Major coffee chain to open 100 new branches

A MAJOR coffee chain is to open 100 new branches in the UK this year.

It comes after WH Smith and Poundland also announced new store openings for 2023.

GettyA major coffee brand is opening up 100 new stores in the UK[/caption]

Starbucks has announced it will open 100 new stores across the UK this year.

The coffee giant has not yet released a list of locations, but said the new branches will be spread across the country.

These will be a mixture of company-operated and franchised stores.

The brand said it will spend over £30m in order to open the new cafes.

Duncan Moir, president Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “Innovation remains key to Starbucks ability to meet our customers’ changing needs and we’re investing in our digital channels and developing new store formats such as digitally-forward smaller stores and Drive Thrus.

“Whilst we are cautious about the macro-economic environment, we will continue to invest to grow the region this year.”

Starbucks currently has 1,066 stores open across the UK – 318 of which are company-owned and 748 are run by licensees.

An exact date has not been confirmed when any of the new cafes will open.

Meanwhile, you can find your nearest Starbucks branch using the store locator on its website.

The news follows on from last August, when Starbucks branches in UK airports raised the price of food and drinks by 33%.

This was around the time soaring costs implied the coffee chain may have to sell its UK business.

However, the announcement of new store openings has squashed those claims.

In more recent events, Starbucks revealed this year it had added olive oil to some of its drinks, including a latte, iced espresso, cold brew.

The new line of drinks is called Oleato, and each of them come with a tablespoon of Partanna extra virgin olive oil added.

But don’t get too excited – they won’t be on menus here just yet. 

Plus, Starbucks stores in Milan will get first taste of the questionable menu addition.

There are no prices set yet for the drinks when they hit stores over here.

It’s also not clear when they will reach UK menus.

When it does hit, you should be able to request an extra spoonful of olive oil, just like other syrups and flavours can be added to your latte, for example.

In terms of other store openings, Poundland will be opening up 12 new stores within days.

At least eight will open in April, with up to 800 new jobs created.

WH Smith has also confirmed it has created a new high-end stationery brand named Curi.o.city.

It is designed to be the business’ own version of collapsed Paperchase.

The first store will open up in Gatwick airport’s south and north terminals on March 16.

It will be followed by another store opening in St Pancras railway station in London at the beginning of April.