Stars Coffee, a Russian chain that replaced the American coffee giant Starbucks in Russia after its departure due to the Ukrainian conflict, opened its first restaurant in Moscow on Friday with the slogan “Bucks left, stars stayed“. “Why STARS? Because the new brand brings together the stars of the gastronomic industry“Explain in a press release the Russian rapper Timati and the restaurateur Anton Pinski who acquired the 130 Starbucks restaurants in Russia at the end of July.

A quality “better than ever»

Brown has been added to the logo in the traditional colors of the American chain – green and white – and the little mermaid has been replaced by a girl in “kokoshnik», traditional Russian headdress. Syrups for coffee will now be locally made, while the menu of dishes and desserts will be completely redesigned by new chefs to offer quality “better than ever“, assures Stars Coffee in a press release.

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Unlike the “Russian McDonalds» launched in June with great fanfare, Stars Coffee did not make a big advertising campaign for the opening of its first restaurant on Novy Arbat street, in the very center of the Russian capital. A modest official ceremony took place on Thursday evening for a few celebrities and a handful of journalists, with the general public being invited from Friday. All of the chain’s restaurants are due to open in Russia by the end of September, according to the owners. About 80% of some 2,000 employees who worked for Starbucks have agreed to stay with the new chain, according to the same source.

Definitive departure

Starbucks, which had temporarily closed the 130 establishments bearing its name in Russia after the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine on February 24, announced at the end of May that it had made the decision to leave the country definitively. The American chain known for itslatte” and “Frappuccinoopened its first cafe in Russia in 2007 and operated there through a partner, a Kuwaiti group that owned and operated the licensed establishments.

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After the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine and the imposition of economic sanctions, major Western companies found themselves under great pressure to distance themselves from Moscow, for ethical reasons or difficulties in doing business. After more than 30 years of presence in Russia and with nearly 850 restaurants and 62,000 employees, McDonald’s announced in mid-May its final departure from the country and sold its activities, but not the brand name, to a businessman. Russian. On June 12, theRussian McDonald’s» opened their doors under the name of «Vkusno i tochka(Delicious. Period). The French car manufacturer Renault, leader in the country with the Lada brand which it had recovered, for its part sold its assets to the Russian State.

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