THAILAND— Coffeehouse and roastery chain Starbucks has launched its third community store in Thailand, a move meant to strengthen its ties with local coffee farmers.
The new restaurant is located in the Mae Rim district of Chiang Mai at Kad Farang Village.
According to Starbucks Thailand, the community store’s design is inspired by the local coffee-growing traditions and the cultural heritage of Northern Thailand’s farmers.
The community store features wooden lattices complementing its interior. The furniture has earthly tones and warm hues that reflect the community’s connection with nature.
The store also features custom artwork, including handcrafted textile panels crafted by local artisans and weavers. The coffeehouse chain describes the panels as a tribute to the local coffee farming community.
Starbucks Thailand revealed the community store is its way of acknowledging local farmers’ role in their operations and success in the country.
The coffeehouse chain particularly acknowledges the farmers’ role in the creation of Starbucks Muan Jai blend, a unique blend sold only in Thailand.
The company also revealed it will introduce an exclusive drink menu in the new community store. This exclusive menu features the Muan Jai White Chocolate Affogato-Style Frappuccino Blended Beverage.
Starbucks will also donate BT 10 (US$1.73) from every beverage sold by the store to the Integrated Tribal Development Program (ITDF) as part of its community development efforts. The donations are intended to enhance the livelihoods of local coffee farmers.
Customers can also purchase a special merchandise collection at the community store. The available merchandise includes Benjarong mugs, drinkware decorated with coffee grounds, keychains, bags and coasters.
The merchandise collection is intended to further enhance the tangible connection between the company, local community, and local culture. It is also intended to support the community’s sustainability efforts.
The Kad Farang, Mae Rim store is Starbucks’ third community store opened in Asia this year.
In August, Starbucks opened a community store in Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, the Philippines. The company also opened a community store in Hwangudan, South Korea, in July.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE
