Starbucks is reducing the Princi brand in upscale cafes in the US and China

Starbucks is discontinuing Italian baked goods brand Princi from its upscale Roastery and Reserve locations in the U.S. and China. Bloomberg News has reported.

Despite the removal of the Princi branding, Starbucks’ food offerings, which include salami sandwiches and Italian-style croissants, remain unchanged.

The decision to withdraw from the Princi Initiative, a vision of former CEO Howard Schultz, reflects a change in strategy at the company.

Schultz, who built Starbucks into a global brand, originally planned to open more than two dozen roasteries worldwide.

The partnership with Princi began in 2016 when Schultz was inspired by a meeting with baker Rocco Princi in Italy.

However, the Princi brand will continue to be present in twelve Starbucks locations, including the Roasteries in Milan and Tokyo and ten stores in Tokyo.

The move precedes the tenure of new CEO Brian Niccol, who began his role on September 9, 2024 and is tasked with addressing sales challenges.

The reasons for the removal of the Princi branding were not disclosed.

A Starbucks spokesperson said, “We look forward to continuing to offer customers the same menu of hand-crafted, artisanal foods using high-quality ingredients prepared daily by our chefs at our Starbucks Reserve locations across the U.S.”

In September 2024, Starbucks Thailand opened its third community store in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district in Kad Farang Village.

The new restaurant aims to strengthen the company’s relationships with local coffee farmers and features wooden latticework that complements the store’s interior design.

“Starbucks cuts Princi brand in upscale cafes in US and China” was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a brand owned by GlobalData.

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