SPR's Gao says the company has set a target of 200 stores by the end of this year, which he says shouldn't be a problem considering the 70 to 80 people they get every month inquiring about opening franchised stores.
But while Starbucks has the experience and resources to drive ahead in the Chinese market, some Taiwanese retailers -- who are market leaders at home -- are taking a cautious approach.
"At last year's shareholder meeting everyone was saying we should immediately set up stores in China otherwise it will be too late," said Sophie Fang (
The company did set up two stores in Shanghai last year. But, according to Fang, further expansion will be dependent on how fast the market develops.
"The Chinese market is still stuck back at the stage Taiwan's was seven or eight years ago. The coffee drinking population is still small," Fang said.
"The risk of expanding too quickly is too large," she said.
RSS