On August 18th, the world’s largest coffee chain, Starbucks Group, announced the establishment of Starbucks China Innovation and Technology Center (SITC) in Shenzhen. This center aims to enhance its own technological capabilities and data infrastructure, further driving the digitalization process of stores and multiple channels.
Set to be located in Futian District, the center plans to commence operations in September of this year. SITC will make an initial investment of approximately 1.5 billion RMB (220 million USD) over the next three years and aims to recruit hundreds of outstanding tech talents in its initial phase.
“Shenzhen is a fertile ground for digital innovation in China and a leading demonstration area for the development of the Greater Bay Area,” said Wang Jingying, Chairman and CEO of Starbucks China. “Starbucks China Innovation and Technology Center will empower our digital innovation, constantly challenging ourselves through big data, insight analysis, and other technologies, with coffee and people at the core, to create entirely new experiences.”
At Starbucks’ Global Investor Conference in September 2022, Starbucks first proposed the creation of SITC, as part of its commitment to long-term investment and development in China.
This autumn, following the official launch of SITC, Starbucks China Coffee Innovation Industrial Park will also open as planned. At that time, Starbucks’ greenest coffee roasting plant globally and its highly intelligent logistics center will come into operation.
Currently, Starbucks has more than 6,500 stores in over 250 cities across mainland China. The plan is to open an additional 9,000 stores by 2025 at an average rate of one new store every 9 hours, covering 300 cities in China.
The Group’s crucial financial data for the third quarter of the 2023 fiscal year (a 13-week period ending on July 2, 2023) reveals that Starbucks achieved a sales volume of 9.2 billion USD, with comparable sales in the Chinese market increasing by 46% year-on-year.
| Source: Starbucks China News Center
| Image Credit: Starbucks Official Website
| Editor: LeZhi
