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While coffee connoisseurs around the world complain that they have to wait longer than before to prepare coffee in Starbucks cafes, the owner or franchisee of the largest chain of coffee shops is usually in the world taking a turn for the Baltic countries, including Latvia.
The world’s largest coffee shop chain company “Starbucks” has opened coffee shops in more than 80 countries at the moment, but not in Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia. The nearest “Starbucks” cafes to Latvia are located in Poland and Sweden. True, there are only one or two cafes in these countries as well.
The market is said to be too small
In 2010, “Starbucks” coffee lovers in the Baltics were surprised with happy news – the famous chain of cafes plans to open cafes in Latvia and Lithuania as well. As in the case of “Lidl” and “IKEA”, it was originally planned that ”Starbucks” would start entering the Baltics with Lithuania and then opening cafes in Latvia. The original plans were to open four to seven cafes. However, despite these optimistic forecasts, “Starbucks” did not enter the Baltics. Experts believed that Latvia, even the entire Baltic market for Starbucks is too small, because its business model is based on serving a large mass of consumers. You can read more about it here: https://nra.lv/latvija/180897-uznemejs-starbucks-ienaksana-latvija-ir-apsaubama.htm
However, this does not mean that the name “Starbucks” or the taste of its coffee is completely foreign to Latvian residents. Even without the occasions when Latvian residents visited Starbucks cafes on foreign trips, Nestlé started selling Starbucks products in 2018. Nestlé started supplying packaged Starbucks coffee to regional markets throughout the -world, including the Baltics, and the Starbucks brand range is represented by Nestlé’s single-serve capsule system, including Nespresso and Nescafé Dolce Gusto.
Coffee in four minutes
Starbucks baristas can pour eight shots of espresso in one cup. They can make drinks that look like strawberries, apple pie, pumpkin custard, according to CNN. However, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Starbucks cafes have been denied the opportunity to make their own coffee using self-service stations, where everyone could order as much milk as they wanted. to pour as much as they wanted, adding sugar, sweeteners and spices. wants The company closed these self-service stations at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, fearing that the virus could spread to the surface. In addition, Starbucks employees were under intense pressure to combat waste and theft. Although Covid-19 restrictions were lifted long ago, Starbucks has not yet brought back self-service. True, the company promised CNN reporters that they would return self-service stations to all their stores by the beginning of next year.
Starbucks sales have fallen for three consecutive quarters, the longest period of continuous decline in many years. Some customers have stopped going to Starbucks because of the high drink prices and long wait times. More than 30% of Starbucks orders are now made via the mobile app, and customers pick them up when they arrive. This flow of mobile orders sometimes puts a lot of pressure on Starbucks employees during peak hours. The return of Starbucks self-service stations will help serve drinks in four minutes or less and make it easier for baristas.
2024-11-18 03:52:00
#Starbucks #throwing #curveball
– How might consumer demand for Starbucks products in the Baltics influence the company’s decision-making regarding future expansions in the region?
Section 1: Starbucks’ absence in the Baltics and the market size debate
– How has the absence of Starbucks in the Baltics impacted the local coffee culture and consumer preferences?
– What factors does Starbucks consider when evaluating potential markets for expansion, and why do you think the Baltics have not been deemed suitable for this large-scale entry?
- Can you comment on the potential economic implications of a Starbucks entry in the region, both for the company and local businesses?
Section 2: The Nestlé partnership and alternative ways of experiencing Starbucks coffee in Latvia
– What was the initial reception to Nestlé’s introduction of Starbucks products in Latvia, and how has it changed over time?
- Can you speak to the challenges and opportunities that Nestlé faced when bringing the Starbucks brand to the region through a licensing agreement?
– How do you see this partnership evolving in the future, especially with the recent regaining of the self-service stations by Starbucks?
Section 3: The shift to mobile orders and the impact on the in-store experience
– How has the shift to mobile orders affected the customer experience at Starbucks locations, both in terms of convenience and wait times?
– Do you see a disconnect between the increasing popularity of mobile orders and customers’ interest in the in-person Starbucks experience?
– What are some of the challenges that Starbucks facesin balancing the demands of both delivery and in-store services?
