Bangkok gets first Starbucks community store outside US
Matavee Tunrungwetjarun
The Nation


Howard Schultz, chairman, president and CEO of Starbucks Coffee.

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has been recognised by Seattle-base Starbucks as one of its potential markets with a plan to double the number of its stores in the country from 168 currently to more than 300 within the next five years.

Starbucks currently operates 19,000 stores in 62 countries around the world.

Howard Schultz, the chairman, president and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Co, yesterday inaugurated the first Starbucks community store outside the United States in the Langsuan neighbourhood of Bangkok.

For every purchase of a Starbucks handcrafted beverage, Bt10 will be directed to farming communities in the North.

As the chain accelerates its expansion in Southeast Asia, Thailand will play a critical role.

With 15 years in the country, "Starbucks is humbled by the strong relationship it has built with customers and is committed to continued innovation and community investment", he said.

"As I join the team today to celebrate 15 years in the market, there is an unparalleled passion our partners [staff] demonstrate for delivering the Starbucks experience to our customers in Thailand. I have never been more confident in our ability to grow this market, doubling store count over the next five years," he said.

"As we continue to grow, it is critical that we stay true to our more than 40 years of heritage, continuing to build our business with a focus on taking care of our people, creating moments of connection with our customers and giving back to the communities where we do business.

"The community store in Langsuan signifies our ongoing commitment to give back to communities, and more specifically, to support and sustain local coffee and farming communities in northern Thailand."

This is the fourth community store globally - after Los Angeles, New York and Texas. Each store operates with a commitment to serving the local community, with the recognition that when communities thrive everyone benefits.

While the profit-sharing model of each store varies according to the specific needs of the local community, with the belief that when communities come together, there can be positive change.


-- The Nation 2013-05-14

"For every purchase of a Starbucks handcrafted beverage, Bt10 will be directed to farming communities in the North"

So that's how much they pay for Chang Mai Coffee, given their markups you'd think it was triple.

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Did Starbucks pay to The Nation for that ad or just free coffee for the reporter?

I'm sure there will be a queue of Thai farmers waiting to buy a coffee at Starbucks at 80 or 90 baht a cup.

What does the community store have besides Coffee & coffee products. Thailand should open some Caribou coffee like in the middle East .

Now if they would just learn to make good coffee. In the U.S., even McD makes better coffee. And up here in CM, there are dozens, if not hundreds of small coffee shops that make lattes and cappuccinos that put them to shame.

David

Well I'm sure Thais will flock to it. Never mind the quality, love the imitation. In Oz they closed most of their stores outside tourist zones as they were failing.

"Handcrafted beverage". Now I've heard it all.

No thanks.

I went to Starbucks twice, the first and the last time. The coffe is terrible and and the prices are outreagous

"Starbucks handcrafted beverage" you got to be kidding me! what a load of crap.

Should read "Starbucks cheap over roasted horrible after taste bad coffee"

How do they manage to rip off all the customers all of the time?

I'm from the US, and I've never heard of this before. Pathetic attempt to make something important from something mundane.

Where is the Langsuan neighbourhood of Bangkok ?

Did Starbucks pay to The Nation for that ad or just free coffee for the reporter?

You will very likely find that Starbucks Thailand has signed a large advertising deal with the Nation, part of that package will include a set amount of news editorials as they have more credibility than an advertisement. Hence, as ad would not appear here on ThaiVisa right, but they get to sneak news into to all funny places like Google News etc. It is just what a big budget rip off multi nationals do every day.

Still blows me that most people make the same wage as a cup of Starbucks coffee each day

Just shows there is a never ending line of people who drink their garbage … gave up StarBUCKs years ago as I got tired of getting warm
rubbish tasting coffee at ridicules cost..final straw was when I ordered a house brew only to get it topped up with hot water from the sink tap LOL

NesCafe with milk & sugar suits me fine.

Perhaps it would be better if they start paying proper taxes in the country, rather than repatriating their profits through artificial inter-company pricing!

Not only do I ask you to pay a rediculous amount for a naff coffee, even more for a way over-priced mouthful of cake but you can also pay 6 times the price of a normal cup for this Starbucks one. No thanks Mr. Schultz.

Instead of giving 10 Baht per cup to yokels who don't even drink coffee, why not reduce your over-inflated prices. The worse thing is that they think we will fall for this rubbish!

Just shows there is a never ending line of people who drink their garbage … gave up StarBUCKs years ago as I got tired of getting warm

rubbish tasting coffee at ridicules cost..final straw was when I ordered a house brew only to get it topped up with hot water from the sink tap LOL

I drink it, but because it's so damn hard to find a place with decaf here. I know they have it and will always have it.

And before anyone says, why drink coffee if it's got no caffeine, strangely it has the opposite effect on me (ie makes me tired), so I need to avoid it (same with Coke and Pepsi).

So until other shops start having decaf, it's starbucks for me, at unfortuantely inflated prices here.

Starbucks Thailand is successful because of society "image over substance" makeup. There are enough thais that like to feel they trendy and hi-so by drinking and hanging out at starbucks. It is worth it to pay 1st world overpriced cost for the flavored milk "burnt coffee bean" drinks.

The 10 baht per cup may sound nice but in thailand you can claim almost anything and not back it up with transparency. There are already thai roasters that make better coffee and other shops as well. In Italy starbucks doesn't do so well.

I don't drink coffee but I will praise Starbucks on their food - the egg, cheese and bacon croissant is great value and i love the caramel waffles.

Yeah .... They sold a mug coffee for maybe 80 baht! Earn 70 baht at a mug and 10baht for the community.

Great deal!!!!!

Starbucks have a good taste and I like the coffee really it is always delicious but it is just coffee! One of the cheapes product at world!

Starbucks is to expensive for coffee. Just think a little bit and you can make a great coffee to by your self and this much cheaper and maybe more delicouse!

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"Handcrafted beverage". Now I've heard it all.

No thanks.

No, you forgot 'coffee experience'

Bugger me, its a cup of coffee.

I wonder if Starbucks going to use the same tax avoidance schemes they use

in Europe.

" We can't pay tax coz we don't make a profit" Since opening in the UK

they have turned over 300 billion baht and only paid 200 million baht in

tax and nothing for the past 3 years They have 750 stores and claim they

do not make a profit. Well they are making nothing from me coz I not use now.

I think this is the Starbucks Asia tour as he was in Tokyo yesterday. BTW, the one thousandth Starbucks should open in Japan during the summer.

Starbucks spends more on health insurance for its employees in the US than coffee beans...

Of large "fast food" chains, they are the only one to offer this benefit-even to part time workers...

And, of course, there is the issue of charging western prices but paying the staff Thai wages. I'm sure that boosts their profit margin considerably over what it is in the U. S.

David

What a load of crap. There is nothing so special about STARBUCKS COFFEE except for the huge price.

It is a rip off provided for those that want to look special to their peirs and falls into the same purile category as Rolex, I Phones, Ferarri.

And, of course, there is the issue of charging western prices but paying the staff Thai wages. I'm sure that boosts their profit margin considerably over what it is in the U. S.

David

Compared to other companies who manufacture here and sell here, export etc. Ie a car made in Thailand is more expensive to buy here than it is imported into Australia. Go figure. So they are not the only ones that do it.

I believe also, it's because Starbacks has a standard price worldwide, regardless of exchange rate (making it expensive in some countries and relatively cheap in others).