Starbucks to Open First Store in Pune

Starbucks first store in Pune opens on September 8 and features an iconic and contemporary store design that honors the rich copper heritage of the beautiful city.Tata Starbucks Limited, the 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX) and Tata Global Beverages Limited is launching the first Starbucks® store in Pune this Sunday. Celebrating the cultural history of the city, this flagship store is located off North Main Road at Koregaon Park - a popular neighborhood in Pune. The store will open on Sunday, September 8, 2013 and will be open to customers from 7 AM till 11 PM every day.Commenting on the store opening, Avani Davda, CEO, Tata Starbucks Limited stated, "We are thrilled to open doors to our first store in Pune and extend the unique Starbucks Experience to more customers in India. We have been overwhelmed by the way our customers have embraced us and we look forward to welcoming our customers in Pune to this beautiful store designed specifically for the city. We remain committed to the India market and will continue to work thoughtfully to open stores in locations where more and more customers can enjoy an enriching and elevated coffee experience, delivered by our passionate baristas."This store located in Koregaon Park is housed in a traditional bungalow encircled with trees which suitably pairs this iconic brand with the beautiful city of Pune. Copper, a primary resource traced to the earliest history of this city, has been weaved in throughout the store to honor the rich cultural and copper heritage of Pune. The two storied store has been designed to reflect the rich historical architecture of the city and the interiors of the store embrace and celebrate the local culture with the use of railings, displayed antiques and copper. The elevations in the exterior of the store are designed to reflect the shadows of the Gum trees surrounding it, along with the traditional Indian swing which is popular throughout Pune.The store will serve the finest espresso, sourced and roasted in India for India and will offer specially designed food offerings to appeal to the customers in Pune. The store will also offer a broad beverage portfolio to include a wide range of Starbucks® signature beverages, Tata® | Tazo® tea, in addition to the Indian Espresso Roast that is sourced locally through the coffee sourcing and roasting agreement with Tata Coffee; a hallmark feature of Starbucks stores in the India market. The store will also offer a wide range of Starbucks merchandize and free Wi-Fi so customers can enjoy the unparalleled coffeehouse experience that Starbucks is known for. Starbucks entered the Indian market in October 2012 and currently operates twenty stores in India across Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Pune. Starbucks® stores are operated by the joint venture, Tata Starbucks Limited, and branded as Starbucks Coffee - "A Tata Alliance".