US coffee brand Starbucks bucks Covid-19, enters Lucknow with two outlets

With this, Starbucks has expanded its store network to 189 across 12 cities in India, which is one of its fastest growing markets globally

Bucking the covid-19 impact on businesses owing to the lockdown-induced restrictions, US coffee brand Starbucks today marked its entry into Lucknow with two new outlets.

With the Lucknow foray, Starbucks has expanded its store network to 189 across 12 cities in India, which is one of its fastest growing markets globally.

Starbucks entered the Indian market in October 2012 through a 50:50 Joint Venture with Tata Consumer Products. It currently has outlets in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Lucknow through a network of 2,000 employees.

Starbucks stores are operated by the joint venture, Tata Starbucks Private Limited, and branded as Starbucks Coffee – A Tata Alliance.

“Tata Starbucks is honoured to celebrate our eighth year in India by opening the first stores in Lucknow, a brand new market for us. I want to thank all our partners (employees) for their commitment and hard work as we celebrate this new milestone,” company’s CEO Navin Gurnaney said.

Owing to the covid-19 protocols, Starbucks has undertaken adequate safety and sanitisation norms, including 6-feet markings to ensure social distance during dine in and takeaway, temperature screening for employees, customers and delivery executives; kitchens that follow international safety norms, regular sanitisation of surfaces.

He said the new stores in the posh Gomti Nagar area had been designed keeping in mind Lucknow’s rich and authentic culture. For example, Chikankari, an ancient form of embroidery imbibing the city’s craftsmanship, has been used in the store designs and feature artwork.