Starbucks to open its first store in Vietnam
Staff work behind the counter of India’s first newly-inaugurated Starbucks outlet in Mumbai on October 19, 2012. Starbucks, the world’s biggest coffee chain, launched its first Indian outlet on October 19 in an upscale part of Mumbai, becoming the latest global firm to tap the urban youth’s growing taste for caffeine.
Starbucks will open its first store in coffee-mad Vietnam next month.
The BBC reported the cafe would be in Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnam is a country of coffee lovers, and Starbucks will be competing against at least two popular local chains that have outlets across the country, the Associated Press reported.
Vietnam is the world’s second-largest producer of coffee after Brazil, and already supplies high-quality arabica beans to Starbucks stores around the world, Reuters reported.
The Seattle-based company has been expanding its presence in fast-growing Asia. It operates more than 3,300 cafes across 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including China.
Last year, it opened its first store in India.
More from GlobalPost: Starbucks $7 coffee unveiled: Geisha variety made in Costa Rica (VIDEO)
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World. Can we count on you?