Starbucks opens first drive-thru store in Colombia

Starbucks opened its first store in Colombia in 2014, employing more than 600 staff across its outlets | Photo credit: Starbucks

Starbucks and its franchise partner Alsea have opened the first Starbucks drive-thru store in Colombia in the city of Cali. 
 

Starbucks said the outlet, which also represents its 50th location in the country, will meet local demand for ‘convenience, connection and personalisation’. 

Located near a university and a major road leading to Cali’s southern neighbourhoods, Starbucks said the store will help provide consumers with ‘unique on-the-go experiences’. 

“This drive-thru opening in Cali – our first in the market – fills us with pride. We began our operation in Colombia eight years ago. Now with over 50 stores, accompanied by significant investments in technology and infrastructure, we continue to maintain a business focused on service and exceeding the expectations and experiences of our millions of customers,” said Juan Pablo Castaño, Managing Director, Alsea Colombia. 

Starbucks opened its first store in Colombia in 2014, employing more than 600 staff across its outlets in Cali, Bogotá, Medellín, Barranquilla and Cartagena.   

In November 2022 Alsea cited robust sales among its franchised Starbucks stores as a key contributor to its record ₱17.5bn ($888m) third quarter revenues. 

Alsea currently operates 1,612 Starbucks locations across 11 countries, including Mexico, France and Spain. Alsea plans to open the first Starbucks store in Paraguay in 2023.