Coffeehouse and roastery chain Starbucks will open eight new stores in four weeks in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and Pretoria as part of a major investment drive in South Africa.

The group said that store opening schedule begins on 19 November and will run until mid-December, with stores being opened in the following locations:

1. Canal Walk

2. Cavendish Square

3. Stellenbosch

4. Tyger Valley Shopping Centre

5. The V&A Waterfront

6. Camps Bay

7. Castle Gate Mall (Pretoria)

8. Rosebank

9. 

Adrian Maizey, owner and chief executive of Rand Capital Coffee, the custodian of Starbucks in Southern Africa, said that the investment will lead to significant employment opportunities at the new stores, and new business for contractors and sub-contractors who are fitting and equipping the eight stores.

By the end of 2020, Starbucks said it will have employed an additional 69 full-time employees, and promoted 21, taking the total complement of permanent employees to 300.

“Taking all economic realities into account, in real terms the challenges and opportunities of running a business remain of the same nature – building sustainable relationships with our customers and our partners, doing it in an economically viable way.

“Our business models should always be built on solid foundations to withstand economic downturns, and at the same time, they must be flexible enough to identify and embrace change when needed,” Maizey said.

 Maizey said that Rand Capital Coffee is a proudly South African company, from its ownership and employees, to the suppliers and property owners who are part of the extended value chain. “We’re committed to South Africa and we intend to be around for the long-term.” he said.

South Africa has 16 Starbucks stores, predominantly in Gauteng, with one located in Durban. 

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