Starbucks enters eastern zone with 3 new outlets in Kolkata

Starbucks entered the eastern zone of India by launching 3 new outlets on the same day in Kolkata marking the seventh city for the company in India. In this financial year, ending this March, Starbucks have added 24 stores in their retail network in India. The three stores have been designed to weave Starbucks heritage and coffee passion into the vibrant and colorful culture of Kolkata.Spread across over an area of 15,00 sq. ft. the Starbucks flagship store, located inside the iconic 108 year old Park Mansions on Park Street, celebrates Starbucks brand heritage with a large depiction of the Starbucks Siren, created with local tapestry, in the many colours found on the streets of Kolkata. The regional craftsmanship, handmade by local artists and designers, brings this narrative to life across the city with different elements emphasized at each store. At the Starbucks store at South City Mall, ceramic artistry installments highlight Starbucks commitment to coffee farmers around the world, celebrating the first steps of the coffee journey. The Acropolis Mall store features art inspired by traditional Indian motifs that showcases the culmination of the coffee journey highlighting Starbucks barista craft.

On the launch Sumitro Ghosh, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Starbucks said, “We are honoured to bring Starbucks to Kolkata, a city that has always been known for its cultural heritage and grandeur. Our aspiration is to delight our customers in Kolkata with the unique Starbucks Experience that is built on three core fundamentals – our partners (employees), our stores and our coffee. The institution of the ‘adda’ and the timeless passion it invokes in those who know of the city of Kolkata is inspiring. We hope to pay homage to the city’s inherent tradition by becoming a new ‘adda’ for our customers in Kolkata.” 

The stores will offer customers an extensive range of Starbucks offerings, including the Starbucks® signature espresso-based beverages and food menu curated to complement the coffee experience. The three stores in Kolkata will also offer Starbucks merchandise and free wi-fi.

Further on the retail expansion, Ghosh shares with Retail4growth, “Whenever we enter any zone or city we always look for long term plans. Getting the correct retail visibility and the right catchment whom we can cater to is our priority. As retail expansion is a constant process for Starbucks we are investigating the perfect location for further expansion in this city and once we become successful in Kolkata we want to go in other cities of this zone as well.  

Tata Starbucks Private Limited, is the 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX) and Tata Global Beverages Limited. Today, Starbucks has a presence with more than 28,000 retail stores in 76 countries.