Starbucks China: Unveils First Reserve Bakery Café

Seattle / WA. (sc) Starbucks Coffee Company unveiled its first «Reserve» Bakery Café, featuring fresh Italian Princi food, in China. This brand new third place (in-store) experience is dedicated to the premium Starbucks «Reserve» coffees served alongside artisanal and made-to-order food prepared by Princi bakers onsite every day. Each baker has been meticulously trained in the acclaimed Italian baker Rocco Princi’s distinctive method of artisanal craft of baking to perfect the recipes for each food item. The cafe also features an expanded menu of Starbucks signature mixology, including distinctive coffee and tea-inspired cocktails, Italian classics like Aperol Spritz, fine Italian wines and beers. This will be the first-of-its-kind Italian aperitivo experience (early evening social cocktails paired with small bites) in a Starbucks store location within China.

«For 20 years, Starbucks has revolutionized, and set new standards, around the third place for our Chinese customers. Today marks yet another significant milestone as we take everything we have learned around coffee and our relentless pursuit for food innovation, to create a new exciting all-day cafe dining and Italian aperitivo experience,» said Belinda Wong, ceo, Starbucks China. «Our ability to consistently elevate the customer and brand experience in a meaningful and respectful manner truly reflects Starbucks unmatched energy and operational capabilities to execute against our purpose-driven growth agenda to play the long game in China.»

As a showcase of Starbucks undisputed coffee leadership in China, the cafe features Starbucks ReserveTM Princi™ Blend as the signature coffee offering for its handcrafted espresso beverages made using the Black Eagle Espresso Machine. This special Reserve blend can also be enjoyed freshly-brewed using the siphon brewer, pour-over or Starbucks Draft Nitro.

Authentic, freshly prepared food is the centerpiece that creates the vibrancy and intimacy within the café. Customers can share meals with family and friends at the large community table just feet away from the baking oven and the bountiful display of food creations. The expanded Princi menu offers more than 100 different artisanal food items freshly prepared onsite throughout the day, using more than 60 high-quality ingredients from Italy, including the 20-Month Prosciutto Crudo. In addition, Rocco Princi has personally selected more than 50 fresh ingredients sourced locally to ensure the finest Italian gourmet experience across different seasons in Shanghai.

Starting from breakfast, customers can enjoy cornetti sandwiches made with prosciutto cotto, yogurt with fruit and grains, and made-to-order baked eggs in purgatory or portobello sauce. For lunch, the menu features a variety of enticing soups, focaccia sandwiches, pizzas, and for the first time, salads, including Chicken + Artichoke with Taggiasche Olives. In the afternoon, the selections will expand to include indulgent Italian cakes, tarts and desserts, including the classic Tiramisu and Delizia al Limone. On weekends, the cafe features a selection of classic Princi brunch menu items, such as the frittata and whole portobello plate, to tantalize the taste buds of both young and old.

Inspired by the passion and romance of Princi’s belief to infuse ‘Spirito di MilanoTM’ into this new retail environment, the coffee theatre transforms into a full mixology bar to offer Starbucks-distinctive coffee or tea-infused craft cocktails, beers, and a fine selection of Italian classics and wines specially curated by Princi, as the day turns into evening. Each day from 5 pm to 7 pm, the store celebrates «Aperitivo Time» where customers can enjoy handcrafted cocktails, wine and beer with free-flow of pizza bites, green olives, and schiacciatine. They can choose to enjoy this unique Italian evening social occasion by relaxing at the cafe’s outdoor patio with friends and loved ones, just like Italians would across the streets of Milan.

«I am excited to work with my Princi partners, and Starbucks, to unlock the infinite possibilities of Princi food elevating every daypart for our Chinese customers, from breakfast, lunch, to the new evening Aperitivo experience. This exceptional opportunity to pair Starbucks Reserve coffees with Princi’s 30-year heritage of serving only the freshest and artisanal food, in a brand new store format, is another dream come true for me,» said Princi.

With more than 3,700 stores in 158 cities, no other coffee retailer in China has the depth of Starbucks coffee expertise, strength of the most sought-after world-class retail locations, and pipeline of meaningful innovations to elevate the customer experience. Building on the overwhelming positive reception of freshly baked Italian PrinciTM food at the Shanghai Roastery, and the continued enthusiasm customers have towards Starbucks portfolio of innovative store concepts, the Starbucks «Reserve» Bakery Café is yet another reflection of Starbucks holistic approach to build an exceptional third-place experience, further cementing its unparalleled leadership and success in China.