Starbucks plans to open 5000 stores in China in the next five years

Howard Schultz, chief executive of Starbucks, revealed last week that stores in mainland China are already the most profitable. He expects China to overtake Starbucks'45-year-old domestic market.

It is reported that Starbucks coffee is very common to western city dwellers, but at the price of 30 yuan for a medium latte, it is still a brand that strongly attracts snobbish customers in China-a status symbol for the emerging middle class and a "luxury drink" for ordinary workers.

The US coffee chain was attacked by government media for "inflated prices" in 2013, but poor public relations failed to stop it from expanding or adjusting its pricing strategy.

The number of Starbucks stores in mainland China has tripled to more than 2300 in five years, while fast-food and restaurant chains, including KFC and Pizza Hut, owned by Yum Global, are mediocre.

The company has proved adept at adding local flavors to its stores, such as moon cakes, zongzi, mocha and oolong tea.

Wang Jingying was born in Hong Kong, was educated in Canada and is now based in Shanghai. Starbucks is likely to break into 10 to 15 new markets in China each year, while continuing to infiltrate the megacities where it has a foothold, she said.

"there is enough space to fill in the first-and second-tier cities where we have opened stores, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen," she said.

Coffee consumption in the world's second-largest economy is still much lower than in Europe and the United States, and Euromonitor predicts that retail sales of fresh coffee in China will grow at a compound annual rate of 17 percent, the report said.

However, the competition in China is becoming increasingly fierce. While other international coffee chains such as Ka Shijia are scrambling to grab market share, independent coffee shops have sprung up and have proved attractive to wealthy young Chinese seeking to be "different".

Last month, Starbucks announced plans to promote its high-end "select" brand, the report said.

Wang Jingying will oversee the opening of the first Starbucks coffee roaster and Zhenxuan restaurant in Shanghai in 2017, with a floor area of 30, 000 square feet, twice the size of a Seattle store that opened in 2014.

The bakery is a theater-style Starbucks shop for coffee connoisseurs who are picky about coffee beans and baking techniques.

"the bakery in Shanghai will be much better than the one in Seattle," says Wang Jingying. She gave no details, saying only that it was like "the second Disneyland in Shanghai". "it will attract not only Shanghainese, but also many Chinese tourists to Panama in the 1960s, and then survived nearly half a century before it became a blockbuster, beating the victorious armies of Bourbon, Kaddura, Kaduai, Tibica and other varieties. won the first prize of the Panama National Treasure Bean Cup Test Competition in 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2007, the International famous Bean Cup Test sponsored by the American Fine Coffee Association (SCAA) won the championship again, and the bidding price was sold at US $130 per pound, setting a record for the highest price in the history of competition beans. It is reported that the later Panamanian national treasure bean competition will be divided into two groups: Rose Summer and non-Rose Summer, so as not to be robbed of the brilliance of other varieties by Rose Summer. Rose, a member of the Tibika family, became famous more than 70 years after leaving Ethiopia, and fulfilled the saying that Ethiopia is a treasure trove of Arabica genes. giving any variety abroad is enough to stir up waves in the coffee market. Boquete is a high-altitude volcanic area, because the Baru Volcano brings quite fertile soil, towering terrain, cold and humid air, different sunshine, and abundant rainfall. A river flows through it, creating high-quality Panamanian boutique coffee. This batch of coffee, grown in the same area as the Jade Manor, happens to be located in continuous valleys and ridges, so it forms several microclimates, and the coffee produced in different regions has its own flavor. Refreshing and comfortable citrus feeling, bright pattern-like Nanyang fruit feeling, slender flower fragrance crisscross exudes a very elegant and generous flavor