Will keep introducing innovations in beverages and food: Tata Starbucks CEO

The coffee penetration in the country is around 14-15 per cent, and at a cafe level, around 25 per cent for the affluent section

Starbucks India launched its first experiential store in New Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh on Thursday. Amid a sustained slowdown in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector, the coffee giant aims to open 1,000 stores by 2028. SUSHANT DASH, chief executive officer of Tata Starbucks, speaks with Akshara Srivastava about how the new store aligns with the company’s strategy of driving growth through innovation and more. Edited excerpts:

This is a new concept that you’ve introduced in India. What is the idea behind it, and how does it differ from a reserve store?

The new experiential store is essentially Starbucks tailored