Coffee?

Starbucks is opening in Milan next year. Are the Italian ready to accept it or it will be a big failure for Mister Schultz?

It could be surprising to learn that Italians are just the seventh-largest consumer of the beverage in the in the Europe (I’m Italian and I can’t believe it)! After Finland (it has the most coffee consumed, according to a survey of European Coffee Federation in May 2014) are Austria and Sweden.

Although the Italians aren’t the largest consumers of the beverage in the world they are famous for being coffee experts. For breakfast, after lunch, during the afternoon, the espresso is always present in the Italian life. For this reason Howard Schultz, chief executive of Starbucks, was scared to open a Starbucks in Italy, the espresso birthplace.

Despite this, next year the American chain is opening in Italy and also the Italians can enjoy some Starbucks coffee in Milan! H. Schultz said that the dream of the company has always been to complete the circle and open in Italy, but they hadn’t been ready yet. So now are you, Mister Schultz, ready to face this big match?

Antonio Percassi, the developer of the project in Italy explained that he is confident that Italians are ready to accept Starbucks in their country as well as other countries. The chain now accounts for 22,000 outlets in 67 countries;  this big dream started in Italy in 1980s when Shultz observed locals gathered at coffee bars.

Schultz added  that he intend to “honour the Italian people and their coffee culture”.

Is it enough to conquer the Italian heart?