Starbucks aims
to open 20 more stores by year-end

Coffee chain-store giant Starbucks unveiled ambitious expansion plans for Taiwan yesterday, with an extra 20 stores expected this year, taking the total to 50 nation-wide.

Starbucks has expanded to 29 stores in Taiwan since March 1998.

Another two are to be opened this weekend, one in Taipei and one in Taichung, its first.

Starbucks was introduced to Taiwan through a joint venture between Taiwan's President Chain Store Corporation (統一超商股份有限公司), President Enterprises Corp (統一企業) and the Seattle-based Starbucks, who own 50, 45 and 5 percent of the company respectively.

"Our goal is to open up to 50 Starbucks coffee shops in Taiwan by the end of the year," John Shu (徐光宇), president of the President Coffee Corporation (統一星巴克股份有限公司), was quoted as saying.

"We hope to open Starbucks shops all over the island, but our policy is `one at a time,' which also applies to serving customers," Starbucks spokeswoman Chuang Shu-jung (莊淑蓉) said.

Currently, the chain is concentrated in Taipei and Taoyuan.

Launched in Seattle in 1971, Starbucks now has 2,600 outlets worldwide, mainly in the US and Canada.

The Starbucks brand has spread to 12 countries outside North America.

Although the coffee market in Taiwan has potential, distributors have to overcome the country's loyalty to tea.

Josephine Chang (張敏蕙), marketing manager of Pacific Acme Coffee & Food Corporation (太平洋頂好咖啡食品股份有-限公司), owner of the Italian-style IS Coffee, cited an independent market survey, which indicates the comparatively lower coffee consumption of Taiwan.

The average Taiwanese consumer drinks only 40 cups per person per year, as opposed to the 100 cups per year the Japanese gulp down and the average 300 cups drinkers in the US and Europe consume, said Chang.