The challenge will be convincing Italians, who consume six billion espressos a year, to change their consumption habits
Starbucks founder and current honorary chairman Howard Schultz has always said that the way Italians drink their espresso has given rise to the idea of creating the world’s most famous coffee chain.
After a number of postponements, Starbucks Reserve (the network stores that essentially focus on specialty coffees from around the world), has just opened its portentous shop in Milan. In a historic building, Palazzo delle Poste (former city post-office), of 2,400 square meters, it will offer specialty coffees from around 30 countries, including Brazil.
Starbucks Reserve
The style of the building is Palladian, which is an architecture that is much present in Italy. The marble used on the floor is called Candoglia and comes from a quarry that provides exclusively for the Milan Duomo and very few other historic buildings. As a matter of fact, it is located only five minutes walk from the site and the Galleria, which is the tourist heart of the city.
The marble used in the workbench is from Tuscany, and the roasting machines are all Italian, molded in brass.
Starbucks Reserve
All this luxury has a justification: to make the Italian migrate from his traditional cafeteria, which, in all, sell six billion dollars a year, to an… American coffee shop! Moreover, despite all the Italian tradition in coffees, the specialty coffees are not very famous there.
Starbucks Reserve will also have a traditional Italian bakery, which will use the country’s traditional breads and spinach techniques, and will be under the baton of one of the city’s most famous bakers, Rocco Princi and of a station of gelatos and affogatos, which is a sweet that mixes coffee, ice cream and liquor, not to mention, of course, a bar, the Arriviamo, where appetizers and side order will be served.
Starbucks Reserve
All this lure to make Italians at least get to know the house and help the growth plans of the brand come true in the country, as they expect to open another 200 stores in the next six years, thanks to a partnership with local investors, the Percassi Management.
Starbucks Reserve
According to the brand, 300 people were hired to work in the operation. In 2017, Starbucks operated with US$ 22 billion, having 29,000 stores in 77 countries, including 12,000 in the US and 3,300 in China. However, since last year, it has underwent some setbacks, especially in its home country, where it plans to close 150 points of sale by the end of this year, thanks to an episode of racism that took place in one of its coffee shops.
