Is Stars Coffee taking Starbucks' place overseas?
After Starbucks left the Russian market, Stars Coffee took over its assets and is now expanding. Co-founders Timur Yunusov and Anton Pinsky have reopened stores in St. Petersburg and aim to restore 100 outlets by the end of September. They report about 50 overseas cooperation invitations, with the first foreign branch planned for Armenia and more than 20 outlets targeted across Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Anton Pinsky said the waiting list holds 20 to 25 options from countries including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Palestine, Oman, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, places that lack Starbucks and therefore offer an opening. Starbucks announced on March 8 that it would exit Russia. The question of whether the chain's coffee counts as specialty coffee remains separate from this expansion, since coffee in Europe and these markets is judged on sourcing and roasting, not brand ownership.
After Starbucks withdrew from the Russian market, Stars Coffee, which took over its assets, is accelerating its expansion. On one hand, the brand has reopened in St. Petersburg and plans to restore 100 stores by the end of September; on the other hand, co-founders Timur Yunusov and Anton Pinsky revealed that they have received about 50 overseas cooperation invitations, with the first overseas branch to be located in Armenia, and plans to open more than 20 outlets in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. These regions, lacking Starbucks, present opportunities for Stars Coffee. This article reviews Stars Coffee's expansion dynamics and the historical turning point of Starbucks' franchising in Russia.
The 130 stores taken over from Starbucks by Russian rapper Timur Yunusov and local businessman Anton Pinsky have not yet all resumed operations. Meanwhile, Stars Coffee is accelerating the expansion of its network within Russia while planning the launch of its first overseas store.
On September 8, Timur Yunusov, co-owner of Stars Coffee, shared the brand's store operation progress on his Instagram account, mentioning: Of the 15 stores in the St. Petersburg area, 3 have already opened their doors first, and we plan to reach the goal of opening 100 stores by the end of September. In addition, we have received about 50 overseas cooperation invitations and are currently handling them one by one.
Subsequently, TASS reported that Timur Yunusov, in an interview with reporters on Thursday, revealed that the Stars Coffee chain, as a replacement for Starbucks in Russia, is planning to open branches overseas. Another owner of Stars Coffee, Anton Pinsky, explicitly stated that the chain's first overseas branch will be located in Armenia.
It is reported that Stars Coffee plans to open more than 20 outlets overseas, potentially covering regions such as Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Anton Pinsky said, Market demand is strong, and we are actively promoting overseas development. There are 20 to 25 options on the waiting list, with requests coming from completely different countries.
According to Anton Pinsky, the regions on the waiting list include countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Palestine, Oman, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, etc., which for various reasons do not yet have Starbucks, giving the Stars Coffee brand a rare opportunity.
Starbucks announced on March 8 that it would end its 15-year franchising in Russia, after which the chain's 130 stores in Russia were immediately closed. On July 30, Pinskiy&co completed the acquisition of Starbucks' assets in Russia. On August 17, the brand was officially renamed Stars Coffee (Stars Coffee), and a new logo was launched, replacing Starbucks' mermaid image with a girl wearing the traditional Russian headdress kokoshnik. On August 19, the Stars Coffee chain, as the successor to Starbucks in Russia, welcomed its first customers in Moscow.
Image source: Internet
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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
