Starbucks to Expand in Central America With Costa Rica Location

Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) plans to open its first Costa Rican location in May as the world’s largest coffee- shop chain boosts its presence in the region.

Since announcing plans to enter the Central American market in August 2010, Starbucks has opened six locations in the region, including four in El Salvador and two in Guatemala.

“Starbucks has purchased Costa Rican coffee for many years,” Pablo Arizmendi-Kalb, general manager of Starbucks in Latin America, said in a statement. “With this opening, we are committed to expanding our role in the rich coffee heritage present in Costa Rica.” The cafe will be located in San José, the nation’s capital.

Manuela Velásquez, marketing director of Starbucks Central America, said in a phone interview from El Salvador that the company anticipates adding locations this year in Costa Rica. Starbucks currently operates 535 coffee shop locations in Latin America, Velásquez said.

Starbucks, which has more than 10,700 U.S. cafes and 6,200 abroad, gets more than 20 percent of revenue from international stores.

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