Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

STARBUCKS is bringing an immersive coffee experience to coffee lovers in Shenzhen with the opening of its first flagship store in South China — the Starbucks Reserve MixC World Store, in Nanshan yesterday.

The two-story store carries Starbucks Reserve coffee-forward designs including interactive brewing bars on both floors, where customers can discover different types of brewing methods such as the black eagle, pour-over style, Chemex, French press and Siphon.

Visitors will have the opportunity to spend time exploring Starbucks coffees, ask questions, and purchase their favorite brewing equipment and packaged coffee for home use under the service of 40 Baristas, certified Starbucks Coffee Masters, who wear black aprons as a symbol of their coffee expertise.

“In this flagship store, coffee lovers not only have the chance to try Starbucks Reserve offerings that hold intriguing flavors and stories, they also have the chance to try the innovative beverages and drinks that are in the Shenzhen market for the first time,” store manager You Wen said.

“Starbucks opened its first store in South China 15 years ago and now its flagship opened service to customers in this innovative and inclusive city,” said Eric Ho, regional general manager of Starbucks in South China.

The company now operates over 500 stores in South China. The opening of the first flagship store in Shenzhen marked a milestone for Starbucks brand development.

“The store will carry on Starbucks’ 47-year strong passion for coffee and integrate the innovative spirit of Shenzhen to bring a unique coffee experience with the finest quality coffee beans around the world,” Ho said.

In terms of design, the flagship store integrates the vivacity of Shenzhen with the heritage of Starbucks’ coffee history.

China has become Starbucks’ second-largest and fastest-growing market, and one the company expects to eclipse the U.S. market one day. Starbucks already operates more than 3,000 stores in over 130 cities in China.