Starbucks coffee to launch in South Africa

Starbucks Coffee International has entered into a license partnership agreement with Emperica Marketing to distribute Starbucks coffee in South Africa in the hotel, restaurant catering, hospitality and leisure channels.

The first Starbucks coffee will be served in select Southern Sun Hotels and Tsogo Sun Casinos in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban in time for the World Cup festivities. In South Africa, all Starbucks espresso and espresso-based beverages will be made from 100% Fairtrade certified coffee.

Business Day quoted Starbucks spokeswoman, Carole Pucik, saying: “This is in line with Starbucks’s strategy of entering new markets. This is just one of the ways we develop new markets. However, we have no plans as yet to open a retail presence in SA.”

“As a brand with over 40 years of experience in servicing the local and international business and leisure traveller, and with our focus on building our portfolio of successful brands, we are excited about the association between our brand and the global leader in high quality coffee. We look forward to being able to offer our guests the large variety of coffee options that will be available to them in select hotels,” says Graham Wood, managing director of Southern Sun.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Starbucks to bring the world’s foremost coffee brand to visitors at our entertainment destinations. This partnership is an example of an ongoing strategy that has seen Tsogo Sun Gaming developing relationships with like-minded brands such as Disney to bring The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast to SA, in addition to some leading local entertainment and media brands,” says Rob Collins, managing director of Tsogo Sun Gaming.