Starbucks has opened its first branch in Italy, despite long resistance from Italians.
Located in the historic Poste building in Milan’s Piazza Cordusio, the branch opens today and is set to be the first in a chain of coffee shops rolling out over the rest of the year across the fashion capital.
The coffee shop will be one of three Starbucks Roasteries across the world, with the other two in Seattle and in Shanghai. Roasteries are much larger than usual Starbucks outposts.
The Milan Roastery has been created to reflect the rich fashion and design culture of the city, featuring a roastery, bar, bakery and wood-fired oven.
It will also feature “an interactive augmented reality (AR) experience,” designed to “encourage customers to use their mobile device to uncover more about Starbucks Reserve coffees, the roasting process and the company.”
As day turns to night, customers will also be able to enjoy the Italian tradition of aperitivo – cocktails and light nibbles in the early evenings
Despite the fact that Starbucks founder Howard Schultz was inspired by Italian espresso culture to create the company 35 years ago, Italians have always resisted the global coffee behemoth, claiming its coffee is overpriced and poor quality.
The roastery will create nearly 300 jobs in Italy, but when the news of the opening broke earlier this year, many Italians were not thrilled.
“Why on earth would anyone want over-roasted crap coffee when even the worst cafe in Italy has better coffee than Starburnt,” one person wrote on Twitter.
“Their cappuccino is vastly inferior to the Italian version,” added another.
But perhaps the new store will change perceptions in Italy.
“We have taken our time to ensure our entry into Italy is done thoughtfully and respectfully,” said Kevin Johnson, chief executive officer, Starbucks. Whether this is enough to win round Italians remains to be seen.
