Starbucks is finally coming to Italy with its first shop slated to open in Milan in early 2017.
While the company had opened thousands of its shops in the region and had found success in markets such as Germany, France, Austria and Britain, it had to wait a while before finally venturing into a country known for its distinct coffee culture.
Howard Schultz, Starbucks' CEO, said it has always been the company's dream to complete the circle and launch a shop in Italy. However, it is only now that they feel ready to give it a go.
Schulz added that the Starbucks concept was born out of his own experiences in the coffee bars around the nation.
Italy has a coffee culture that is central to the daily life of its people. It has a well-established market and known for its affinity to espresso. Even today's commercial espresso machines had their origins rooted from an invention by Italian Luigi Bezzera in 1901.
Schultz explained that the history of Starbucks is itself connected to the way Italians made their perfect espresso cups. Bringing the Starbucks experience to Italy is something that he considers as a personal experience, although he also acknowledges that it can be a delicate move and may encounter some risks.
Orlando Chiari, owner of century-old coffee bar Camparino in central Milan, said that young people in the city may try the Starbucks experience out of curiosity. However, he doubts that the brand will have a major impact in the country.
Chiari added that while people in Italy worship coffee, Americans like to drink coffee on the go and even in large sized cups. He stressed how the two cultures are extremely different when it comes to enjoying coffee.
According to the European Coffee Federation, Italy's per capita coffee consumption is the seventh highest in Europe.
Starbucks will be working with Bergamo-based Percassi Group, the same company that had partnered with Benetton for 30 years. Prior to partnering with Starbucks, the company had also worked with a number of other American brands that include Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Nike.
Starbucks said that Percassi will be the licensee owner and operator of the brand in Italy. The company plans to eventually open more shops in the country although it did not give an exact number of the shops to open.
Schultz, aware of the challenge that lies ahead, reiterates that they are going to "try with great humility and respect," to bring the Starbucks concept to Italy.
