period. I deeply and personally thank all of you.”

Narasimhan stressed the company’s long-term commitment to China. “We have been here for 24 years. We want to be here for the next 25 and the next hundred beyond that. … I want you to know that that this is a long-term vision for us,” he said. “We have limitless possibilities in China – limitless.”

Limitless human connection

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One of Starbucks priorities is to become truly global, Narasimhan said. Another is to drive innovation, which is something that China is at the forefront of doing – not only with the products that are sold but in building bridges that connect people, whether that’s at a popup store in Beijing (top photo) or creating an environment that inspires, such as the Starbucks heritage culture gallery store in Beijing where a regular customer often sketches and paints (bottom photo). “We’re in the business of human connections and the opportunities are truly limitless,” he said.

Sometimes the connections are not only limited to humans. Narasimhan also visited one of the pet-friendly stores in China (second row, far right), pioneered by Wong, which feature special menu items and seating areas where owners and their pets can be together.

Gathering together, honoring the past and future

Starbucks now has more than 6,200 stores in more than 240 cities across the Chinese mainland – but it all started with the first store in Beijing that opened nearly 25 years ago, a place Narasimhan visited during his trip (second row, left). “This is the place where Starbucks started and from where Starbucks has grown.”

He also visited the Xitieying Wanda signing store in Beijing, where partners led a coffee tasting with Narasimhan, which was conducted in sign language. They taught him to make a heart shape with his thumb and index fingers. The store is one of a dozen in China so far and embodies Starbucks promise that, when it’s at its best, the company is building bridges to a better future for partners who proudly wear the green apron.

“You mean a lot to Starbucks. You mean a lot to me,” he told partners at one of the open forums (top photo).

In each of the stores he visited, he made a point to greet every partner. Narsimhan is a fully trained barista himself who works in stores a half-day each month to stay close to the realities of working in a retail store. One of those he met was Ricky Gu, store manager at the Shanghai Jiayuting store.

“It’s great that we finally get to meet him in person,” said Gu. “After listening to his story, I can feel his identification with Starbucks culture and values. He is a great listener who remembers all our names and stories. Having such a leader gives me a lot of confidence in Starbucks future.”

After each event, partners flocked to the China Partner App to share their stories of meeting the new ceo:

“Laxman came and gave fist bumps to all our partners in the store. Every day at Starbucks is so warm and happy!” — Shawn Xiao, barista in Beijing Fun store

“I was proud to host Laxman at our first store in China. Laxman gave us a lot of love, warmth and confidence. We are more motivated than ever to work shoulder to shoulder to achieve a brighter future.” — Kelvin Zhang, shift supervisor, Beijing China World Mall 4 store

“Laxman was very warm and approachable. We took photos together, shouting out ‘we are family!’” — Jennie Zhu, store manager, Shanghai Bingo Plaza store

“Laxman highlighted the importance of focusing on store partners. He gave us a sense of warmth and belonging. The future is full of limitless opportunities because we have each other.” — Joy Gou, Shift Supervisor, Walmart North Linyi Road store, Shanghai

During Partner Open Forums held in Beijing and Shanghai, Narasimhan spoke to partners, sharing his vision and hopes for the future, enjoyed coffee tastings led by partners and answered questions from them including how many cups of coffee he drinks a day (seven, he said, “but then I didn’t sleep so now I’m at four”) and what his favorite coffee beverage is (Doppio macchiato, which reminds him of the coffee he grew up with in South India).

When a partner asked him if he has a motto that has guided him during his life, he said he does. “My motto is ‘Be yourself.’ Because when you be yourself, and you operate in an environment, where you create the license for people to look up and speak and be themselves, magic happens. So thank you for letting me be me. And thank you for being you. And together, we can make magic.”

“We feel so much closer to Laks after his China visit,” said Raymond Zhang, Shanghai Support Center partner. “We hope it has given him a vivid, firsthand experience of the rapid changes and development in China over the years. And we hope he will visit his Starbucks China family more often in the future.”

“We are at our best when we give more than we take from the environment,” said Narasimhan. During his visit, he stopped by several Greener Stores, including the first Greener Store in China, located in Shanghai. The Greener Stores in China are among the 3,500 around the world designed to meet specific standards across environmental impact areas.

At one store, partners presented him with an apron they’d designed for him to commemorate his visit, which included a drawing of him.

Listening and learning at the Starbucks Support Center in Shanghai

At the Starbucks Support Center in Shanghai, Narasimhan met with partners to ask questions, listen, learn and immerse more deeply into the China business. He visited each team, from coffee and marketing to R&amp;D to store development, technology, finance, human resources and more to see how cross functional collaboration comes to life in China.

He said that one of the most important things he’s learned in life is that “you have to be humble. You've got to be humble about the fact that you don't know everything. You have to be able to ask questions, you’ve got to be yourself. But the real thing here is you've just got to continuously learn.”

Meeting customers where they are at

Starbucks commitment to connection isn’t limited to inside the stores. In China, Starbucks offers an innovative new curbside pickup service (top photo) delivery (second row, left), and a range of packaged coffee and ready-to-drink beverages at grocery stores (second row, right) to meet customers wherever they are at.&nbsp;

Even just a moment is an opportunity, Narasimhan said. “You see it in their eyes, when you hand the cup off to them, you know, we are in the business of human connection. So, when you hand that cup over, and you say their name ... what you realize is you've made a connection, you have made a change, you have uplifted their every day.”

Narasimhan also visited the China Coffee Innovation Park, which will open this fall in in Kunshan, about an hour from Shanghai. Starbucks has invested more than $150 million to construct the innovation park, Starbucks largest manufacturing investment outside of the U.S. and its first in Asia. It will feature one of the first sustainable roasting plants in Starbucks global network, smart supply chain operations enabled by state-of-the-art technologies, and an immersive Experience Center that will showcase sustainable practices across the “Bean to Cup” coffee journey to all visitors.

Leaning into the joy of human connection

“We need to have some fun, because this is a fun business,” said Narasimhan, shown with Wong, during a visit to a Starbucks Reserve® store in Shanghai (top photo). “... We believe in joy, we believe in belonging, we believe in care.”

Narasimhan told partners that sharing ourselves and our stories connects us as people. “It's your stories that enliven the fabric that make up this company -- that enlivens the green apron that all of us wear. At the end of the day, with every cup, with every conversation, with every community, what you can do is you can nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection.”

The trip to Shanghai and Beijing was Narasimhan’s first visit outside of North America since he became chief executive officer of Starbucks on March 20.

Starbucks ceo Laxman Narasimhan visits partners in China

https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2023/starbucks-ceo-laxman-narasimhan-visits-partners-in-china/

For the first time since 2019, 15 Starbucks barista competitors from across Asia Pacific, including China and Japan, came together in person in Bali, Indonesia, the home of <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2019/starbucks-opens-one-of-a-kind-coffee-sanctuary-in-bali-indonesia/">Starbucks Reserve Dewata Coffee Sanctuary</a> and <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2022/coffee-experience-center-at-starbucks-dewata/">Coffee Experience Center</a>.

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The Regional Barista Championships showcase barista skill and craft, providing an opportunity to create moments of connection and storytelling over coffee, and celebrate the limitless possibilities for human connection that Starbucks baristas create every day in the communities they serve.

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Anchored in the dedication to celebrating our partners’ love for coffee, the competition has evolved year-on-year, with a pivot to a virtual format during the pandemic. Now, through a combined multi-channel approach that offers the best of in-person and virtual connections, Starbucks is bringing this much-loved event to partners and customers around the world.

Three finalists competed in the Grand Final with Allen, a shift supervisor from Starbucks Taiwan market, taking home the coveted title of Regional Barista Champion 2023.

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Allen, the competitor from Taiwan, serves a pour over during the final round of competition.

Coffee craft and passion take center stage at Asia Pacific Regional Barista Championships 2023 in Bali, Indonesia : Starbucks Stories Asia

Coffee craft and passion take center stage at Asia Pacific Regional Barista Championships 2023 in Bali, Indonesia

After months of market competition, the best Starbucks baristas in Asia came together in Bali, Indonesia.

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In partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Starbucks China pledges to replenish at least 1.5 million tons of water annually to Qiandao Lake, beginning 2030

On World Water Day, Starbucks announced plans to become the first coffee retailer in China to pilot a water replenishment project to give back water used in operations. In partnership with global conservation organization The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Qiaodao Lake Water Replenishment Project will improve water quality in the local ecosystem by focusing on sustainable agriculture and wetlands restoration, replenishing at least 1.5 million tons<a href="#_ftn1" id="_ftnref1">[1]</a> of water a year by 2030, equivalent to about 600 Olympic sized swimming pools, enough to meet the annual water consumption needs of more than 23,000 people<a href="#_ftn2" id="_ftnref2">[2]</a>.

“As a coffee company, water is essential to Starbucks agricultural supply chain and store operations. We are committed to doing our part to protect China’s precious water resources. Working together with like-minded partners, our vision is to develop water replenishment into a viable solution, and inspire more parties to adapt it to other critical water basins across China,” said Julia Zhu, vice president, government affairs and social impact, Starbucks China.&nbsp;

“We are delighted to partner with Starbucks to pilot the Qiaodao Lake Water Replenishment Project. Water replenishment is an innovative concept that holds huge potential for complementing existing water conservation efforts and contributing to advancing sustainable economic and environmental development in China,” said Xu Jin, Director of Corporate Engagement, TNC China.

Water replenishment is a nature-based solution where companies ‘give back’ the amount of water used in operations by protecting surface water against human pollution, allowing water from rain, storms and rivers to naturally ‘replenish’ the local ecosystem.&nbsp;

The largest manmade freshwater lake in the Yangtze River Delta, Qiandao Lake is a vital water resource supplying potable water to 10 million residents in Hangzhou, Jiaxing and other neighboring areas in Zhejiang province. Traditional agriculture practices around the lake have led to increased soil erosion. Fertilizers and pesticides used also threaten the local water quality.

The Qiandao Lake Water Replenishment Project seeks to improve water quality through strengthening land management around the water source, while enhancing agricultural productivity. The project will work with farmers, providing toolkits around sustainable agricultural practices for three commonly cultivated crops in the area – pecans, tea and citrus – to help local farmers reduce soil erosion and surface runoff, while improving yield. With the support of academia and leading wetlands restoration experts, plans are also being created to restore two hectares of wetlands, equivalent to three standard size football fields. Restored wetlands will not only naturally filter off pollutants, but also comes with the additional benefit of enhancing local biodiversity.

The Qiaodao Lake Water Replenishment project marks Starbucks latest effort to reduce its water footprint to become a resource positive company. Globally, by 2030, the company is set to reduce and replenish water across its operations, packaging and agriculture supply chain by 50 percent, prioritizing action in some of the highest risk basins around the world. Come next month, Starbucks partners (employees) across the market will volunteer in water conservation activities as part of the company’s annual Global Month of Good program to serve local communities.

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<a href="#_ftnref1" id="_ftn1">[1]</a> Estimated based on 2022 pilot program by third party certification provider LimnoTech

<a href="#_ftnref2" id="_ftn2">[2]</a> China Water Resources Bulletin 2021, Ministry of Water Resources, People’s Republic of China

Starbucks Becomes First Coffee Retailer in China to Invest in Replacing Water Used in Stores : Starbucks Stories Asia

Starbucks Becomes First Coffee Retailer in China to Invest in Replacing Water Used in Stores

On World Water Day, Starbucks announced plans in China to replenish at least 1.5 million tons of water annually to Qiandao Lake.

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Brand new retail channel for customers traveling by car to enjoy their Starbucks Experience “on the road,” starting at select locations in Beijing and Shanghai

Service to be rolled out to over 1,000 stores across China over the next year

Starbucks today announced the launch of a brand new retail channel in China – Starbucks Curbside – created in partnership with Amap, a leading provider of digital map content, navigation, and location-based solutions in the market. Featuring human-centered design that translates the unique Starbucks Experience for customers on the road, the innovative service offers customers in Beijing and Shanghai a customized and hassle-free way of enjoying their coffee routines amid rush hour traffic.

Starbucks Curbside leverages real-time route planning and positional tracking technologies to deliver the convenience of a drive-thru with minute precision. The technologies not only estimate customers’ arrival times at designated pick up points, but also automatically calculate the right time for Starbucks partners (employees) to craft and deliver the beverages. All customers have to do upon arrival at the designated pick up point is to roll down their car window to pick up their orders, without having to step out of their cars, thus enjoying the convenience of a drive-thru, minus the wait.

Inspired by customer insights and designed with their needs in mind, Starbucks Curbside was made possible through the ingenious combination of Starbucks extensive store network and strong operational muscle, with Amap’s precise route planning and time estimation technologies. A groundbreaking extension of the Starbucks third place from “in-store” and “at home” to “on the road,” the service is now available in 150 stores in Beijing and Shanghai, with plans to roll out to over 1,000 stores across China over the next year.

“Designed to help customers navigate the hustle and bustle of urban lifestyles in China, Starbucks Curbside exemplifies our relentless pursuit of innovation in service of our customers. We have created a revolutionary new retail channel, offering customers elevated convenience enabled by Amap’s precise geographical positioning and time estimation technologies,” said Judy Zhang, vice president of digital ventures, Starbucks China. “On arrival, customers only have to roll down their car windows to receive their favorite handcrafted Starbucks coffee on time and with the same quality, along with a warm greeting by our waiting Starbucks partner, just as if they were enjoying it in-store.” 

Before the journey starts, customers can key in their destination on Amap, click on the Starbucks Curbside icon and place their order at a Starbucks store along the route. A customized backend system will constantly update customers’ arrival times to the store in real time. It also automatically calculates the right times for partners to craft the beverages, and deliver to a designated pick up point, so that customers receive their beverages freshly brewed upon arrival with virtually no time wasted. Meanwhile, customers can also receive real time voice messages during their journey, updating them on the preparation status of their orders. The service has been launched in 100 stores in Beijing, covering most of the city, and is also being piloted in nearly 50 stores in Shanghai.

Since opening its first store in the Chinese mainland more than 20 years ago, Starbucks now operates <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2022/starbucks-opens-6000th-store-in-china/">more than 6,000 stores</a> in the market, with close to 60,000 partners who proudly wear the green apron. Starbucks China is one of Starbucks largest and fastest growing international markets, and continues to <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2022/starbucks-pioneers-innovations-bridging-physical-and-digital-experiences/">drive innovations</a> that integrate and elevate physical and digital customer experience.

Starbucks Partners with Amap to Pioneer Curbside Service in China : Starbucks Stories Asia

Starbucks Partners with Amap to Pioneer Curbside Service in China

New retail channel for customers traveling by car to enjoy their Starbucks Experience “on the road,” starting at select locations in Beijing and Shanghai.

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https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2023/starbucks-china-curbside/

Store marks Starbucks 1,000th in Shanghai, the first city in the world to reach the milestone

Greener Store features leading sustainability solutions and digitalized operations

Pays tribute to Shanghai by innovating Starbucks first city themed handcrafted coffee creation in China

Starbucks today celebrated its 6,000th store in the Chinese mainland, which opens on September 30 at Shanghai Lippo Plaza, where the company opened its first store in Shanghai more than 20 years ago. The new store marks Starbucks 1,000th in Shanghai – making it the first city in the world to pass the milestone. The latest addition to Starbucks growing portfolio of “Greener Stores” also features leading sustainability solutions and digitalized operations. To commemorate the milestone, Starbucks is launching “Shanghai Coffee” in Crema Ristretto style – its first city-themed handcrafted coffee creation in China as a tribute to the city and its coffee lovers.

“As Starbucks celebrates our 6,000th store in China, we are deeply humbled to return where we opened our first store in Shanghai,” said Leo Tsoi, chief executive officer, Starbucks China. “It has been a privilege to share our love for coffee with local customers, and contribute to the development of China’s coffee culture and its specialty coffee industry over the past two decades. We treasure the strong connections we have built, and will never stop innovating new coffee products and experiences to delight our customers and earn their support every day.”

Since entering the Chinese mainland market, Starbucks has become known as a place for connection, familiarity and joy, interwoven into Chinese consumers’ daily lifestyles from social gatherings with friends and family, to casual business meetings and more. It continues to innovate and scale creative store concepts to serve customers and communities, such as Signing Stores that provide employment opportunities for Deaf and hard of hearing partners (employees), Heritage Culture Gallery Stores that bring heritage culture closer to Chinese consumers, and a co-working space concept store providing flexible, on-demand co-working spaces for mobile professionals.

Shanghai Lippo Plaza Store

The new Shanghai Lippo Plaza Store bears testament to the continuous evolution of Starbucks stores in China’s dynamic consumer landscape. It features a clean and streamlined design, brought to life with minimalist style furniture and casework made using recycled straw material. Old green aprons donned by Starbucks partners were upcycled to create the store’s signature artwork – an iconic Starbucks siren with intricate design details that relay important milestones in Starbucks journey in China. From the store’s mall entrance, customers are greeted by a mug wall made up of a vast collection of Starbucks signature city mugs launched over the years.

Beyond its contemporary design, the evolution of Starbucks stores is also reflected in the Shanghai Lippo Plaza Store’s back-of-house operations, where investments in digital technologies have enhanced the partner experience and elevated store efficiency to a whole new level. The use of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and automation tools have dramatically simplified routine stocktaking tasks, enabling partners to focus on coffee craft and customer connection. Big data and machine learning algorithms have also been deployed to optimize inventory ordering and labor scheduling. These technologies have been scaled to all stores in operation market-wide, as the company continues to advance its digital transformation agenda.

The Shanghai Lippo Plaza Store is also the latest of Starbucks growing portfolio of Greener Stores in China. From design to construction and operations, it incorporates sustainability solutions to achieve reductions in carbon, water and waste. Among its features, the store uses smart, energy efficient solutions for air conditioning, lighting, water usage and daily energy consumption. Green aprons donned by store partners are made from recycled Starbucks cups using advanced plastic-to-textile technologies. Customers are invited to join Starbucks on its journey towards reusables by bringing their own cups or choosing a Grande-sized reusable cup when ordering beverages for on-the-go consumption.

Shanghai Coffee in Crema Ristretto style

Alongside the planned opening of the Shanghai Lippo Plaza Store, Starbucks has also specially created a signature handcrafted coffee beverage for coffee lovers in Shanghai – Shanghai Coffee in Crema Ristretto style. As the official coffee industry partner for Shanghai’s city image promotion, and in partnership with IP SHANGHAI, Starbucks is launching the beverage on September 28 across all Starbucks stores in the city.&nbsp;

Shanghai Coffee in Crema Ristretto style is inspired by nostalgic Shanghainese childhood flavors given a distinctive Starbucks spin. It is a delicious creation made with malt, cream and smoky Starbucks ristretto espresso, infused with butter scotch flavored syrup offering layers of flavors and aromas. The first sip offers the comforting taste of Shanghai’s very own beloved malt powder, followed by the smooth taste of cold foam infused with the sweet, delicate flavor of butterscotch - a western-style candy loved by Shanghainese. Finally, coffee lovers may immerse in the bright acidity and caramelly depth of the ristretto espresso, to enjoy the artful intertwining of robust coffee flavors with a light and sweet milky aroma. 

As Starbucks celebrates its latest milestone, the company is still in the early chapters of its China growth story. In this next era of accelerated growth at Starbucks, the company expects to operate 9,000 stores across 300 cities in China by 2025, opening one new store nearly every nine hours in China for the next three years. It will also accelerate the rollout of Starbucks Greener Stores framework in China with a plan to operate 2,500 Greener Stores by FY2025.

Starbucks Opens its 6,000th Store in China : Starbucks Stories Asia

Starbucks Opens its 6,000th Store in China

Starbucks announces its 6,000th store in the Chinese mainland.

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Book private experiences with “1971 Salon”, available exclusively on Meituan platforms

Order through an expanded Starbucks Delivers program with added customization features

Explore 5,000+ local stores in a digital third place environment with &nbsp;‘Super Store’ pages powered by Meituan

Starbucks China today unveiled three new and expanded services that allow customers to seamlessly connect with their local stores as well as curate an individual Starbucks Experience both online and offline. Partnering with leading e-commerce platform for services, Meituan, the first of these services include the “1971 Salon”, which is exclusive to the platform, offering private bookings for coffee experiences at Starbucks stores. In addition, the company has expanded its Starbucks Delivers program with more order customization features and established new ‘Super Store’ virtual pages where customers can explore local community events and order directly from Starbucks stores across the Chinese mainland.

“Technological advancements in the pandemic era have blurred the boundaries between home, work, and the third place. This has inspired us to explore how we can transform a Starbucks store into a ‘1971 Salon’ that offers customers novel ways of experiencing the Starbucks brand that they love and are familiar with, as we unlock new occasions to surprise and delight our customers,” said Leo Tsoi, chief executive officer of Starbucks China.

Book private curated experiences at your local Starbucks

Inspired by the unique role Starbucks stores have played as gathering places for over 50 years, the 1971 Salon service offers customers the option to reserve areas in select stores for private events, or register for uniquely-curated experiences organized by their local store. More than 60 stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu now offer this service, with plans to expand across the market.

Today, customers can book an immersive coffee workshop with friends and family, where they will learn about their coffee’s bean-to-cup journey and practice the art of coffee craft with Starbucks regional coffee masters. Private spaces can also be reserved for business meetings or social gatherings, with options to order an array of food and beverages, and hosted coffee tasting sessions. Starbucks will continue to update offerings with features such as coffee classes, birthday parties, pet parties, sign language lessons and other store activities tailored to local communities.

Order from an expanding and elevated Starbucks Delivers menu

Customers can now access Starbucks Delivers, the company’s mobile order and delivery service, on Meituan platforms market-wide, where&nbsp; Starbucks Rewards members can enjoy the same benefits as using the Starbucks China app. Expanded features include added beverage customizations that more closely replicate in-store ordering, all-new ‘smart’ technology that automatically reallocates orders to another store if a product is sold out at one store but available at a nearby store, and the delivery debut of Starbucks Reserve in China.

Explore your local store and community events in a digital third place

Starbucks stores are places to build community, and Starbucks is expanding these connections to the digital realm leveraging Meituan’s pioneering ‘Super Store’ feature. By end 2022, each of Starbucks 5,000+ company-operated stores in China will have a unique page on Meituan platforms, where customers can access Starbucks Delivers and Starbucks Now services to order food and beverages online, use the 1971 Salon booking service, and check local events on a digital community board. Store partners can customize each page with exclusive store tags, photos, video clips and other content that vividly showcase the distinctive design and character of each store and its baristas.

Starbucks will continue evolving the digital Starbucks Experience for customers in China through its ongoing partnerships, to elevate and deepen the brand’s connection with customers.

Starbucks entered the Chinese mainland with the opening of its first store in Beijing in January 1999. Over the years, Starbucks has successfully expanded operations to more than 5,000 stores, employing more than 66,000 partners in 208 cities. China is Starbucks single largest market outside of the United States. During its<a href="https://news.starbucks.com/press-releases/starbucks-china-investor-conference"> first-ever China Investor Conference</a> in May 2018, the company announced plans to expand store count to 6,000 stores across 230 cities in the Chinese mainland by the end of FY22.

Starbucks Pioneers Innovations Bridging Physical and Digital Experiences : Starbucks Stories Asia

Starbucks Pioneers Innovations Bridging Physical and Digital Experiences

Today, Starbucks announces an new innovations for the third place experience in China.

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As Starbucks celebrates its 50th Anniversary, the company is expanding its Greener Store Framework to help reduce its environmental impact and leverage its scale for good to accelerate the global movement towards a more sustainable future. Starbucks is opening its first Greener Store outside of North America in Shanghai, China with a focus on circularity. The Shanghai Greener Store has been designed and built to reduce waste, repurpose goods and serve as a platform for future innovation.

Design &amp; Construction - Creating an environmentally-conscious&nbsp;third place:

Daily Operations – Promoting responsible living through a cup of coffee:

Customer Experience – Making sustainability part of everyday lifestyles:

Design &amp; Construction - Creating an environmentally-conscious third place

The Shanghai Greener Store uses recycled materials and industry-first responsible materials, achieving a balance between functional use, spatial aesthetics and circularity.

Wood reclaimed from the renovation of the Beijing Sanlitun Taikooli Flagship store were used to craft the countertop of the Experience Bar, steps of the” stadium seating,” as well as door handles, giving material that would have otherwise gone into landfills a new lease of life.

Wood recovered from stores in Shanghai was used to make table tops, while table bases are made from recycled materials combined with recycled red bricks reclaimed from stores.

The Greener Store also features a Modular Bar and Back-Of-House system constructed to enable reuse and recycling. Made of modules for different functions, the modular design allows the store to quickly adjust the bar layout, by adding, removing, or replacing bar modules to achieve different functional combinations such as ordering, beverage production, food display, and more.

The customized setup enhances efficiency while envisioning a future-forward construction that can enable full reuse, avoiding landfill waste. Modules can be easily dismantled and reassembled in different configurations in case of future renovations or remodeling. At the ‘end of life’, modules that meet reuse standards can be refurbished and used again, hence reducing waste. &nbsp;

The store also provides a more convenient environment for Starbucks partners (employees), featuring a back-of-house wall system that connects the bar and storage space. It facilitates front-flow of materials such as ice and cups and the back-flow of waste. This reduces the number of trips partners have to make between the bar and storage area, improving operational efficiency and enabling partners to focus on connections with customers.

In addition, the store utilizes Internet of Things (IoT) and smart technologies. Air conditioners can be switched on and off automatically according to the store’s operating hours, and the lighting can be automatically adjusted to different preset modes for different times of the day. Through these technologies, the store is expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 15 percent, compared to a regular Starbucks store of the same size (2019 baseline scenario).

The art installations in the store are inspired by Hacienda Alsacia, Starbucks coffee farm in Costa Rica. Referencing the region’s topographic map as the outline, the designer used colors from the ‘bean cards’ of coffees from Starbucks top 10 coffee producing regions. The colors bring a lighter touch to the rugged mountains and terrain contours, while also highlighting Starbucks appreciation for nature. Artworks are displayed in different areas of the store and are grouped according to the three largest coffee producing regions – Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Daily Operations – Promoting responsible living through a cup of coffee

Advanced plastic-to-textile technologies are used to transform Starbucks PET cups into the iconic Starbucks green apron donned by store partners. The cups undergo deep cleaning and processing to become recycled PET fragments, which are then made into polyester chips, yarns, and fabrics, before becoming a Starbucks apron.

This recycling initiative not only helps to minimize white pollution caused by PET beverage bottles, but also reduces energy and resource consumption compared to the traditional textile industry. Each apron achieves approximately one kilogram of carbon reduction in its lifecycle.

The store will be introducing “Sustainable Coffee Classrooms” hosted by coffee masters selected from across the market. In addition to coffee knowledge and culture, customers can learn about different sustainability practices adopted by Starbucks throughout the entire coffee supply chain.

The store not only showcases the “bean to cup” journey, but also inspires people to rethink the endless possibilities of the coffee lifecycle. The store is the first in the market to recycle its coffee grounds for use as fertilizer. After composting, they can be used in suburban farms and shopping mall gardens. Customers can also take coffee grounds back home for free.

Customer Experience – Making sustainability part of everyday lifestyles

The Shanghai Greener Store is the first Starbucks store globally to host sustainability-themed exhibitions, where artists will be invited to give coffee grounds and other materials a new lease of life. Called the “Circular Lifestyle Lab,” the exhibition features sustainability-themed art installations made from recycled materials.

Kicking off the initiative is a collaboration with Tongji University’s College of Design and Innovation on an exhibition titled, “Organic Prosperity,” featuring art installations created through the imaginative use of coffee grounds and other retail waste materials. Customers can also sign up for related talks and workshops.

Customers are encouraged to bring their own tumblers and cutlery to the store. Those without their own cups or tumblers can still do their part to reduce single-use cups by purchasing a Grande-sized reusable cup for just 15 RMB when ordering beverages for on-the-go consumption. Consistent with other stores in the market, the store will provide coffee grounds straws and cutlery made of biodegradable materials, while encouraging customers to bring their own reusable cup or tumblers for 4 RMB discount.

Customers may also enjoy a scrumptious variety of plant-based food and beverage offerings. Over half of the store menu will be plant-based, including the debut of 15 new food items and two new limited-time offer beverages, while oatmilk will be used as the default option for most beverages. A range of plant-based bakery, wraps, sandwiches, salads, cakes and pastries will be available to satisfy customers’ craving at any time of the day.

From design and construction, to daily store operations and customer experience, the Shanghai Greener Store not only serves as a re-imagined third place, but also demonstrate Starbucks partners’ commitment to a sustainable future. Let us work together towards our shared aspiration.

Inside Starbucks first Greener Store in China : Starbucks Stories Asia

Inside Starbucks first Greener Store in China

Starbucks is opening its first Greener Store outside of North America in Shanghai, China with a focus on circularity.

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The Shanghai Greener Store located in Qiantan Taikooli is the first Starbucks store certified under the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/starbucks-greener-stores-accelerate-global-movement-towards-a-more-sustainable-future/">Greener Stores Framework</a> to open outside North America. Starbucks has more than 2,300 Greener Stores in the U.S. and Canada and will begin using the framework outside of North America to achieve its goal of building and retrofitting 10,000 Greener Stores globally by 2025. The Shanghai Greener Store has been designed and built to reduce waste, repurpose goods and serve as a platform for future innovation. Here are 10 ways this store uniquely celebrates Starbucks Planet Positive commitments.

1. Explore the lifecycle of a coffee bean

Upon entering the store, customers will experience and participate in the ‘from bean to cup’ story behind a cup of coffee. An inspiring micro-film brings them on a journey to the coffee origin introducing Starbucks ethical sourcing approach known as Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E) Practices. At the same time, they can enjoy Starbucks Reserve coffees brewed artfully by coffee masters selected from across the market, who will showcase their exquisite craftsmanship while relating the fascinating story behind each coffee.

At the Shanghai Greener Store, over half the menu is plant-based. Unlike other Starbucks stores, oatmilk is used as the default option for most beverages. Starbucks has also introduced two new plant-based beverages, available for a limited time only – Salted Caramel Breve and Salted Caramel Flat White. The store offers a scrumptious variety of plant-based food offerings, including the debut of 15 new food items. A range of plant-based bakery, wraps, sandwiches, salads, cakes and pastries are available to satisfy customers’ craving at any time of the day.

3. Re-use your Starbucks cup time and time again

To encourage customers to do their part for the planet, the store offers a new Grande-sized reusable cup. Customers can purchase it for just 15 RMB when ordering beverages for on-the-go consumption. Made with Polypropylene (PP), the reusable cup design is inspired by the traditional Starbucks Siren logo. Customers can also bring their own cups for 4 RMB discount.

4. Visit the “Circular Lifestyle Lab”

A “Circular Lifestyle Lab” within the store provides a platform to spotlight sustainability-themed artwork. Kicking off the initiative is a collaboration with Tongji University’s College of Design and Innovation on an exhibition titled “Organic Prosperity,” featuring art installations created through the imaginative use of coffee grounds and other retail waste materials. The store will also host talks and workshops to inspire the public on the future possibilities of sustainable development.

The store uses a bar made up of modules designed for different functions such as ordering, beverage production, food display, and more. This modular design allows the store to quickly adjust the bar layout, by adding, removing or replacing bar modules to achieve different functional combinations, should it undergo renovation or remodeling in the future. It is expected that many aspects of the store interior can be recycled, upcycled or biodegraded.

6. Reusing materials from other Starbucks stores

At the Shanghai Greener Store, customers will find traces of other Starbucks stores from across China. The store&nbsp;uses reclaimed wood from the renovations of&nbsp;other&nbsp;Starbucks stores. This includes the countertop of the Experience Bar, steps of the ‘stadium seating’, as well as door handles, which were made from wood recovered the Starbucks Beijing Sanlitun Taikooli Flagship store.

The store uses smart, energy efficient solutions for air conditioning, lighting, water usage and daily energy consumption. For example, the lighting system is entirely automated, and features multiple modes such as daytime, dusk, late night and more with customized settings.

Sustainability has been considered across every aspect of daily operations. Paper receipts have been eliminated with the introduction of e-receipts, and customers can check on the details of their orders on the Starbucks China App. LED menu boards have also replaced paper menus. These measures reduce single-use materials and minimize waste from the very beginning.

There is a special origin behind the aprons at this store – they are made from recycled Starbucks cups. Advanced plastic-to-textile technologies are used to transform Starbucks PET cups into the iconic Starbucks green apron donned by store partners. The cups undergo deep cleaning and processing to become recycled PET fragments, which are then made into polyester chips, yarns, and fabrics, before becoming a Starbucks apron. This recycling initiative not only helps to minimize white pollution caused by PET beverage bottles, but also reduces energy and resource consumption compared to the traditional textile industry. Each apron achieves approximately one kilogram of carbon reduction in its lifecycle.

10. Finding new uses for coffee grounds &nbsp;

In a first for Starbucks in the Chinese mainland, coffee grounds from the store will be recycled. A portion of the coffee grounds will be used as fertilizer in the garden outside the store and in farms located in the suburbs, while the rest will be packaged as free gifts for customers.

Top 10 Things to Know about the Starbucks Shanghai Greener Store : Starbucks Stories Asia

Top 10 Things to Know about the Starbucks Shanghai Greener Store

Check out the top things to know about Starbucks first Greener Store in China.

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Company elevates ‘home grown talent’ to top ranks, including promotion of Molly Liu to chief operating officer

Starbucks strengthens commitment to China as Belinda Wong, chairman of Starbucks China focuses on long-term growth strategy, innovation, and social impact in the market

Starbucks Coffee Company today announced the promotion of Leo Tsoi to chief executive officer of Starbucks China. Serving as Starbucks China’s chief operating officer and president of Starbucks Retail for the last five years, Tsoi has led efforts to grow Starbucks footprint across the Chinese mainland to 5,200 stores across more than 200 cities today. He has engineered the development of a robust and diversified store portfolio by pioneering new store concepts, which have influenced new coffee-inspired lifestyles and further elevated third place experiences for Starbucks customers in China.

As one of the leading architects behind Starbucks China’s phenomenal growth since he rejoined the company in 2012, Tsoi previously served in various leadership positions, including vice president of North China region, chief marketing officer, and vice president of Store Development and Design, making many important contributions to strengthening Starbucks coffee leadership and elevating the Starbucks Experience.

“Leo has relentlessly pushed the envelope on innovation in China where customer loyalty and love for the Starbucks brand is unmatched,” said Kevin Johnson, president and ceo, Starbucks Coffee Company. “Our strong growth in China is a testimony to our deep bench of talented leaders and their relentless pursuit of further elevating the Starbucks Experience for our customers. I have great confidence in Leo’s ability to continue building the relationships we have with our Chinese customers through our rapidly growing store footprint, market-leading digital ecosystem and customer engagement, and robust innovation pipeline.”

With Tsoi’s promotion, Molly Liuis being elevated to chief operating officer of Starbucks China. Liu is a nine-year partner (employee) responsible for leading the development of Starbucks China’s Digital Ventures business, a leading growth engine for the company. As vice president and general manager of Digital Ventures, Liu has set the foundation for Starbucks China digital flywheel through pursuing relentless innovation and building landmark digital partnerships. Under her leadership, the Digital Ventures team has continuously up-leveled the Starbucks Rewards program while launching innovative and unique digital experiences including Starbucks Delivers (MOD), Starbucks Now (MOP), and Delivery Social Gifting, among others.

With these promotions, Belinda Wong will continue to serve as chairman of Starbucks China, focusing her attention toward delivering a holistic, long term strategy for Starbucks in the market, driving innovation through Starbucks Siren Ventures in China and other partnership opportunities, as well as elevating social impact in local communities through the Beijing Starbucks Foundation. 

“Starbucks success in China today would not have been possible without Belinda’s visionary leadership over the past decade, leading the company to achieve unprecedented growth and transformation with her courage, steely determination, and deep passion for Starbucks and our partners,” said Johnson. “I look forward to continue working with Belinda as she focuses on long term strategy, innovation and leading engagement with key public and private sector stakeholders to unlock transformative opportunities for our business in this critical market.”

These appointments are effective October 1, 2021.

China