Starbucks Announces Strategic Initiatives In Japan - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Coffee giant Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) on Thursday announced its key initiatives for Japan that will accelerate its sales and profit growth in the region.

The company announced plans to build 100 net new stores annually over the next three years in Japan, a goal that will bring the store count to 1,700 across the market.

Beginning November 9, Starbucks will launch its Starbucks Delivers program in partnership with Uber Eats Japan to deliver Starbucks beverages and food items direct to customers. The pilot program will begin in three stores in Tokyo, two in Shinjuku and one in Roppongi, with plans to scale the program within two years.

Further, Starbucks unveiled a strategic collaboration with LINE, Japan's leading social platform, to innovate across various technologies, including digital payment. The partnership will result in exciting innovation, with the first phase launching in the first half of 2019, connecting Starbucks to LINE's more than 78 million users across Japan.

Additionally, Starbucks Japan will begin a pilot of the Mobile Order and Pay program in 2019, enabling customers to order and pay from their mobile device, and pick-up in store, skipping the line.

The company also announced it will open the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Tokyo on February 28, 2019 in the upscale Nakameguro district. Starbucks fifth Roastery globally, the Tokyo Roastery will be the first of its kind, designed and built from-the-ground-up in collaboration with world-renowned architect and Kuma Lab founder, Kengo Kuma.