SEATTLE, Wash. — Starbucks has entered the bakery business. The company recently announced its role as global licensee and investor in the Italian boutique bakery and café, Princi — known for its artisan breads created from traditional family recipes.
The investment team, which includes Milan-based Angel Lab and Pekepan Investments, will focus on expanding the number of standalone Princi locations worldwide, as well as making Princi the exclusive food purveyor at the new Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Rooms in Shanghai and New York.
“We have never baked in our stores in 45 years, but all of that will change with the creation of this unique partnership,” says Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman and CEO. “[The] team at Princi possess a passion for handcrafted food and artisanal baked goods that mirrors how I feel about our coffee. The attention to detail, the care invested in selecting the ingredients and the artistry of preparation is second only to the service offered inside Princi stores. I can think of no better pairing for our most premium coffee experience and am excited by the possibilities we envision in Princi food elevating every daypart — breakfast, lunch and dinner — in Starbucks Roasteries and Reserve Stores.”
In addition to the expansion of standalone Princi specialty stores and inclusion of fresh baking in Starbucks Roasteries, the company will also partner with Princi founder Rocco Princi to bring a premium food experience to its new Reserve only stores starting in 2017.
