It was recently announced that Starbucks has invested in a highly-respected Italian bakery chain called Princi.
The brand was created by Italian Rocco Princi in 1986 as a chain of bakeries that offers premium baked goods. Princi boasts five stores at present, including one in London.
“As a young man, I dreamed of the opportunity to bring traditional Italian baking to customers in my country, but when I opened our location in London, I realised how much we could also offer an international clientele,” says Princi.
Princi will now have a chance to reach far more international customers. Starbucks, as part of an investment team that includes Milan-based Angel Lab and Pekepan Investments, will assist Princi in opening up more stores.
Importantly, though, Starbucks also plans on employ Princi to bring baking to Starbucks stores for the first time. The company will be opening two high-end Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Rooms in Shanghai and New York in 2017/2018.
According to Starbucks, “these immersive coffee experiences bring to life Starbucks line of premium, small-lot Reserve coffees in a retail space that allows the roasting, brewing and craft of coffee to take center stage.” Through Princi the stores will also offer baked goods created in-store.
“We have never baked in our stores in 45 years. But all of that will change with the creation of this unique partnership,” says Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.
“Rocco and his team at Princi possess a passion for handcrafted food and artisanal baked goods that mirrors how I feel about our coffee. The attention to detail, the care invested in selecting the ingredients and the artistry of preparation is second only to the service Rocco offers customers inside his Princi stores. I can think of no better pairing for our most premium coffee experience and am excited by the possibilities we envision in Princi food elevating every daypart – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – in Starbucks Roasteries and Reserve Stores.”
“As a young man, I dreamed of the opportunity to bring traditional Italian baking to customers in my country but when I opened our location in London, I realised how much we could also offer an international clientele,” says Rocco Princi. “I have long admired Starbucks, the values Howard has imbedded into his organisation and we are honoured to be a part of bringing to life an entirely new retail environment with the Roasteries.”
