Starbucks will Open 4 Stores in Cape Town Over the Next 4 Weeks
2020 has been a challenging year for us all, but coffee giant, Starbucks isn’t going to let that stop them from taking over the coffee scene in South Africa. With no signs of slowing down, Starbucks South Africa has just announced that it will be opening 8 new stores in South Africa over the next 4 weeks, with 4 of those stores in the Western Cape alone. The new stores will be opening from mid-November to mid-December – in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The jam-packed four-week store opening schedule begins on 19 November with Canal Walk, and includes other prime Cape Town locations at Cavendish Square, Stellenbosch, Tyger Valley Shopping Centre, the V&A Waterfront and Camps Bay; in Pretoria at Castle Gate Mall; and in Joburg in Rosebank.
Adrian Maizey, owner and CEO of Rand Capital Coffee, the custodian of Starbucks in Southern Africa, says that as a born and bred South African, he’s excited about the major investment into the country, as well as the significant job creation during tough economic conditions, both through employment opportunities at the new stores, and new business for contractors and sub-contractors who are fitting and equipping the eight stores.
By the end of 2020, Starbucks will have employed an additional 69 full-time employees and promoted 21, who are globally referred to as partners in the group, to foster a sound sense of equality and shared vision. This brings the total complement of permanent employees to 300.
With the back-to-back store openings taking place and the company’s reach extending further into the South African market, Maizey says their challenge as newcomers to the increasingly discerning coffee market is to better inform the public about all that Starbucks has to offer.
“We have something for just about everyone – and by sharing the brand offering, ethos and culture, we know that this market will understand it, enjoy it, and embrace it.”
Maizey notes that Rand Capital Coffee is a proudly South African company, from its ownership and employees, to the suppliers and property owners who are part of the extended value chain. “We’re committed to South Africa and we intend to be around for the long-term.”
Starbucks began in 1971 as a roaster and retailer of beans, ground coffee, tea and spices, with a single store in Seattle. Today the company connects with millions of customers every day with its own special taste and offering that has seen the company grow to more than 30,000 retail stores in 80 markets.
Find out more on the Starbucks South Africa website.