Starbucks plans to increase the number of branches from 33,000 to 55,000 over the next ten years. Only in 55 per cent of those new branches will you be able to drink your coffee onsite.
New habits
The coronavirus crisis has profoundly changed our consumption behaviour, with a clear shift towards online. Starbucks also adapted by focusing on on-the-go experiences such as takeaway formulas and drive-through. Quite a few experts foresee these new patterns not to be temporary, but to continue after the crisis.
The fact that Starbucks wants to focus strongly on takeaway coffee in the future does not come as a complete surprise. The coffee chain wants to open around 22,000 additional branches by 2030. Forty per cent of those will focus on drive-through and five per cent on other takeaway formulas. Therefore, in almost one in two of the new branches, you will not be able to consume onsite, writes Business AM.
China
A substantial part of these new coffee houses will be located in Asia. The American chain wants to significantly expand its presence in China as early as next year. The company plans to open in six hundred new locations in the Asian country.
Finally, Starbucks is also working on further digitisation. For example, customers can link their Paypal account, debit or credit card to the mobile app. This feature has contributed to higher digital sales in the fourth quarter: almost a quarter of orders were placed through the app; in the same period last year it was only 16 per cent.
