Starbucks expanding its line-up with express stores, upscale tasting room
|
Version 0 of 1. It may already feel like there’s a Starbucks on every corner. But with an announcement Friday that the coffee giant plans to launch express stores in 2015, the company has created a format that it hopes will push it deeper into urban neighborhoods and gain it even more traction with convenience-oriented consumers. The express stores will be smaller than traditional Starbucks cafes and will offer a limited menu. The company says the stores will emphasize a commitment to convenience by offering mobile ordering and the Starbucks digital payment platform. Starbucks said that its locations with drive-thru windows have higher-than-average sales growth, signaling that there are dollars to be made with commuter-focused express stores. The first express store is to open in New York in early 2015. The coffee company is also slated to open a Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in its hometown of Seattle later this year. The company has dubbed the space a “union for Starbucks of coffee theatre and manufacturing.” It will offer a tasting room experience for learning about coffee, a retail space for purchasing its products and a production facility for its small-batch coffees in the Starbucks Reserve line. The launch of the 15,000-square-foot tasting room comes as many retailers are seeking ways to make shopping in their stores a memorable experience instead of a routine errand. The increased manufacturing capabilities will help the chain expand its Starbucks Reserve brand, which includes premium coffees. The company currently offers the line in 800 of its stores and now plans to expand it to 1,500 stores by the end of 2015. In July, Starbucks said it saw a strong six percent increase in sales in the third quarter and an 11 percent increase in revenue. Starbucks has undertaken a variety of steps recently to expand its reach and boost its sales. Much of their efforts have been focused on making Starbucks a place that consumers think of for more than just breakfast and a caffeine pick-me-up. In June, it added Fizzio sodas and Teavana Shaken Iced Teas to its menus to expand its beverage offerings. The company has also been adding beer and wine to its menus as part of an effort to lure customers during evening hours. Menu items such as parmesan encrusted chicken skewers and chicken sausage & mushroom flatbread have been introduced as dinner-time options. After acquiring bakery La Boulange in 2012, the company began offering those pastries in stores last year, a move aimed at improving its food offerings. To keep customers lingering longer, Starbucks has begun adding charging mats its stores so people can power up their gadgets. The launch started with stores in the San Francisco area, and plans are to roll it out in other major metropolitan areas next year. Starbucks also plans to continue growing its fleet of traditional cafes. The company said it expects to add 1,550 stores overall in 2014 and an additional 1,600 stores in 2015.
|