Starbucks to step into India

The world's largest premium coffee retail chain Starbucks, which runs over 16,000 stores worldwide, is finally coming to India in partnership with Tata Coffee via franchise route. Under a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Starbucks will set up stores in the Tata Group's retail outlets and hotels besides sourcing and roasting coffee beans at Tata Coffee's Kodagu facility.

Tata Coffee is the largest integrated coffee plantation company in the world. Being one of the biggest suppliers of Arabica coffee beans, Tata Coffee has shipped coffee beans to Starbucks in the past and is now building a structure for a long-term relationship.