It may seem like there’s a Starbucks on every corner in American cities, but overseas, the coffee giant has yet to break into some major international markets. On September 7, Starbucks is opening its first-ever location in Italy inside Milan’s iconic Poste building in Piazza Cordusio. The flagship location will also serve as Starbucks’ third Reserve Roastery (after Seattle and Shanghai, and with more locations planned for Chicago and New York): a 25,000 square-foot coffee complex that offers some of the brand’s more deluxe reserve coffee offerings.
But that’s not all. To appeal to the more discerning customer base in Italy, Starbucks made a few changes to its menu. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Milan Roastery will drop the brand’s iconic — but decidedly American — Frappuccinos and other blended drinks from the menu in favor of some more Italian-friendly offerings, including pizza and ice cream.
During the early evening, Milan Roastery customers will be able to sip on cocktails inspired by the aperitivo (like an Italian happy hour), while tasting pizza and pastries made in a wood-fired brick oven.
Starbucks will also offer handcrafted ice cream in the form of an affogato bar. An affogato is a classic Italian dessert traditionally made with espresso and a scoop of ice cream (much like a coffee float). At the Milan Roastery, customers can try the €10 ($11.62 USD) “Pantheon Blend Cream Affogato:” a shot of espresso topped with a dollop of made-to-order ice cream made with a liquid nitrogen finish.
Although these are new offerings for Starbucks customers, this is not the first time the coffee chain has focused on expanding its food and drink options beyond standard coffee and pastry fare. The Starbucks Evenings program — which offered beer, wine, and tapas during happy hour — launched in 2010, but ultimately ended last year to integrate with the Roastery stores.
Last year, Starbucks announced a partnership with esteemed baker, Rocco Princi, to break into the gourmet fast-casual lunch business with freshly baked bread, sandwiches and other food offerings, including Starbucks’ rendition of Eggs in Purgatory, a spicy Italian egg dish. The Rocco Princi baked goods will be served at all Reserve locations, including Milan.
Of course, not everyone is excited about the new coffee shop in town (even with its promises of handcrafted pizza and ice cream). According to Reuters, Italian consumer watchdog group Codacons has already filed a complaint against Starbucks for overcharging its customers — at €1.80 ($2.09 USD), an espresso at Starbucks will cost more than double the standard market price of an Italian espresso.
I've reached out to Starbucks for further comment.
