Starbucks to Open in South Africa in April

The coffee chain Starbucks is to open its first two stores in South Africa in April, one in Rosebank, Johannesburg, and the other in the massive Mall of Africa between Johannesburg and Pretoria, according to news reports on Thursday.

The stores will be Starbucks’ first in sub-Saharan Africa. The chain will reportedly adapt its menu for the South African market, and will include rooibos tea, among other things. According to the company’s website, there are now almost 24,000 stores in 70 countries.

Starbucks announced in July 2015 it would open a store in South Africa in 2016, but it did not say where or when exactly. A spokesman for the Starbucks licensee in South Africa, Taste Holdings, was quoted saying that it was hoped up to 15 outlets would be opened in South Africa in the next two years.

Several days ago, Starbucks announced that it would be entering another new market – an epicentre of coffee – Italy. The Mall of Africa, where Starbucks’ second store will go, is meant to open in April and is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, mall on the continent.

While many are critical of Starbucks coming to South Africa, even coffee retailers have welcomed the competition.