Starbucks charts expansion plan in China for more market share
China DailyA Starbucks store in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Starbucks plans to increase its store numbers by 50 percent to 9,000 stores by 2025 in China-its second-largest market-as well as double its sales and quadruple its operating income through efforts including store expansion, growth in omnichannel engagement and at-home and on-the-go coffee services. By 2025, the company is expected to open a new store every nine hours to add 3,000 new stores in 300 cities in the country, said Belinda Wong, chairwoman of Starbucks China, during the conference. Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China, said Starbucks' investment plan and its commitment to the Chinese market have shown strong confidence in the coffee sector. Operating 7,195 stores by the first half year of 2022, Luckin Coffee has exceeded Starbucks in terms of store numbers, driving up two consecutive profitable quarters this year.