Starbucks gains traction in bid to make China its largest market
Seattle-based coffee chain is opening a new outlet in China every 15 hours, as part of an effort to operate 5,000 stores across the mainland by 2021
The biggest Starbucks outlet worldwide enjoyed a blockbuster debut in Shanghai on Wednesday, with hundreds of customers spending about one hour queuing outside the store before getting served.
The Starbucks Reserve Roastery, located on Nanjing Road West, one of the city’s busiest shopping streets, opened at 7am before huge crowds flocked to the 30,000 square foot store at about 9:30am.
At about 11:30am, at least 300 people, most of whom aged between 20 and 40, were waiting outside the store.
“I don’t think it’s the coffee by Starbucks that sells,” said Ding Ziting, a customer in her early 20s. “But I like its culture and it’s worth spending about an hour to become the earliest customers to visit.”
Seattle-based coffee giant Starbucks Corp said the store, the second of its kind around the globe, will support augmented reality (AR) technologies, enabling customers to learn more about the coffee preparation process, such as the craft of how beans are roasted.
