SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ten years ago, Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) opened its first two stores in Madrid. This week Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and ceo, and EMEA president Michelle Gass join hundreds of partners (employees) to celebrate a decade of growth with 75 stores throughout Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla and Valencia. 2012 also marks notable Starbucks anniversaries in eight additional countries across three continents.
From Madrid, Schultz said, “Back in 2002, we placed a bet on Spain with local business partner Grupo Vips. With the support and passion of our partners and customers, we’ve grown to become a recognized and relevant brand and a part of the daily routine of thousands of Spaniards across the country. With this week’s celebrations, we also recognize other Starbucks 10- and 25-year anniversaries around the world, which provide an opportunity to thank the more than 60 million customers who visit our stores weekly and the 200,000 partners who support and share the Starbucks Experience with these customers every day.”
Schultz and Gass are commemorating these achievements and recognizing partners, customers and shareholders at celebrations this week in Barcelona and Madrid. Starbucks Spain also announced the complete renovation of two stores in Barcelona and Madrid, both under eco-responsible building standards, innovative design and decor inspired by the local hallmarks of their respective cities.
In June, Starbucks will mark another monumental milestone in Canada as the company celebrates 25 years in the market. As Starbucks first market outside the United States, success in Canada demonstrated that the company had the opportunity to establish a global footprint of stores, which ultimately evolved into more than 17,000 stores in 59 countries worldwide. A celebration event will be held in Vancouver, the location of Starbucks first store outside of Seattle, where Schultz and Mayor Gregor Robertsen will commemorate the anniversary. Starbucks currently operates 1,146 stores in Canada and is the company’s largest market outside the United States.
The celebrations in Spain and Canada follow the commemoration of 10 years of coffee passion in Indonesia. Earlier this month, Starbucks marked a decade in Indonesia by committing 10,000 community service hours from partners across Indonesia, and a donation of $300,000 to the Better Living, Education, Nutrition and Development (BLEND) program by Save the Children. The donation will support local communities in Indonesia’s Aceh region in Sumatra, where Starbucks has been sourcing and purchasing its high-quality arabica coffee for more than 20 years. Starbucks currently operates 122 stores in 10 major cities in Indonesia.
As further evidence of Starbucks global growth, 2012 also marks a decade of company operations in Germany, Greece, Mexico, Oman and Puerto Rico as well as the 10-year anniversary for Starbucks roasting plant in Amsterdam – the site of the company’s European HQ and its only roasting plant outside of the United States. Opened in 2002, the plant receives, roasts, packages and distributes Starbucks coffee to more than 1,800 retail stores in EMEA in addition to roasting all the beans for Starbucks espresso-based beverages in the region.
“As we look forward to Starbucks next chapter, we are committed to remain a vital part of thousands of neighborhoods in 59 countries around the world, as we create connections with millions of customers,” said Schultz. “I could not be more excited or optimistic about the future of our company as we pursue disciplined, profitable growth around the world.”
About Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.