CHINA TOPIX

12/25/2024 08:17:28 pm

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Starbucks Plans to Open Thousands of Stores in China

Economic Warning Signs Increase

(Photo : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Starbucks plans to open 500 stores in China in 2016, as part of a move to have 3,400 Chinese stores by 2019.

The world's largest coffee chain plans to put up many stores in the world's second largest market. Starbucks Corp. reportedly plans to open up 500 stores in China in 2016, as part of a plan to put up 3,400 stores by 2019.

This plan, according to a statement released by the company, is an ambitious 70 percent expansion from the 2,000 stores that it already has in the country.

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"As Starbucks' second largest and fastest-growing market globally,” Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz explains, “China represents the most important and exciting opportunity ahead of us."

Starbucks executives said that they have not seen a slowdown in China's economy, according to Reuters. Apparently, the company is not worried by it, and declares that it plans to create 10,000 jobs in China annually until 2019.

Not only that, Starbucks is also attempting to woo the parents of its Chinese employees by showing that it understands and upholds the role that parents play in Chinese culture, according to Fortune.

Belinda Wong, president of Starbucks China, said the company considers it important for employees' families to be included in the conversations with the workers, as they play a huge role in the choices that these workers (whom Starbucks calls “partners”) make.

Schultz said Starbucks will give monthly housing allowance to its fulltime Chinese baristas and shift supervisors. This allowance is expected to cover about half of their employees' monthly housing expenditures.

Starbucks will also offer one-year sabbaticals to workers who have had 10 years of service.

This approach is similar to what Starbucks does to improve worker retention in the United States. Some other efforts include helping out with employees' college costs, and free tuition to spouses and children of employees in the military.

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