Festive fanfare marked the opening of the new flagship Starbucks café in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront on 10 December, in celebration of the start of the Mother City’s summer holiday season.

The exquisite brand-new café within the upmarket Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre reflects the importance Starbucks places on store design to enhance the coffee experience. Adrian Maizey, CEO of Rand Capital Coffee, the licensee of Starbucks in South Africa and a born and bred South African, says, “Our Starbucks team and designers were wholly inspired by the elegant surroundings and created elements that will evoke customers’ senses – with ingredients and products to touch, fresh and fabulous aromas, delicious tastes, and beautiful colours, sights and sounds of the environment.”

He adds that the store’s stunning artwork echoes the history, beauty and tradition of both the global Starbucks brand and the renowned local V&A landmark.

Starbucks V&A Waterfront is the sixth of eight Starbucks stores to open in Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Gauteng in just four weeks. The next stores that will open by mid-December are in Cape Town at Camps Bay, and in Stellenbosch. These follow recent store openings in Canal Walk, Cavendish Square and Tyger Valley Shopping Centre in Cape Town, within the Checkers FreshX in Rosebank Mall in Johannesburg and Castle Gate Lifestyle Centre in Pretoria. These new additions bring the total number of Starbucks stores in South Africa to 24 in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

The new stores in South Africa have added many new direct and indirect jobs to the local economy – and will continue contributing to job creation as the company’s expansion drive continues.

Maizey notes that this grand rollout of Starbucks cafés is extending the accessibility of the iconic Starbucks experience to a far wider audience of South Africans and visitors to the country. “The V&A Waterfront store offers a warm, welcoming and vibrant environment for everyone, with stunning views of the majestic Table Mountain and the picturesque harbour.”

He says the flagship Waterfront store highlights the total Starbucks experience: “The atmosphere, the passionate and knowledgeable service by our partner baristas, the range of bespoke Starbucks drinks, the ‘something to suit every occasion’ menu, from our Frappuccino’s, iced teas and more – all the features that Starbucks is known for globally located in a beautiful setting in a world-class city.”

Visitors to Cape Town and locals are invited to visit the new V&A Waterfront store to enjoy the delicious Starbucks holiday menu, which includes a wide selection of handcrafted seasonal beverages. Starbucks coffee is 99% ethically sourced and accredited by Conservation International under the C.A.F.E. Practices programme.

Join the conversation on social media by sharing your Starbucks Victoria Wharf experience using the hashtag #carrythemerrywithstarbucks.

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ISSUED ON BEHALF OF STARBUCKS BY ANGELFISH PR & EVENTS. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT ANNIE HODES ON 083 325 4445.

About Starbucks Coffee Company

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at  www.starbucks.co.za.