STARBUCKS' SPILLS INTO CHINA
Although the first Starbucks opened in 1971 it wasn't until the 1990s that the company became the iconic coffee symbol of America. Starbucks' popularity exploded along side a changing generation of young Americans who were on the move and connected to the world-wide-web, while yearning for bigger and better, no matter the cost. This generation quickly became known as the "Starbucks Generation" and now, a decade later; it's spilling over into a thriving China. Starbucks entered China in 1999 and has now made it their number one target for growth.� Why and how did Starbucks venture into the orient? Let's begin by taking a look at their global/entry strategy along with decision factors. Secondly, we will focus on the Chinese government's possible influence on the company. Finally, we'll touch on future strategic factors.
Starbucks international entry strategy for China was basically two-fold. The first phase of the entry was to build the brand.
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English: Starbucks' headquarters building in Seatt...In the initial stages Starbucks tested the waters by offering free cups of Starbucks coffee to hotel guests within the city of Beijing. This allowed Starbucks to see how coffee would sell in a primarily tea drinking market. With the combination of foreigners familiar with brand and the Chinese willing to blend-in with the western ways, Starbucks soon realized they had something brewing and pursued the China market.
The second phase of entry, although equally important, was research and development. Since Starbucks refused to use franchising they created a joint venture with Chinese President Group which allowed them to cut out the middle-man, thus enabling all stores to be company-owned.� This overall strategy helped Starbucks to successfully penetrate the Chinese market with success. Now that we've seen how Starbucks entered China let's take a look at where the Chinese government...