Starbucks celebrates ten years in Colombia
Casa Badillo Cartagena Store. Image: Starbucks
Alsea, operator of fast food, coffee shops, casual dining and full-service restaurants in Latin America and Europe, and the Starbucks operator in Colombia, celebrated the brand’s tenth market anniversary with an event revealing plans to open 30 new Starbucks stores over the next three years, backed by a USD $12 million investment. The event also reinforced the company’s commitment to Colombian coffee and highlighted the brand’s growth strategy and future investment plans.
Since entering the market in 2014, Starbucks has created a coffeehouse experience across 71 stores in six cities – Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, and most recently, Bucaramanga. As the company’s presence has grown in Colombia, Starbucks is deeply committed to contributing positively to the local community and creating employment opportunities for over 680 partners (employees).
As Starbucks expands across the market, the company plans to enter new cities, introduce new store formats, and build more sustainable stores. In addition to its first drive-thru store, opened in Cali in 2022, the company will unveil its first university store at University Los Andes this September, which will be certified under Starbucks Greener Store programme. Currently, there are 25 Starbucks Stores that hold the Greener Store certification in Colombia, which aims to cut the company’s global carbon emissions, water usage, and waste sent to landfills by 50% by 2030.
Armando Torrado, CEO of Alsea, said, “Over these ten years, we have transformed our passion for coffee into a success story thanks to innovation, dedication, and commitment to providing exceptional experiences to our customers; we thank those who have been part of this journey. With the same excitement and passion that has defined us from the beginning, we look to the future determined to continue fulfilling our purpose of delivering happiness and flavorful experiences.”
Currently, Alsea operates more than 1,800 Starbucks stores in twelve markets in Latin America and Europe.
“Colombian coffees have been the cornerstone of many of Starbucks most popular coffee roasts around the world. As we celebrate ten years of coffee and human connection in Colombia, we extend our deepest gratitude to the local coffee farmers who grow our beans, our green apron partners who serve their communities with pride, and our loyal customers who have embraced the Starbucks Experience,” added Brady Brewer, CEO, Starbucks International. “Our future is bright in Colombia, where our partners will continue to deliver exceptional coffee with the passion and expertise that only Starbucks can offer.”
In recognition of this milestone, Starbucks unveiled a merchandise line inspired by Colombia’s mountains, wildlife, and coffee heritage and launched two unique beverages created by baristas that featured 100% Colombian coffee.
In addition, a special anniversary cookie featuring Starbucks iconic Siren will be available in stores.
Since its founding in 1971, Starbucks has proudly offered coffee from Colombia through a blend on the company’s original menu. Colombian coffee is a key component of Starbucks Espresso Roast – the heart of Starbucks espresso beverages around the world. Locally, Starbucks serves 100% Colombian coffee in all handcrafted espresso beverages and offers Starbucks® Colombia Nariño and Starbucks® Colombia as single-origin coffees.
In 2012, Starbucks established a Farmer Support Center in Manizales dedicated to assisting Colombian coffee growers, their families, and communities, with a focus on sustaining a high-quality coffee supply. In 2022, the Farmer Support Center and Starbucks Colombia introduced the Juntos por el Café (Together for Coffee) programme where a portion of sales will benefit local coffee-growing communities. Additionally, the organisations will collaborate to jointly donate over 5,000 native trees to farmers in Huila. These trees will provide essential shade for coffee plants, lower crop temperatures, and help maintain consistent bean quality.
In 2022, Starbucks Coffee Company and Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), extended and expanded a programme to support farmers in the Starbucks CAFE Practices network. They launched an initiative to help farmers re-cultivate their farms with more resilient coffee tree varieties and donated 55 million coffee seedlings and essential fertilisers. This $7.2 million investment has benefitted over 12,000 farmers. Additionally, Starbucks and Conservation International are working together in Huila to protect vital forests, enhance local agricultural nurseries, and improve water quality in seven coffee-producing municipalities.
Starbucks has a longstanding commitment to investing in the communities it serves worldwide, and this August, The Starbucks Foundation is pleased to announce two Global Community Impact Grants totaling US$35,000 to Colombian nonprofit organisations Fundación Forge Colombia and Asociación de Bancos de Alimentos (ABACO).
The US$22,500 grant to ABACO will link community kitchen programmes through a mobile food pantry in six cities in Colombia, including La Guajira, Medellín and Bogotá, and support food bank operations, ultimately improving the nutritional intake of 11,000 people. Fundación Alsea is co-investing to support the mobile food pantry in Medellín. The US$12,500 grant to Fundación Forge Colombia willimprove the economic and social conditions of 110 youth, primarily in Bogotá, with soft skills training and job placement that enables them to build transferable skills and secure high quality formal jobs.
To date, over $7 million has been awarded through The Starbucks Foundation’s Global Community Impact Grants programme to nearly 120 nonprofits across more than 50 markets, representing more than half of all Starbucks global markets. Local nonprofits in Colombia have received more than $100,000 in Global Community Impact Grants in 2022 and 2023.
In addition, together with Fundación Alsea, A.C., The Starbucks Foundation and Planet Water Foundation have supported the installation of three Aqua Tower systems that provide access to safe drinking water to rural communities in the municipalities of Cundinamarca and Sesquilé, Colombia.