Major coffee chain to open 100 new branches
A MAJOR coffee chain is to open 100 new branches in the UK this year.
The new Starbucks branches will be spread across the country.
However, Starbucks is yet to confirm the list of locations and opening dates.
These will be a mixture of company-operated and franchised stores.
The brand said it will spend over £30million in order to open the new cafes.
Starbucks currently has 1,066 stores open across the UK – 318 of which are company-owned and 748 are run by licensees.
You can find your nearest Starbucks branch using the store locator on its website.
Duncan Moir, president Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “Innovation remains key to Starbucks ability to meet our customers’ changing needs and we’re investing in our digital channels and developing new store formats such as digitally-forward smaller stores and Drive Thrus.
“Whilst we are cautious about the macro-economic environment, we will continue to invest to grow the region this year.”
It comes after WH Smith and Poundland also announced new store openings for 2023.
Poundland will be opening up 12 new stores within days, of which eight will open their doors in April.
WH Smith has also confirmed it has created a new high-end stationery brand named Curi.o.city.
It is designed to be the business’ own version of collapsed Paperchase.
The first store will open up in Gatwick airport’s south and north terminals on March 16.
It will be followed by another store opening in St Pancras railway station in London at the beginning of April.
The news follows from when Starbucks last August branches in UK airports raised the price of food and drinks by 33%.
This was around the time soaring costs implied the coffee chain may have to sell its UK business.
However, the announcement of new store openings has squashed those claims.
In more recent events, Starbucks revealed this year it had added olive oil to some of its drinks, including a latte, iced espresso, cold brew.
The new line of drinks is called Oleato, and each of them comes with a tablespoon of Partanna extra virgin olive oil added.
But don’t get too excited – they won’t be on menus here just yet.
Plus, Starbucks stores in Milan will get a first taste of the questionable menu addition.
There are no prices set yet for the drinks when they hit stores over here.
It’s also not clear when they will reach UK menus.
When it does hit, you should be able to request an extra spoonful of olive oil, just like other syrups and flavours can be added to your latte, for example.