Starbucks South Africa has opened its third store in partnership with Taste Holdings as its rollout starts to gain momentum.
After the successful launch of two stores in Johannesburg, the third has opened at Menlyn Maine in the city of Tshwane in Pretoria.
Once the shopping mall is fully complete in 2017, Menlyn Maine will be the biggest green development in South Africa, and the new epicenter of the city.
“Just like in our first two Starbucks stores, we hope our customers will consider this new store as a ‘third place’ between home and work, where people connect, share and create,” said Carlo Gonzaga, CEO of Taste Holdings at the opening.
“It is a place where ideas are born and memories are created – it’s about so much more than a cup of coffee.”
Publicly listed Taste Holdings is a South African management group and licensor of global brands in the region, owning or licensing a portfolio of franchised and owned category specialists, QSRs and retail brands in five countries in Southern Africa. Its food division has a 30-year master license agreement for Domino’s Pizza in Southern Africa. It also owns, operates and franchises Zebro’s Chicken, The Fish & Chip Co, Maxi’s Restaurants, Scooters Pizza and St Elmo’s Woodfired Pizza. Its luxury goods division is underpinned by three owned retail brands – NWJ, Arthur Kaplan and World’s Finest Watches. NWJ is the third largest national jewellery chain by store numbers in the region.
Design influenced by cityscape
The new Tshwane store’s design was inspired by the cityscape. Strong geometric lines of the buildings and the city’s warm tones had an influence on the store’s aesthetic. The natural, scored concrete walls celebrate the hard work and craft of the city. The highlight of the store is a hand-painted mural by Seven Veil Studios that pays homage to the very first Starbucks store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, while celebrating South Africa through the local flora.
“Every aspect of this store has been created to be the ultimate ‘third place.’ We hope that this store will become a part of the city and our history,” said Gonzaga.
“With our first two South African stores open and doing well in Johannesburg, I am delighted to see a new store open in Pretoria,” said Martin Brok, president, Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa.
“Our whole business is excited about being part of these South Africa neighborhoods and I’m proud that this store will extend the Changing Lanes program even further. We’ll now be able to offer great career opportunities to local young people in Pretoria, including training in world class customer service and barista mastery.”
The store team of 30 partners has been recruited from the surrounding communities through Taste’s Changing Lanes program, which focuses on giving opportunities to currently unemployed youth.
