I can’t be the only person that says, “Can Starbucks really continue opening 1,600 stores every year?” But, the world is a big place and Starbucks has some interesting ideas for its new locations next year. As of the end of this June, Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) had 20,863 stores operating in 64 countries.
Starbucks speeding it up
Today, the company announced that it would cater even more to the busy commuter with new express-style stores, with smaller menus and will encourage its customers to take advantage of mobile ordering and to use the company’s digital payment system in order to speed up the process for everyone.
Right now, 40% of Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX)’ United States stores have drive-throughs and are showing higher sales growth than their counterparts without. Starbucks is a monster with July being the 18th consecutive quarter where same store-sales saw gains of at least 5%. That can only be done with great market research before and after a store location is selected.
Slowing it down
The company also stated its intent to launch new cafes that will highlight its small-lot Reserve coffees, interactive Reserve roasteries and tasting rooms today.
The first of these will open, not surprisingly in Seattle sometime this December and will integrate retail, education, and coffee roasting with all roasting being done in front of customers.
Ultimately, the company wishes to expand its Reserve coffee lined to 1,500 location globally for customers to enjoy these small batch offerings. In the next five years the company hopes to open 100 cafes similar to the one in Seattle that will open in December.
“The Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting room is a multi-sensory experience that will transform the future of specialty coffee,” said Howard Schultz, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Starbucks.
“We plan to take this super premium experience to cities around the world, elevating the Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) experience not only through these stores but across our entire business,” he said.
Starbucks also stated its intent to open about 1,550 new stores during the 2014 fiscal year and 1,600 new stores in the 2015 fiscal year.
